CHESTERVILLE — Residents voted 20-6 on Thursday to appropriate up to a combined $25,000 from federal funds and the town’s undesignated funds to build a playground at the Dave Archer Town Office.
Of the $25,000, $1,373 will come from the town’s allotment from the American Rescue Plan Act and $23,627 from the town’s undesignated fund, Select Board Chairman Tim LeSiege wrote in an email.
A related article passed that if there is money left from the playground amount it will be carried over to create a playground line item under the recreation account. It was amended to add that any and all funds donated by a third party benefactor for the playground also be carried over into the recreation account, LeSiege wrote.
Residents rejected an article by a 14-10 vote that would have authorized selectmen to sign a 15-year contract with Central Maine Power Co. to convert town streetlights to LED lights. The town could choose to do nothing and CMP will continue to repair the existing lights until the company can no longer get high pressure sodium replacement parts. At that point, CMP would automatically switch failed lights to current technology.
Residents also rejected in a 12-12 vote to authorize selectmen to sign a contract amendment with Waste Management for the company’s requested 2% increase.
“Waste Management requested the increase due to disruptions in the supply chain for critical materials and equipment, labor shortages, and significant increases in maintenance cost which has substantially increased their cost to provide services to the community,” according to an explanation on the town meeting warrant.
Voters overwhelmingly supported offering a simple individual retirement account to all employees making more than $5,000 a year. In June, voters approved the IRA account for full-time employees only, but Edward Jones Municipal IRA packages require any employee who earns $5,000 or more per year be offered coverage for the IRA. It means the town will match employee contributions dollar-for-dollar up to 3% of their annual compensation. If an employee does not contribute to the IRA, the town will not either.
In other business, selectmen set the tax rate at $17.50 per $1,000 of property valuation, LeSiege wrote. It’s 30 cents less than last year.
The town increased its assessed value on land by 10% and its assessed value of buildings 15% to meet the state’s certified tax ratio, Town Clerk Melissa Letarte said Friday.
Interest of 4% will start accruing on tax bills Dec. 15, she said.
In another matter, Letarte said, two residents have returned nomination papers to complete a one-year term on the Select Board. Two people elected since March to fill the seat have both resigned. Selectmen set a shortened nomination process to fill the seat until March 2023, she said.
Carroll Corbin and Eric Hilton will vie for the seat. The election will be held from 1 to 7 p.m. Oct. 4 at the Town Office.
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