New Sharon Select Board Member Kevin Libby discusses appointing versus electing municipal positions Saturday morning during the annual town meeting held in the Cape Cod Hill School cafeteria. Voters changed town clerk and tax collector to appointed positions. Also seen from left are Select Board Members Paula Nason and Kathleen Reis. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

NEW SHARON — Voters at town meeting Saturday morning learned results of the municipal elections held Friday, tabled one ordinance amendment and approved all other articles, including changing tax collector and town clerk to appointed positions.

Town Clerk Pamela Adams reported that Robert Neal won the three-year Select Board seat with 68 votes; Robert Ayer received 60 votes and Tory Mooar 30, with unopposed incumbent Paula Nason elected to an open one-year seat.

Water District trustees elected, all unopposed, were James Reis for 1 year, Edward Ferreira for 2 years, Jeffrey Brackett for 3 years and Dell Harris for 4 years, Adams said. Adams said no one was elected for a five-year trustee term.

The vote to change the position of tax collector from elected to appointed was 23-11.

“I love voting, I like knowing my town clerk,” one woman said. “To reduce democracy doesn’t seem like a good idea.”

Selectman Kevin Libby noted he is stepping down, and hypothetically could get elected as tax collector. “Now you have to pay me, and I have no idea what I am doing,” he said. “I am not qualified.” He said qualifications can’t be specified if the position is elected, and anyone can run.

The town votes in the Select Board, Ayer said, and it would be in the town’s best interest to have the most qualified person as tax collector.

“Due diligence is what keeps things going well,” Ferreira stated. “Voters here have the ability to do due diligence.” He thought it would be easy to ask candidates about their qualifications.

“Several other towns are considering this,” Treasurer Erin Norton said. If appointed, the Select Board can interview for positions, she stated. “I think in the position I am in, what I have seen, I do feel it is in the best interest of the future of the town to appoint,” she added.

When asked her thoughts, Adams (a New Sharon resident) said if someone is elected without the qualifications needed, and can’t get the qualifications or is not bondable, it is going to be hard on the town. “My only concern about endorsing an appointment right now is there are no policies and procedures in place for these positions,” she said.

Having policies and procedures would protect the town from liability, and employees would know what the expectations are, Adams said. “As a voter, I would want to request that the board get those in place if this does pass,” she said. She added if something should happen to an elected official, the Select Board has no authority to hire someone.

“The job has just become so complicated and involved, I think we probably need to do it,” Neal said.

The vote to change the town clerk to an appointed position was 25-9.

An article to amend the Solar Energy Systems Ordinance was tabled. If approved, the height of racking systems would have been limited to 10 feet while perimeter fences would have increased from eight to 10 feet.

Neal noted arrays are being built over blueberry barrens in Downeast Maine, while cattle are raised under them out West.

Gerald Provencher said homeowners may be limited by the proposed rules and may need to go higher.

Others were not sure if the changes applied to both homeowner and commercial systems.