STRONG – In less than three hours on Saturday, about 50 town meeting voters reduced their taxation budget by more than $7,000.

Instead of raising and appropriating the proposed $525,518, voters cut it to $518,048. The total municipal budget after town meeting – but prior to school and county assessments which are done later in the year – is $575,285.

Not everyone was happy with the cuts.

“I am very disappointed, but I understand how it works,” librarian Erica C. Bracy said after voters OK’d raising and appropriating $7,000 from taxation to run the library instead of her requested $9,288.

They didn’t have a choice because selectmen put the $7,000 amount in the body of the article, preventing anyone from raising the amount, moderator Roger Lambert said.

The article, however, does allow selectmen to place interest and dividends from accounts at the Androscoggin Savings Bank into the library account. Due to the decreased amount, resident Dean Stanley said library services would be reduced.

There were few successful attempts to amend articles. Resident Sue Pratt succeeded in increasing the carryover for certain account balances from $72,658 to $163,496 by adding three accounts to the 10 listed.

Outgoing Selectman Rupert Pratt lowered the amount to be taken from surplus to buy down the tax rate from the recommended $385,000 to $200,000.

A representative from the United Methodist Economic Ministry successfully lobbied for $250 more than the $1,000 recommended by the Budget Committee, thereby meeting the ministry’s request.

Voters, however, reduced from $1,500 to $100 a request for funds from the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, then boosted a request of $1,951 from the Franklin County Animal Shelter to $2,000. They cut an American Red Cross request of $1,232 to $450.

In Friday’s municipal election, Selectman Clyde Barker received 109 votes for re-election and Rebecca Croteau got 104 votes to unseat Selectman Rupert Pratt, who got 62 votes. Incumbent SAD 58 Director Ann Schwink was re-elected with 116 votes to opponent Andrew Pratt II’s 37.