CENTERVILLE (AP) – A small burgh deep in the blueberry barrens of eastern Maine ended the long process of dissolving as a municipality on Thursday and joined the state’s 9 million acre unorganized tax territory.

At midnight, the 162-year-old town in Washington County joined about 420 other townships and 76 offshore islands already part of Maine’s unorganized territory. Centerville Township has a population of about 26 people.

Residents said the process to deorganize, which required the Legislature’s approval, brought a mix of feelings. While the township now has no town services, many residents still say they feel relieved.

On June 8, the selectmen held their last meeting. On June 10, Bagley consolidated all the town’s accounts into one, having paid all the bills. Today the state takes control of that account, which has about $5,000 left.

The town’s taxpayer lists and tax maps will go to someone’s desk in Augusta. Official birth, death and marriage records collected during Centerville’s existence will likely go to state archives.

Margaret Dorsey, first selectwoman of Centerville, said that while she recognizes the value of a town – she hasn’t missed a town meeting in the 26 years – she insists Centerville’s sense of community will not leave with the name.

“It’s not just the name that makes Centerville,” she said. “In our hearts, we are still Centerville.”

The last town to attempt to deorganize was Atkinson in Piscataquis County. The effort was sidetracked when the House and Senate voted to reject the bill allowing the town of 330 people to dissolve.

Atkinson residents wanted to join Maine’s unorganized territory for tax reasons. State officials, however, said that could throw the door open for other heavily taxed rural towns to deorganize.

AP-ES-07-01-04 1335EDT