The Sept. 17 annual Upton town meeting will feature votes to fill upcoming vacancies in four offices and to decide whether to repeal an ordinance prohibiting marijuana businesses in town.

A selectman, the town clerk, the treasurer and the tax collector positions are all up for election because the current office holders do not plan to run, according to town officials. They added that no known candidates have announced they are seeking the jobs.

Voters will also decide whether to repeal the town’s 10-year-old ordinance prohibiting marijuana businesses. The warrant article was prompted by a petition requesting it, circulated by Michele Bouchard.

“I initiated the petition to repeal based on my perception that the circumstances of the original prohibition have changed,” Bouchard said. “The prohibition was 10 years ago and a lot has changed in the state of Maine and Upton. The initial concern regarding marijuana use was people using it and driving impaired, after a social club idea emerged in town. Today, recreational marijuana shops are quiet and customers purchase and leave with the product. If a store was opened in town, I assume it would be similar. I really just wanted the town to be able to discuss it and vote on it either way.”

ARTICLES

Articles that selectmen propose include $110,000 for town office expenses; $25,000 for town building maintenance; $55,000 for town roads and equipment maintenance; $5,000 for fire protection; $18,000 for the transfer station; and $55,000 for county taxes.

Proposed for the total cost of funding public education is $251,693, with $122,316 as the town’s contribution with $60,545 in additional local funds.

Town officials said there are no dramatic increases or decreases in any of the money articles.

The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the Upton Church.

Alison Aloisio is a freelance writer.