By Kelly Morgan,Staff Writer

BRIDGTON – Voters approved a municipal budget of $4.3 million at the annual town meeting Wednesday, voting in favor of all proposed budget items.

The town hall meeting went smoothly, Town Manager Ronnie Belanger said Thursday. “We opened at 7 (p.m.) and we shut down at 9:04.”

The $4.3 million figure is down almost 2 percent from last year’s approved budget of $4.4 million.

Belanger that said in passing the budget, voters also authorized a change in the Bridgton Police Department that will involve taking a person off patrol and creating a lieutenant position.

The lieutenant will take on many administrative duties in order to free the police chief for community relations work.

In addition, voters approved amendments to the building and raising permit ordinance, sign ordinance, shoreland zoning ordinance and site plan review ordinance, Belanger said.

At the polls on Tuesday, voters elected incumbent Robert McHatton and Robert Bell to two three-year terms on the Bridgton Board of Selectmen. The men received 345 and 224 votes, respectively.

Donna Lord and write-in candidate Stewart Estabrook Sulloway were elected for two three-year terms as directors of SAD 61. Wayne Warner Sr. was elected for a two-year term.

Incumbent Stevens Barker was re-elected to a three-year term as trustee of the Bridgton Water District.

Gordon Davis and Deanna Miller tied in a race for a three-year term on the Bridgton Planning Board, each bringing in 334 votes. Town Clerk Laurie Chadbourne said a runoff election will be held at the town hall June 28.

Miller also was elected as a write-in candidate for the position of Planning Board alternate but declined the position.

A total of 693 voters went to the polls Tuesday, Chadbourne said. While there are 4,154 registered voters in Bridgton, she said, the turnout was a little higher than usual for a municipal election.