Van Buren chooses councilors and passes school budget

A bull moose appears to heed the Van Buren welcome sign and pop in for a visit on Friday, Dec. 29. Van Buren resident Joseph Lizotte, 47, spotted the moose while traveling home that morning after working overnight at Loring Job Corps in Limestone. Lizotte said he often spots moose in the area, but found the sight of the moose at the welcome sign so unique he had to stop and snap a photo.

Van Buren passed a school budget of more than $5 million and voted in new town and school officials as part of its annual business.

More than 250 Van Buren residents cast ballots in elections on Tuesday, June 13, prior to the annual town meeting June 14, according to Town Clerk Jessica Cyr.

Kevin LaPointe was elected to a three-year term on the Van Buren Town Council with 241 votes. Candidates Peter Ashley, Jimmy Don Madore and John Pelletier each received one vote.

Patrick Vaillancourt won the race for a three-year seat on the Light & Power Board of Trustees, netting 170 votes to fellow candidate Norman Parent’s 94.

Robert Doucette captured a three-year position as a water district trustee with 259 votes.

The contest for two seats on the SAD 24 school board drew five candidates. John Pelletier and Devin Parent will serve the district, having earned 196 and 146 votes, respectively. Other candidates were Jimmy Don Madore with 93 votes, Peter LaPlante, 75, and Kaleb Cormier, 1.

At the town meeting Wednesday, voters passed an SAD 24 budget of $5,017,404 for the coming year.

The figures include $1.86 million for regular instruction, $733,279 for special education, $741,221 for career and technical education and $150,304 for other instruction. A total of $338,018 was allocated for student/staff support, $206,357 for system administration, $227,703 for school administration, $227,974 for transportation and $530,898 for facilities maintenance.

Residents also approved town budget allocations totaling $3,184,487 for the following, according to meeting minutes: general government, $829,814; police, $8,255; fire department, $95,917; highway department, $399,934; recycling center, $174,709; recreation department, $76,393; Morneault Memorial Library, $68,068; economic development, $22,250; miscellaneous and unclassified accounts, $382,258; wastewater department, $530,234; and ambulance department, $596,655.

The town voted to appropriate $512,105 for SAD 24 and $121,005 for Aroostook County taxes.

All other warrants passed, except a vote by written ballot to exceed the property tax levy limit. Residents voted 25-2 against the proposal.