CARY, Maine — About 35 residents gathered in the lobby of Hodgdon High School Monday evening for Cary’s annual town meeting.
Much of the evening was spent discussing the town’s failed attempt at becoming an Unorganized Territory and what the next steps were now that they have pulled out of SAD 70.
“Basically their (the state’s) argument was if they allowed us to deorganize, it would encourage other towns to do the same,” said Kai Libby, first assessor for the town. “Where it didn’t go to the full legislature for a vote, they told us we could come back next year. If it had gone to the full legislature and failed, we would have had to wait three years to start over.”
On March 9, after hearing testimony from Marcia McInnis, the state’s fiscal administrator for the UT, lawmakers on the Legislature’s State and Local Government Committee denied Cary’s request to dissolve ( LD 1633).
With 218 residents as of the 2010 Census, Cary would have been one of the largest towns to dissolve if it had been approved. Out of the 42 towns that have deorganized in the last century, few had more than 100 residents at the time. At least two exceptions were Benedicta, in 1987, and Madrid, in 2000.
At Monday night’s meeting, town officials disputed the census numbers, stating the population for Cary was likely well below 218. The town may have to conduct its own census to come up with a more accurate figure reflecting the current population.
Residents expressed their desire for the town to continue with plans to deorganize and to make another pitch to the state next year.
“There are a lot of people from the state who have been very helpful,” said Tina Libby. “I have not come across anyone who has told us we shouldn’t be doing this.”
Tina Libby, wife of Kai Libby, said she felt the reason Cary was denied was the testimony given my McInnis to the Legislature.
“It was her testimony that she gave that caused them to vote us down,” she said. “I am taking [the testimony] line by line and disproving everything she said and backing it up with facts. She gave a lot of inaccurate information in her testimony.”
According to the 2016 town report, Cary Plantation had $46,306 in delinquent taxes for 2015, to go along with $40,029 in unpaid taxes for 2014 and an additional $18,336 for 2013. The town collected $206,585 in taxes for 2015.
Kai Libby was re-elected as first assessor, while Rob Smith (second assessor) and Jeremy Hiltz (third assessor) were also re-elected. Kathleen Osler was also chosen to return as town clerk.
Since the town was successful in pulling out of SAD 70, residents were tasked with creating their own school board. David Cassidy was elected chairman of that group, agreeing to a one-year term, while Brian Kaseta and Raymond Putnam were selected for two- and three-year terms respectively.
Residents approved a municipal budget of $176,317, which is an increase of $24,570 over last year. The town opted not to give any money to the Northern Maine Development Commission. That group had been seeking $391 for membership fees.
Town roads was one area that generated considerable discussion. The town has historically allocated $100,000 for winter and summer road maintenance. That amount was not sufficient, Kai Libby said, if they wanted to do any major repairs. Voters ultimately raised the line item to $125,000 for next year.
