OTISFIELD – More than 200 townspeople made their way to the Otisfield Community School on Saturday to attend the annual town meeting.

In a contested race for a three-year seat on the Board of Selectmen, Rick Micklon received 151 votes to Lenny Adler’s 51. Micklon replaces Tom Nurmi, who served 15 years on the board.

Adler, who had 25 years of experience as an Otisfield selectman, had said he was committed to keeping the town within a tax limit and being prepared for any issues that might face the town.

Micklon, who has served as the chairman of the Planning Board, said he wanted to increase public input in the board’s actions, keep taxes low, protect the town’s environment, and preserve the town’s buildings and grounds.

“Selectmen should follow the plan of the people,” Micklon said. “A selectman shouldn’t be a politician, but a statesman.”

Adler said he and Micklon both have the best interests of the town at heart, and publicly congratulated Micklon after his victory.

“In three years, he’ll have less hair and it will be gray,” Adler joked.

In an 82-56 vote, Selectman Hal Ferguson replaced Mark Cyr as chairman of the Board of Selectmen. Richard Bean was re-elected road commissioner for the next year.

Voters accepted an amendment to reduce the term of an elected SAD 17 director from three years to one year and voted to table the vote.

Tom Moore, a member of the SAD 17 board, said he was asked by the selectmen to resign after he moved to Norway. Moore said he owns property in Otisfield and is still a registered voter there.

“For the last month and a half I have served Otisfield from Norway,” said Moore.

Moore said he submitted his resignation to the board after the move, but then found out that under state law that he may continue to serve. He said he was not contacted after he sent the board a letter on the legal position.

The article prompted an extended discussion from the floor, with several residents accusing the board of mishandling the matter.

Cyr said the board’s decision to ask Moore to resign was out of a concern that the school board director representing Otisfield should live in the community. He said a letter was supposed to be sent to Moore.

“This is great communication in here. Don’t take it negatively,” said Cyr.

Cyr also made a motion that the board rescind Moore’s resignation, although the motion was not acted upon. Cyr said the question of Moore’s resignation would go before the board of selectmen at a special meeting.

Several residents left the meeting after elections, but before the 15 articles outlining the town’s $1.28 million budget were approved. An amendment to strike $4,000 from the public works budget which was to pay for road striping was defeated.

Voters also approved an emergency management ordinance, updated the site plan ordinance, definitions for the town ordinances, and amendments to the building ordinance.