CARTHAGE — Voters overwhelmingly authorized the Board of Selectmen to take the necessary action to determine whether a 320-acre parcel is or is not town property at the annual town meeting Monday night. If it is, a portion of it could become the site of several wind turbines.

But first, the 75 or so people who attended the annual event whisked through approval of a 2009 municipal budget and elected one new selectman and re-elected the town clerk/tax collector and treasurer in about an hour.

It took 70 more minutes to act on the five articles related to the town property and the pros and cons of possibly siting several wind towers on the Saddleback ridge.

Approved was a $271,235 municipal budget, which is about $1,500 higher than last year. First Selectman Stephen Brown said earlier that the tax rate, at $17.50 per $1,000 valuation, will likely remain the same or rise only slightly. Tax bills are expected to go out within a week or so.

Elected to the position of second selectman was Larry Blodgett, a Rumford Group Homes employee and moderator for Monday’s meeting. He defeated incumbent Selectman Scott Berry, 24-19. Re-elected to one-year terms as town clerk and tax collector was Linda Berry; Nancy Blodgett was re-elected to a one-year term as treasurer.

Among the changes to the presented warrant was one that extended the amount of time people have to pay their taxes from 30 to 60 days after bills are mailed, reinstatement of $1,000 to the bonus normally given to Brown for running the town, and $300 more to the amount requested to update the Veterans’ Memorial.

The approval to spend up to $5,000 to determine the ownership of the so-called town lots, a 320-acre parcel, means that selectmen can now hire a lawyer to try to get ownership of the land through a declaratory action.

The property has been considered town land for more than 100 years, but no clear title has ever been found. The last owner was Caroline Weld.

Voters on Monday rescinded an action taken in 2001 to establish a conservation easement on the property, then later, voted against establishing another conservation easement if the property is found to be owned by the town.

They also authorized selectmen to negotiate a possible agreement with Patriot Renewables LLC to lease part of the town lots for installation of several wind towers if it is found to be owned by the town. That agreement would not go into effect unless residents approve that action at a special town meeting.

Patriot Renewables has an option to buy about 1,000 acres from four or five landowners for construction of a wind farm. That land and the so-called town lots are adjacent to each other and are located on Saddleback Ridge.

Prior to action taken on the town lots articles, several arguments for and against wind power were expressed before Blodgett, as moderator, and others who attended the meeting said that the time for such arguments would come at a later meeting.

The town also thanked retired town treasurer Dot Mason for her 50 years service as treasurer with an oil portrait created by Sandra Keith.

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Larry Blodgett, newly elected Carthage selectman

Voters elect a new selectman in Carthage Monday night.

First Selectman Stephen Brown presented retired town treasurer, Dot Mason, with an oil portrait created by Sandra Keith in appreciation for Mason’s more than 50 years as the town treasurer.