SMYRNA, Maine — Voters in the towns of Smyrna and Merrill gathered March 8 and 9, respectively, for their annual town meetings.
For many in the two communities, it marked an opportunity to return to some semblance of normalcy following a year of coronavirus concerns.
“Both town meetings were enjoyed by all who attended as the atmosphere was light, neighbors catching up after a long, long, year of social distancing,” said Candy Nevers who serves as town manager for both Smyrna and Merrill. “Yes, we wore masks and kept 6 feet apart. Voting was light for both and attendance at the articles portion of the town meeting was light. “
Nevers said the budgets for the two communities were relatively the same as last year, with one notable exception.
“The budget passed in both towns, basically the same as last year with the exception of the [Houlton] ambulance contracts, which were up considerably, with no heads up even though I had requested estimates,” she said.
Merrill’s contract went from $4,332 to $19,462, while Smyrna’s contract went from $7,214 per year to $31,450.
According to Nevers, both towns gave their boards of selectmen permission to formally join with other towns in the region to form a committee to explore alternative ambulance options.
At the Smyrna Town Meeting, Andrew McCluskey was re-elected to a three-year term on the Board of Selectmen. David Goff was also elected to the board, filling a seat previously held by Arden Williams, who opted not to run this year.
Carmen Lilley was re-elected to a three-year term on the RSU 50 school board.
Voters approved a municipal spending plan of $273,471, which is up $20,571 from last year’s figure.
At the Merrill Town Meeting, voters approved a municipal spending plan of $228,015, which is up $10,858 from last year.
Randy Rockwell was re-elected to a three-year term on the Board of Selectmen with nine votes. Mark Lawlor received two votes as a write-in candidate. Paul Stevens was re-elected to a three-year term on the RSU 50 school board.
