INDUSTRY — All articles passed without amendments at Saturday’s annual town meeting held at the Town Hall and a total of 20 votes were cast in the municipal election held prior to the meeting for a selectperson and a Regional School Unit 9 representative.

Rich Ruhlin remains the RSU 9 representative, running unopposed with 18 votes (one write-in, one blank). Mark Prentiss will take over from Selectperson Robert Geisser, who chose not to run for reelection, with 19 votes (one write-in).

The town report was dedicated to Geisser and fellow Industry resident Joseph Paradis Jr., recognizing their many years of service to the town. Geisser served the Select Board for 20 years and fire department for 25 years and counting. Paradis Jr. served as fire chief for 19 years, road commission for 14 years and the Select Board for three years.

“We extend a grateful and sincere thank you for all your hard work and dedication to the Town of Industry and community members,” it states in the town report.

Ruhlin served as moderator for the meeting.

Selectperson Earl “Lee” Ireland opened the town meeting by sharing a few words about Geisser, Paradis Jr. and Prentiss, who previously served with Ireland as a member of the Select Board in 1985.

All 39 articles passed without amendments. The town voted not to allow non-residents to speak at the meeting.

Among the articles, Article 37 appropriated $75,000 for a fire truck engine/pumper. An audience member asked if $75,000 was sufficient enough to get a truck that would last the town.

Ireland stated that in speaking with Fire Chief Tim Hardy, his suggestion was a medium sized fire engine. With strong mutual aid from neighboring towns, along with their two existing vehicles, Ireland stated a medium sized engine would supplement the town’s needs, and $75,000 provides a wider field of options for the town.

“For a lot of us here, … probably over the age of 50,” Ireland stated, “unless something catastrophic goes wrong with it, it would be the last medium sized truck that we would need to buy.”

Article 39 replaced the previous dog control ordinance with a revised ordinance. According to Animal Control Officer Erin Ryan, the previous ordinance, which was enacted in 2001, was too vague in regard to barking dogs. The new ordinance specifies the length of time a dog can be barking before it becomes excessive and the fines that come with the ordinance.

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