After weather delay, Waterford passes entire warrant

WATERFORD — Voters passed the entire 71-article warrant Saturday morning after a delay due to heavy snow.

The $2,218,732 approved budget was $200,000 less than last year’s. This was due to about $250,000 less spending in the road improvement line and $10,000 less in the special equipment account line. The total amount taken to offset taxes was $1,231,736, all resulting in a mill rate of $16 per $1,000 of assessed value. The money to offset taxes came from state revenue sharing, the Urban-Rural Initiative Program, Oxford County and Stoneham transfer stations, 2022 revenue, the previous year’s surplus, and funds taken from checking and savings.

Article 69 garnered long debate on noise levels in town with complaints mostly about wedding venues. Voters amended the site plan review ordinance, on a 30 to 25 written ballot vote, to increase maximum decibel levels from 45 decibels during the day and 35 decibels at night to 55 and 45 decibels, respectively.

Voters also passed Article 71 by written ballot, 39 to 14, to institute an ordinance requiring permits for yard sales. Town Clerk Brenda Bigonski told the Sun Journal earlier this week residents asked for a change due to people hosting continuous yard sales. The new rule will require permits which allow yard sales to run for no more than three consecutive days and residents are allowed no more than three yard sales per year.

Select board Chair Randy Lessard won reelection unopposed. Catherine Winship won election to a three-year term on the Maine School Administrative District 17 board. Winship won a special election last year to finish out former director Barry Patrie’s term.