MINOT — Voters at Saturday’s annual town meeting will decide whether to have a full-time fire chief, among other issues.

The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. in the Minot Consolidated School gym at 23 Shaw Hill Road. Municipal elections will be held Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Town Office meeting room at 329 Woodman Hill Road.

Town Administrator Danielle Loring said Fire Chief Dean Campbell is not interested in overseeing the 20-plus members of the all-volunteer Fire and Rescue Department on a full-time basis.

The Select Board and Budget Committee have endorsed having a full-time, $79,000 salaried position with benefits included.

The proposed $2.2 million municipal budget for 2024-25 also includes financing a plow truck for the Highway Department.

The budget is nearly $304,000 more than last year and represents a 15.6% increase.

Town officials are also asking approval to establish a Minot Consolidated School Reserve Account of $100,000 in case the Regional School Unit 16 board of directors ever chooses to close the school. The fund would be used for legal fees, operational costs, or contracting consultants. The money would come from the undesignated fund balance.

Loring said the warrant article is due to the deliberations last year when RSU 16 directors were contemplating closing the school in a possible reconfiguration of elementary grades in the district, which includes Mechanic Falls and Poland.

Selectmen Matthew Callahan and Lisa Cesare are unopposed for reelection to three-year terms.

RSU 16 Directors Michael Downing and Angela Swenson are also unopposed for reelection to three-year terms.

For more information on the town meeting and the warrant, go to minotme.org.

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