OAKFIELD, Maine — A relatively flat budget should have minimal impact on taxes for residents in the community of Oakfield this year.
Around 32 residents attended the Monday, March 18, annual town meeting held at the Oakfield Community Center and spent nearly an hour-and-a-half debating 30 warrant articles.
The municipal budget of $581,151 was approved as presented. The spending plan is up $6,732 from last year due to increases in the town’s health insurance plans, according to Town Manager Dale Morris.
“For the past seven years, people’s taxes on average have not gone up and I don’t expect that to happen this year,” Morris said.
A large reason why the community has not had to endure any such tax increases is because of the 20-year agreement with the former First Wind corporation to erect wind turbines in the town. Oakfield is now in its fourth year of a 20-year agreement with the company.
Oakfield Select Board members Barbara Branscombe, left, and Cathy Briggs go over the warrant prior to the start of Monday night’s annual town meeting. (Joseph Cyr)
SunEdison bought First Wind in November 2014, and then Novatus Energy, LLC, acquired SunEdison in December 2015. In both cases, the local agreement carried forward.
That agreement has been an economic boon for the townspeople. The project will bring a reported $14.7 million in tax revenues over 20 years, and an additional $12 million in community benefit payments during that time. That money goes to a town fund, and can be used for town priorities such as a public safety building, fire engines and road improvements. Each year, at town meeting, residents are asked how they wish to spend that year’s funds.
However, at least one resident, Jim Sholler, said perhaps the town should consider raising the mill rate to put money away for building repairs. Sholler said that the town was not doing enough to put money away for the town’s Community Building, which has metal siding and is in need of a new roof.
“We really should have a lot more money in our escrow account to keep these things going,” he said.
“Our goal is to build up our Community Benefits account so we can spend money where we choose,” selectman Anthony White said.
The town receives $60,000 each year as part of the wind farm agreement to put in its Community Benefits account, which can be used to buy items for the town. Last year, $30,000 was allocated for a playground at 192 Oakfield Smyrna Road.
Morris estimated there was currently about $220,000 in the account.
At the polls earlier in the day, 44 residents cast ballots for two open seats on the board of selectmen and one for the RSU 50 school board. Barbara Branscombe and White were both re-elected to the town board with 29 and 28 votes respectively. Larry Greenlaw was re-elected to the RSU 50 school board with 12 votes.
