Farmington town meeting set for Monday

FARMINGTON — Voters will consider articles for a $5.6 million budget at the annual town meeting Monday, March 27, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Community Center.

The budget recommended by the Board of Selectmen is 3.61 percent higher than last year’s — up by $195,430 from $5.42 million.

Balloting for officers will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday at the Community Center on Middle Street. Two selectmen and two school board members are uncontested in their bids for office.

Selectman Stephan Bunker seeks re-election and Scott Landry seeks a first term on the board. He would succeed Andrew Buckland who chose not to run again. Regional School Unit 9 directors Tami Labul and Ryan Morgan are seeking re-election.

Among the 37 articles on the warrant, voters will consider an increase for Farmington Public Library. An initial request of $209,990 was reduced to $187,094 after a meeting with selectmen. The new amount is a 25.15 percent increase over the $149,500 appropriated last year.

Library Treasurer Richard Morton and library Director Maurie Stockford have said that to operate the library on $187,094 would require cutting hours from 40 to 32 per week and eliminating two part-time aides.

Selectmen recommend appropriating $157,723, to the library, a 5.5 percent increase over last year’s appropriation and one, they say, is more in line with the municipal budget.

Voters will also consider raising and appropriating $270,736 for road improvements. This amount, along with appropriating $158,780 in Maine Local Road Assistance Program funds, will fund the fifth year of a five-year capital improvement program.

Planned for 2017 is the first year of a two-year reconstruction project on Anson Street and Titcomb Hill Road.

Farmington Fire and Rescue is requesting $516,057, an increase of 18.77 percent over last year’s $434,492. The amount includes a full year of wages for four employees and $75,000 for the Fire Equipment Reserve account.

Public Works is asking for $10,000, up from $5,000 last year, for that department’s reserve fund, which has a balance of $30,519. Some of these funds will be used for structural repairs to a sand and salt storage building.

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