TURNER — The Board of Selectmen presented the annual town meeting warrant Monday evening, recommending a municipal budget of $2.85 million for 2019-20.

The spending plan is just over $100,000 more than this fiscal year, which ends June 30. There are increases for code enforcement, public works, the Fire Department, transfer station and winter roads.

The budget does not include the Androscoggin County assessment of $591,402. It’s $36,000 more than last year, Town Manager Kurt Schaub said. It also does not include the School Administrative District 44 assessment.

Besides spending issues, voters at the annual town meeting next month will decide whether to approve whether to allow medical and recreational marijuana storefronts and activities. If they approve of them, they would also vote on a licensing fee ordinance.

The town meeting is set for 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 6, in the Leavitt Area High School gymnasium. Municipal elections will be Friday, April 5, starting at 12:55 p.m. in the Town Office.

In another matter, Schaub said the winter roads budget is overdrafted about $5,500, mainly because of overtime and fuel.

The board also discussed a letter Schaub sent to the Maine Department of Transportation on the condition of Upper Street, a state road. He said it “resembles a minefield.”

“The usual stuff of spring but magnified because road construction and maintenance fundamentals have not been addressed,” he wrote.

Schaub sent the letter in hopes that DOT will offer an improvement plan.

“It’s terrible, I wouldn’t drive on it if I didn’t have to,” said Kurt Youland, chairman of the Board of Selectmen. “We’ve had so much cold and wet weather that it’s gotten to the base of the roads, it’s even worse than normal.”

Schaub said he hasn’t received a response from the state.

Copy the Story Link