ROXBURY — Residents voted 13-8 at Sunday’s annual town meeting not to build a half-mile boardwalk to alleviate foot traffic on a section of Main Street near Roxbury Pond.

Opponents said the estimated $374,000 cost would be better spent on more parking for boats and trailers.

The money would have come from the Roxwind wind power development’s tax increment financing fund.

Select Board Chairman Tim Derouche said because the walking trail was proposed over wetland the Army Corps of Engineers would not allow it to be filled with gravel. That meant 80% to 90% of it would have been a boardwalk.

Voters did approve raising $48,000 from the General Fund to install a dock at the Roxbury Pond boat landing. Up to $42,804.50 would be reimbursed through a Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands Boating Facilities Fund.

Derouche said the town raised $25,000 a few years ago to replace the loading dock with a dock that was handicap accessible.

The plan is for an aluminum dock 6 feet wide with railings.

Also approved was raising $40,000 toward a townwide property revaluation, which will be added to the $32,411.77 already set aside. The last one was in 2013.

Tax Collector and Treasurer Renee Hodsdon said officials have not sought proposals on what it would cost.

In a show of hands, voters indicated their support for Fire Chief Ray Carver pursuing a new fire station, which he estimated would cost between $300,000 and $500,000.

In less than two hours, 25 voters approved a municipal budget of $667,560, which is about $27,000 more than the current budget. All 89 warrant articles were approved, except the boardwalk proposal.

In elections, Selectman Matt Patneaude defeated challenger James Manson, 20-2, for a three-year term. Patneaude had served for two years after the death of Rodney “Bing” Cross’ in December 2021.

Town Clerk Brittany Gordon was reelected for three years, while former Regional School Unit 10 Director Denise Cross was elected for three years. Both were unopposed.

Derouche said the town needs three people for the Board of Appeals and a Planning Board secretary.

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