OTISFIELD – Voters approved a six-month budget of $1.5 million Saturday to operate the town until July 1, when Otisfield transitions to a new fiscal year. The amount to be raised by taxes is $1.2 million.
The next town meeting will be held in June to determine a budget for the 2006-07 fiscal year.
The portion of the six-month budget to be raised for town expenditures is $624,636 and the SAD 17 portion to be raised is $854,300. A total of $318,336 in revenue and revenue sharing is being applied to the six-month budget.
Voters elected Hal Ferguson as their new selectman. Ferguson fills the slot that was vacated by Lenny Adler, who stepped down after more than 30 years of service.
There were 55 articles on Saturday’s warrant that were considered during the three-hour meeting.
Residents voted to change the elected positions of town clerk, tax collector, treasurer and recreation director to appointed positions for indefinite terms beginning in July.
However they chose to keep the position of road commissioner as an elected one until the current road commissioner, Richard Bean, retires. Bean has held the job since 1982.
Adler spoke in favor of keeping the position as an elected slot until Bean’s retirement. “Richard works for us day and night, seven days a week,” he said. “It would be a disservice to him.
“I would be in favor of this article passing at the time Richard decides to retire,” he said.
Bean attended the meeting and was asked by resident Noreen Edwards for his opinion on whether the position should be elected or appointed; however, Bean declined.
The meeting took an unexpected turn early on when resident Jack Eaton presented a petition with 143 signatures for the citizens’ group Voices of Otisfield to remove “Otisfield” from its name.
Eaton said the group’s actions had created a divisive environment and a perception among many residents that it presents itself as representative of the entire community.
“Your voices do not represent the citizens of Otisfield,” Eaton said.
Voices of Otisfield was formed in response to what some residents saw as shoddy practices by town officials. The group holds open monthly meetings, and members say they are only trying to make town government more responsive.
But Eaton said some members had been “badgering” town officials. “Let’s remember we’re friends, we’re neighbors,” he said.
Some residents said the group has played a positive role. Edwards said she attends the meetings and there have been positive changes in town government since the group was formed. “I’ve just been blackballed; that’s how I feel,” she said.
Petitioners said they only want the town’s name removed from the group’s moniker. “Keep doing what you’re doing; it generates discussion,” said Brett Knowlen. “Just keep the Otisfield name out of it.”
Further discussion was tabled when some residents questioned whether it was appropriate to discuss the issue at the town meeting. There was no decision on the issue, and at the end of the meeting there was no further discussion.
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