OTISFIELD — Annual town meeting voters approved a $1.3 million town operating budget Saturday and re-elected Len Alder to the Board of Selectmen.

About 60 voters attended the meeting at the Otisfield Community School to approve the 23-article warrant and also re-elect Joseph Vaillancourt to the Oxford Hills School District Board of Directors and Road Commissioner Richard Bean. Hal Ferguson was elected chairman of the Board of Selectmen.

The total budget approved was $1,353,903. Of that amount, voters OK’d $270,660 for the general government account including $50,500 for officer’s salaries, $86,500 for administration and $60,000 for municipal grounds and buildings plus $124,700 for employee benefits including $54,400 for health insurance.

Selectmen said earlier that they expect the mill rate to remain the same.

Voters had very few questions, stopping only to ask whether the $210,000 approved for maintenance of winter roads was enough. That amount was part of a $550,500 request for the Public Works Department that also included $110,00 for the summer care of roads and $120,00 for tarring an resurfacing.

Finance Committee Chairwoman Joanie Jacobs said the amount was normal,. “All we can do is guess,” she said of the committee’s recommended budget for that item.

Voters also questioned a $5,000 appropriation to help maintain the Robinson Dam in Oxford. Selectman Rick Micklon said the town of Oxford, which took the dam for nonpayment of taxes, has asked Otisfield, Casco and Poland to each contribute $5,000 this year, while they will pay $10,000 toward the maintenance costs. This year the money will be used to repair a catwalk that has become a safety issue for anyone on the dam.

Micklon said the dam controls the flow of water to Thompson Lake, which the towns border, and that for years the flow of water has been “inappropriate” many times. This way, the town can have a stake in how the water level is being kept and other issues. While the three towns may not be able to make decision with Oxford about the dam, it was clear, said Micklon, that they would be heard in any discussion about the facility.

In other action, voters approved $141,065 for public safety departments including $69,017 for the Fire Department, $43,000 for Code Enforcement and $9,500 for cemeteries.

Voters also approved a $11,250 request including $8,000 for the Recreation Committee, $3,000 for the Planning Board and $250 for the Appeals Board plus $34,280 for contractual services such as $11,500 for assessing and $5,000 for software licensing.

Health and social welfare agencies received $5,863. They agencies include Tri-County Mental Health, REACH, Responsible Pet Care, the Progress Center, Bolsters Mill and Casco Libraries and the Otisfield Community School, Library.

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