SMYRNA, Maine — Residents from Smyrna and Merrill gathered this past week for their respective annual town meetings.
On Monday evening, a group of 12 residents turned out for the Smyrna annual meeting, and approved a municipal budget in the amount of $240,082, according to Town Manager Candy Nevers. The budget represents an increase of $8,047 over the previous year.
Nevers explained the reason for the increase was due to a 1 percent hike in the administration budget, which is now $70,500, as well as a 3 percent increase in the winter roads account — budgeted at $68,000.
The town also agreed to use $10,432.00 from Maine Department of Transportation funds and to raise $8,947 from taxes to pay the first installment of a five-year loan on the Road Construction Payable Account.
Earlier in the day, 14 people cast ballots to fill a seat on the RSU 50 school board, with Russell Beauchemin elected to a three-year term. Ross Crandall and Arden Williams were both re-elected to the Board of Selectmen with 12 and 11 votes respectively. Jack Lilley received one vote as a write-in candidate.
“We had slightly more ‘other funds’ to use — to offset any increases,” Nevers said. “Other funds are made up of excise tax, tree growth reimbursement, lease income from the post office. So our mill rate is expected to remain at $18.50 per thousand.”
On Tuesday, Merrill residents gathered for their annual meeting, with a dozen in attendance. Nevers, who also serves as Merrill’s town manager, said a municipal budget of $196.153 was unanimously approved by voters. That figure is up $1,853 from last year’s spending plan.
Nevers said the slight increase was due to raising extra money for maintaining roads in the winter.
“It was a small quiet town meeting,” she said. “Voting during the day was light and there was no opposition on the ballots. At the articles portion of the meeting, it was very quiet and we were done in record time.”
Nevers said she expects Merrill’s mill rate to remain the same as last year at $20.25, depending on how the RSU 50 budget develops in the coming months. Last year, the town raised $179,700 for education.
Sixteen ballots were cast during voting. Randy Rockwell was elected to a three-year term on the Board of Selectmen with 11 votes. Incumbent Craig McMannus, who was not listed on the ballot, received three votes as a write-in candidate.
Paula Stevens was elected to a three-year term on the RSU 50 school board with 14 votes.
