NEW SHARON — Residents at the annual town meeting Saturday will vote again on financing a new fire station and town office building, this time with the required Treasurer’s Financial Statement.

The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. at Cape Cod Hill School, 516 Cape Cod Hill Road

Residents approved the project by a vote of 106-13 at a special town meeting in December. At the time, they allowed selectmen to obtain a construction loan of up to $982,400 and to use about $391,000 from town accounts.

According to the upcoming town meeting warrant, Maine law dictates articles authorizing borrowing must include a Treasurer’s Financial Statement.” That statement was not included in the December article.

A new building was proposed after a metal pipe wrapped in asbestos burst in October, temporarily closing the Town Office. Over the years there have been other problems with the former high school and Regional School Unit 9 central office. It was built in 1949.

Voters will also consider a $1.05 million spending plan, up slightly from last year’s $1.04 million budget.
The budget does not include debt service on the fire station/town office construction loan, Franklin County taxes or the town’s share of the RSU 9 budget.

In addition, voters will be asked to consider changing the treasurer, tax collector and town clerk positions from elected to appointed positions. If approved, the change will be effective at the March 2021 town meeting.

Elections for selectman, town clerk and tax collector, all three-year terms, will take place from noon to 7 p.m. Friday at the Masonic Lodge, 170 Water St.

Running unopposed are Selectman Lorna Nichols and Town Clerk/Tax Collector Pamela Adams.

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