KINGFIELD – Voters at Saturday’s annual town meeting unanimously accepted changes to zoning ordinances proposed months ago in expectation of a possible Poland Spring bottling plant permit application.
The Planning Board and other town officials worried prior to the meeting that the changes would be hotly opposed, but when the article came up for discussion, only one person out of the approximately 125 attendees spoke – and it was in support of the issue.
Town meeting moderator Paul Mills repeatedly asked if anyone else wanted to speak, and closed the floor for a vote with what sounded like disbelief in his voice. The motion to accept the amendments, which among other things make Aquifer Dependent Industry an accepted land use and then regulate such industries, passed unanimously.
Mid-meeting, the Water Districting Committee held its Annual Meeting, and Chairman Robert Barnes told taxpayers that in November the committee was treated to a surprise-visit (like a pop-quiz, he said) by a Maine State Drinking Water Program representative. Although the district “received an excellent report,” Barnes said the report recommended the Kingfield Water District drill a second well to be used as a backup in case the current well malfunctions. Barnes said the committee will start the process of drilling another well “as funds become available.”
Taxpayers voted to raise the state property tax levy limit of $609,477 when First Selectman John Dill told them the Budget Committee recommendations exceeded that limit by $26,544. Voters went on to approve nearly all the town’s budget requests, bringing the budget to a little more than $636,000, or about 9 percent more than in 2005.
The most debated issues of the day came toward the end of the meeting, and dealt with two possible purchases for which no budget committee recommendations had been made. The first, Article 27, asked residents to vote to install a streetlight on West Kingfield Road, for a cost Dill said would probably not exceed $10 per month. Some residents wanted the light, both to make evening walks safer and to protect deer that are occasionally hit by cars. Others thought the purchase unnecessary, and the request was ultimately turned down.
Article 28 asked residents to accept Commercial Street from JLC Mining “in its current condition.” Dill explained the new fire station is on Commercial Street and said selectmen had worried about the legality of using town money to plow a private road. But during the ensuing debate, in which more than five residents argued against taking control of a road in questionable condition, Dill said he had recently spoken with a lawyer from the Maine Municipal Association who told him that since the fire station is a community building, it is legal for the town to plow the road leading up to it.
Taxpayers then voted overwhelming against accepting the road.
Voters also unanimously re-elected Dill to a three-year term.
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