SUMNER — At their annual town meeting Thursday night, residents passed all 42 articles and two ordinances, including a marijuana moratorium. They also re-elected Selectman Mary Anne Haxton and Road Commissioner Andy Wickson.

There were roughly 45 people in attendance at Hartford-Sumner Elementary School, where Terry Hayes was elected moderator. At the beginning of the meeting, selectmen awarded the Boston Post Cane to Stella Stachaczynski, who is 97.

Sumner’s fiscal 2018 budget is $1.94 million, which is $278,116 more than in 2017. The operating budget is $1.05 million, which is $237,202 more. The Oxford County assessment is $57,772, an increase of $980, and the Regional School Unit 10 assessment is $829,740, an increase of $39,934.

According to Town Clerk Susan Runes, the tax rate is projected to increase by $1.50 to $18.45 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

Voters agreed to exceed the property tax levy limit for Sumner, which is established by the state.

“We work strenuously to not exceed LD1 every year. … This year (we’ve) exceeded by almost $100,000,” Runes said. It’s because of replacing a culvert with a concrete bridge on Redding Road, and increases in sand, salt and winter plowing, she said.

“One of the pieces of reasoning for going this route, we have to replace the culvert this year in order to receive a $95,000 … DEP grant,” she said.

The administration article of $184,913 included $19,000 for revaluation, $4,600 for audit, $14,000 for buildings and grounds maintenance, $4,200 for computer software update, $3,350 for dues, $2,000 for elections, $7,150 for general office expense, $100 for interest on abatements, $900 for legal fees, $2,000 for liens, $650 for tax map update and $126,963 in salaries.

Residents agreed to appropriate $55,760 for protection, which includes $13,500 for insurance, $8,000 for Fire Department operations, $550 for firefighter insurance, $2,000 for Fire Department education/training, $5,000 for firefighter compensation, $10,000 for Fire Department equipment, $2,000 for streetlights; $14,360 for ambulance service, which includes $5,600 for Buckfield Rescue and $8,760 for Tri-Town Rescue, and $350 for street name signs.

For winter roads, voters approved $302,289, which is $52,083 more than last year. Runes said the plowing contract has increased by $9,000 and the town will spend $10,000 more on sand and $13,000 more on salt to account for the larger amounts used last winter.

Voters agreed to transfer $30,000 from the sand and salt shed reserve to the summer roads account to help pay for the new bridge on Redding Road.

Haxton made a motion to amend and increase the summer roads total by $5,000 to $202,922 because the Redding Road bridge site does not have ledge so extra concrete is needed to create a new footer. Her motion was approved.

By a vote of 29-14, voters approved the marijuana moratorium for recreational cultivation, manufacturing and testing facilities, along with retail establishments and social clubs.

Resident Nathan Gilbert asked, “I would just like to know how long the moratorium would last, how to get out of it and the pros of putting a moratorium on it.”

Selectman Edwin Hinshaw said the moratorium is 180 days and gives the town time and opportunity to grasp the impact of recreational marijuana locally, which was passed by Mainers last November. There is a statewide moratorium in place for the retail aspect of the law until February 2018 as state officials figure out regulations.

Resident Bob Runes worried a moratorium was reactionary and wanted to wait until the state finishes its regulations.

Gilbert said he didn’t understand why they couldn’t talk about the issue without a moratorium and didn’t want the town to lose out on potential revenue.

Hinshaw and Haxton said they could discuss the issue even with a moratorium.

Voters approved the Electric Cut-off Disconnect Ordinance, which allows emergency responders to disconnect the electricity during a fire or other emergency. It applies to new construction and large additions.

For the elections, dual business owner Harold Moore II told the audience he wanted to be considered for selectman.

Haxton was re-elected to a three-year term with 36 votes. Moore received seven. Wickson was re-elected to a one-year term as road commissioner with 35 votes.

Voters also approved extending the road commissioner’s term from one to three years, beginning in 2018, but not before discussion. Resident George Jones questioned the benefit to the community.

“I don’t see the need to do this. … I have advocated abolishing the office,” he said, noting there’s a “lack of coordination between the plans of the board and the plans of the road commissioner. … The plans of the roads should be in the hands of the selectpersons.”

“I think we are at the cusp of doing exactly what you’re talking about Mr. Jones,” Haxton replied. “(We have an) active Road Committee taking on much more long-range plans and collaborative process.”

Voters also approved:

• $598,000 to decrease the tax commitment, with $418,000 from anticipated revenue and $180,000 from the general fund;

• $26,779.19 for overdrafts in the Winter Roads account for salt and sand;

• Selling the rock rake Wickson does not use and putting the money in the Road Equipment Reserve account;

• Selling the pumper truck and putting the money into the Fire Department Equipment account;

• $3,000 for the road commissioner’s annual salary;

• $10,500 for selectmen wages; $3,500 per selectman;

• $1,000 for the Contingency account for emergencies;

• $700 for General Assistance;

• $4,050 for Social Services;

• $160,000 for roads, bridges and maintenance;

• $5,000 for Road Equipment account;

• $7,000 for road equipment and repairs;

• $59,590 for solid waste operations;

• $2,250 for recreation;

• $1,400 for the Planning Board;

• $3,500 for animal control;

• $14,625 for cemeteries, cemetery stones, town beach and town signs;

• $450 for veterans’ memorial flags;

• $1,000 for the Sumner Scholarship Fund; and

• $23,667 for Tuell Hill Road bridge replacement bond payment.

eplace@sunmediagroup.net

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