Board: Sabattus Board of Selectmen

Met: Wednesday night

Election night to remember

Issue: Vice Chairman Guy Desjardins thanked staff for staying until 4 a.m. after last week’s election to tally votes.

The scoop: Why so late, with fewer than 3,000 people voting? Town Clerk Suzanne Adams said that during the night, someone – they’re not sure who – accidentally mixed ballots that had been counted with ballots that hadn’t. Realizing that, they had to start the count all over.

Food drive success

The issue: An Election Day food drive for the local Loaves and Fishes pantry was such a success it’s been extended through Christmas. One local farmer brought in two cases of yams and squash. Donations can be dropped off at the town office during business hours.

Up next: Selectmen approved a collection box for the Marine’s Toys for Tots program in the town office for new and unwrapped toys.

Ghosts and ghoul scouts

The scoop: A Girl Scout slumber party at the town office at Halloween night went off as planned. That same evening 200 trick-or-treaters swung by the Fire Station and came away with candy.

Coming soon

The issue: Selectmen will meet Thursday at 6 p.m. for a workshop to talk about a higher-than-expected bill for paving and finish grading work by Harry C. Crooker & Son. In June, selectmen OK’d a bid from Crooker for $294,637.39. The bill came in $28,596.52 higher. The company says that’s to account for an increase in the cost of liquid asphalt. The town wasn’t warned ahead of time.

The issue: After a request from the floor, Town Manager Gregory Gill will bring a policy on bids to the next selectman’s meeting.

Contact reporter Kathryn Skelton via phone at 689-2844 or via e-mail at [email protected]