GREENWOOD – By a strong vote Saturday, townspeople agreed to break with the long-standing tradition of a March town meeting and move the 2010 meeting forward to the Saturday prior to the Memorial Day weekend.

The reason is that the town is changing from a calendar year budget to a fiscal year running from July 1 to June 30, bringing the town in tune with the state, Oxford County and the local school district, SAD 44.

Selectmen said the change would allow the town to receive budget information from the county and school district to more accurately complete the annual town budget. In the past, building a budget was difficult because budget information from the county and school district was not completed until later in the spring. The town would have to go with an estimated amount for the county tax and education assessment for the year.

The voters also filled two municipal positions, including a three-year post for selectman and the position of school director for SAD 44.

Amy Chapman was elected to replace current Board of Selectmen Chairwoman Loretta Mikols, who had decided not to run for another term. Chapman got 45 votes; her opponents, Bryan Dunham and Shawn Houston, got 31 and 7, respectively.

Stacy Samboss, running unopposed, was elected to the school board.

Both will take over their positions immediately after being sworn in at the Town Office next week.

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