DIXFIELD — The Board of Selectmen voted 3-1 Monday to hold a special town meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 29, at Dirigo High School to vote on a budget for the Police Department.

Norine Clark, Eugene Skibitsky and Norman Mitchell voted in favor of a special meeting; Aaron Jamison voted against. Hart Daley was absent. 

Townspeople on June 13 rejected the $391,445 budget recommended by selectmen by a vote of 206-227.

Residents also voted against, 186-248, appropriating $25,000 for a police station capital improvement reserve fund, and turned down $5,200 for miscellaneous funding, 207-223.

Town Manager Carlo Puiia said the board had two options: adopt last year’s amount or schedule a second vote.

Mitchell said he preferred the special town meeting because people could have an open discussion before voting.

The board decided to recommend $366,984, which was what Police Chief Jeff Howe initially presented.

Puiia said the higher amount presented June 13 included money for training and other items.

He said the police station capital improvement reserve fund will not be presented again. The money would have gone toward a future relocation of the department.

The other article on the June 29 warrant will be $5,200 recommended to be allocated as follows: $2,500 to help with the Historical Society’s mortgage on its museum; $1,400 for American flags, including those placed on veterans’ graves; and $1,300 as a contribution toward the River Valley Fourth of July celebration.

At the beginning of Monday’s board meeting, officials presented Barbara Chow with Dixfield’s Distinguished Citizen of the Year award.

Puiia said of Chow, “I appreciate everything she does for this town, and we respect her greatly for that. When we were growing up, our parents would tell us to always say thank you, and the reason we do it is because we respect that person and appreciate what they do. So we hope that Barbara knows that the Town of Dixfield, tonight, wants you to take that feeling home with you because you really have earned that honor.”

Chow has served on local school boards for years and has participated in many of the committees that support the board.

She has also devoted many years to the Dirigo High School Booster Club, serving as president and treasurer, while running and organizing all of the fundraisers that enabled the purchase of equipment and uniforms for the sports teams.

Chow was nominated for the award by Susan Holmes.

Following this presentation, state Rep. Richard Pickett, R-Dixfield, presented Chow with a legislative sentiment recognizing her for being the Distinguished Citizen of the Year.

bfarrin@sunmediagroup.net