Fenwick Fowler, left, explains the reasoning behind an article during Monday’s town meeting held in the Bjorn Auditorium at Mt. Blue Campus in Farmington. At right is moderator Paul Mills of Farmington. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser
FARMINGTON — Voters an Monday’s town meeting reelected Selectman Matthew Smith for another three years, with 159 votes, and elected Richard Morton with 112 votes to finish two years of Stephan Bunker’s term. Sydney Brown received 89 votes.
They also chose Regional School Unit 9 Directors Gloria McGraw with 164 votes for a three-year term and J. Wayne Kinney with 163 votes to serve one year.
Asked about the nearly 13% increase in funding for Farmington Public Library this year, board of trustees President Barb Marshall said, “Our initial budget isn’t huge, so any increase would be a larger percentage. The reason why we are increasing it is we want to increase staff hours. Friday afternoons we have been classically understaffed,” she said.
The young adult room is offering more programs but doesn’t have staff for them, Marshall said. They would like to apply for more grants for programs but if they are awarded, there isn’t staff to implement them, she said.
In answer to a question about an amendment raising the amount for the Legal Reserve Account from $9,000 to $14,000, Town Manager Erica LaCroix said, “The increase is due to a major lawsuit this last year that had to be settled, which took all of our reserves plus about $9,000. So the $14,000 is to cover that overage and start reseeding the fund with another $5,000.”
At the March 12 selectmen meeting, the article was amended after LaCroix realized the wrong number had been copied. The larger number was included in the proposed budget, she said.
Regarding no money for nonprofit economic development and social service agencies, Budget Committee member Fenwick Fowler said Farmington has voted this in for the past seven years, with the past two almost unanimous.
“This last month Lance Harvell and another county commissioner recommended full funding for next year so we no longer need to come to the town of Farmington. I would like to thank commissioner Harvell for that,” Fowler said.
The remaining 31 articles passed with no comment.
Paul Mills moderated the meeting at which Bunker was thanked for 52 years of service to Farmington. Bunker said he will stay with Farmington Fire Rescue Department and encouraged others to give back to the community.
Lloyd Smith was also recognized for serving 25 years on the Budget Committee. He received an award and gift from the committee.
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