LIMESTONE, Maine — Limestone citizens voted on how to spend $624,492 of retirement money that was reimbursed to the town by the Maine Public Employees Retirement System during a special town meeting held at the Limestone Community School last week.
The town and its Selectpeople voted to appropriate $7,500 for the purchase of new TRIO software to assist in the motor vehicle registration process, as well as $18,000 for “initial engineering and architectural costs” of a sand-salt shed for the town Public Works/Highway Department.
Additionally, the town recommended allocating $541 of the retirement funds and $2,459 from the Implosion Reserve Account for a portable roadside speed limit warning sign that also gathers statistical data for the police department, alerting them of any speeding trends in Limestone. The Budget Committee, however, recommended against the purchase.
Audience members were split regarding the usefulness of the sign after it was revealed that it did not photograph speeder’s license plates, and whether or not it would be a worthwhile investment for the town.
Selectperson Gregory Ward explained how he recently encountered a speed limit sign during a trip to Bangor, and how one of these signs can effectively reduce speeding in Limestone.
“The flashing light grabs your attention,” said Ward. “You may not slow down, but if we put one of them on the main hill down here, it would record speeds all day long. You can put that sign in different places and see who is speeding when the cops aren’t around. We don’t want five cops on duty. We’re lucky to have one most of the time, between paperwork and court appointments. If $2,500 can be used to slow the trucks down that speed into town. We don’t need the sign, but it might help make it safer on Main Street.”
The majority ultimately sided with the Budget Committee and voted against buying the sign.
The town also decided not to purchase a $1,000 used police cruiser, with many residents and some Selectpeople agreeing that a used vehicle with high mileage may not be a good long-term investment.
