POLAND — Voters will decide 35 warrant articles at Saturday’s town meeting beginning at 9 a.m. in the Poland Regional High School auditorium.
The proposed 2023 municipal budget of $6.8 million is a 2.48% increase over the current budget of $6.49 million.
Town Manager Matt Garside said part of the increase is to keep town employees’ salaries in line with current labor market demands and for not providing annual cost-of-living increases for eight of the past 15 years.
Garside said the increases in the wage scale will be a two- year process.
The increase for 29 town employees is based on an equity wage scale study prepared for the town in 2021 by HR Maine Consulting.
A hike in county taxes of $115,161 over the current year and additional costs totaling $51,141 in Central Maine Power supplier charges are also reflected in the budget.
Voters will have a say on whether to enter into a 25-year agreement with ReVision Solar Power to change to solar power as primary sources of electricity for its municipal facilities.
According to an explanation of the warrant article, approval would allow the town “to acquire a $228,271 solar energy system at no upfront costs.”
During the first five years of the agreement, Poland would purchase solar electricity at a savings of at least 45% over current rates.
In the sixth year the town could purchase the system for $141,811.
The explanation states, “The on-site solar energy generation would offset 17% of the town’s electricity needs, saving the town $510,000 over 40 years.”
Two articles deal with expanding the Ricker Memorial Library.
The first authorizes the town to use up to $150,000 from the Stone Trust “to engineer the expansion.” The second authorizes the expenditure of a bond of up to $850,000 to finance the design, construction and equipping the expansion.
Five articles amending Poland’s Comprehensive Lance Use Code are on the warrant, as well as an amendment authorizing an additional 104.2 acres be added to the conservation easement titled Heart of Poland.
At least 100 registered voters need to attend in person for the meeting to be legal. Voters will have the option of receiving an individually wrapped N95 mask and hand sanitizer upon entering the meeting.
Annual municipal elections will be held Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Town Hall, upstairs.
Incumbents Stephen Robinson and Stanley Tetenman are running unopposed for three-year terms on the Select Board.
Incumbent Claire Walker and newcomer Claire Ledoux Dick are running unopposed for three-year terms on the Ricker Library Board of Trustees
No candidates are listed for the one three-year term on the Regional School Unit 16 board and the two-year term on the Budget Committee.
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