LIMESTONE, Maine — After much discussion on elements of school and municipal finances, Limestone residents passed both budgets during the town’s annual meeting on Wednesday night.
Nearly 100 people filled the Limestone Community School auditorium for the school discussion, with attendance dwindling by half for the town budget session. Fire Chief Jon Poitras was elected moderator.
Residents were most concerned about salary expectations for a prospective town manager search, the town’s recreation department and Trafton Lake campground, and school budget increases. Following much discussion, most budget items passed as recommended by either the school committee or select board. Warrants also included reduced amounts suggested by the town budget committee.
On the town budget side, a proposed $64,000 increase in administration costs drew considerable discussion and prompted many to ask how long Interim Town Manager Alan Mulherin planned to stay in the role.
The select board recommended $436,927 for administration, both for cost-of-living increases and a boosted salary range to recruit a permanent town manager. The law firm town leaders used for the previous town manager search recommended advertising a salary of $100,000 to $120,000.
“I agree it’s a lot, but we’re told if we don’t list that, we won’t get people,” Select Board Chair Randy Brooker said. “At this time, we have a town manager that is willing to stay with us for a while, but it’s not permanent.”
The current town manager salary is $82,400 and will not change, according to the town report.
Mulherin said he would stay in the role for a while, but when the board does search for a permanent manager, the higher salary range offers more flexibility and is likely to draw more applicants.
The budget committee recommended $419,327, which takes into account cost-of-living increases but no extra to hire a town manager, committee member Chuck Kelley said.
His motion for the decreased amount failed and voters approved the administration budget as presented.
Residents also approved $86,933 for the parks and recreation department, which includes a full-time recreation director’s salary. The town has had a part-time director but that person left in April, Mulherin said.
Audience members didn’t protest the cost, but demanded the town hire a director.
“This program is crucial for kids in the summer,” a resident said. “How hard have you looked?”
Parents have been handling programs, said Danny Gahagan, a member of the recreation committee.
“It’s not working part-time. It’s not working with parents,” he said. “You’ve got to have somebody full-time.”
The program has struggled for many years, Select Board Member Chris Durepo said. The town needs someone to head the program and keep kids in a structured program throughout the year.
The town wants to make the position full-time to draw applicants, but held off until town meeting so residents could approve the budget item, Mulherin said. The salary would be around $40,000.
Trafton Lake campground and recreation area is still under town management, though Limestone has been trying to sell or lease the facility. Efforts were halted when the bathhouse, campground, water and septic systems failed a state inspection last fall.
The town requested $30,740 in this year’s budget for necessary repairs. The budget committee recommended the town spend $15,000.
A manager is running the campground this summer and students from the Loring Job Corps Centre will help with some of the repairs, Mulherin said. The town will buy the materials.
The work is progressing and the town could offer the property for sale or lease as early as this fall, Mulherin said.
Residents voted to approve other town budget items, including: $40,000 for the revaluation reserve account, since revaluation hasn’t been done in 23 years; $22,748 for code enforcement; $50,000 each for the public works reserve and building accounts; $200,000 for the capital roads reserve account to cover paving projects; $104,730 for the fire department; $82,309 for the library; $290,350 for public safety and utilities; $253,776 for Aroostook County tax; $27800 for social services; and $6,000 for general assistance.
Several residents questioned school increases.
“Everything is just ‘gotta have.’ There’s never any cutting back except by the people paying the bills,” Will Ackerman said.
“We don’t live in a good economy right now,” said a resident who did not identify herself. “Can’t you see your community struggling?”
The budget committee was concerned with the request of $1,055,738 in additional local funds for education, Kelley said. The committee recommended a 5 percent reduction to $920,595, along with other reductions across school expenses.
“This voluntary contribution has nearly doubled in the past three years, and a survey of similar schools showed a voluntary contribution of around $250,000 on average in 2024,” Kelley said. “If the voters of Limestone approve the budget committee’s recommendations, we can continue to work with the town and the LCS officials to bring Limestone’s additional local contribution in line with our peer communities.”
The largest school increases were in student and staff support, proposed at $375,026, up from $287,858 in 2023, and in facilities maintenance, set at $613,876, up from $552,321 last year. Insurance increases drove those costs up, school committee members said.
The community pool at Limestone Community School, which recently reopened after a year’s hiatus, has also added to facilities expenses, said business manager Chris Kilcollins.
Residents voted with raised hands to approve each school budget item as presented by the school committee and select board. Also included were $1,737,341 for instruction; $559,350, special education; $338,557, transportation; and $525,738 as the town’s minimum contribution for pre-K-12 funding to receive full state funds.
By written ballot, the group voted 55-25 to approve $1,055,738 in additional local funds.
Mulherin read the town report dedication to Avis Cantafio, who at 96 is Limestone’s oldest citizen. Cantafio worked for the school department for 32 years and since retirement continues to knit mittens for local schoolchildren.
