An annual rite of spring has arrived once again, as local residents will soon be gathering to conduct town business at their annual town meetings. For many communities, the town meeting is as much of an opportunity to cast their ballots on warrant articles and elect representatives for town and school government, as it is a chance to visit socially with individuals whom them may not have seen throughout the winter months.
The following is a listing of upcoming town meetings in the Houlton Pioneer Times’ coverage area:
Amity — Saturday, March 29, 9 a.m. at the Reed School. For more information, call 532-2485.
Danforth — Friday, April 25, 4-8 p.m. elections will take place. Up for grabs are two seats on the town’s board of selectmen — a one-year term currently held by Lorrie Shay and two-year term currently held by Everett Lee; and two seats on the school board (a three-year term currently held by Loree Ross and an unexpired term currently held by Theresa Sheldon). For more information, call 448-2321.
Dyer Brook — Monday, March 17, 7 p.m. at the town office. Elections will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to elect one selectman for a three-year term; a treasurer for a one-year term; and a clerk for a one-year term. For more information, call 757-8302.
Hammond — Monday, June 30, 7 p.m. For more information, call 532-1104.
Hodgdon — Monday, April 7, 7:30 p.m., at the Hodgdon Mill Pond School. Voting will be held from 1-7 p.m. at the Hodgdon Town Office. Three three-year seats on the town’s Board of Selectmen are open with four candidates — Blaine Lincoln, Joel Duff, Rick Tidd and John McGillicuddy — vying for those seats. There are also three open seats on the SAD 70 school board (3-year terms) with just one official candidate — incumbent Joel Oliver. The other two seats will be filled via write-ins. For more information, call 532-6498.
Island Falls — Saturday, March 22, 1 p.m. at the municipal building. Voting takes place Thursday, March 20 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Two seats on the town’s board of selectmen are available, with only one candidate — incumbent Paige Colville — seeking election. The other seat will be filled via a write-in. There is also one position open on the RSU 50 school board, with incumbent Steve Walker seeking re-election. For more information, call 463-2246.
Linneus — Monday, May 5, 7 p.m. at the Linneus Community Building. Voting begins at 2 p.m. A three-year term (currently held by Shawn Campbell) is available for the board of selectmen; and two seats are open on the SAD 70 school board (a three-year seat currently held by Estela Lane and a one-year seat held by Marc Ganzel). For more information, call 532-6182.
Littleton — Monday, March 17, 7 p.m. at the Meduxnekeag Snowmobilers Club. Voting will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the town office. Three seats are open on the town’s Board of Selectmen for three-year terms. Seeking those seats are David Bartlett and Barry Campbell. Longtime selectman Bobby Bartlett is retiring from the board. There is also one seat open for a three-year term on the RSU 29 school board, but no candidates. Laurie Bartlett previously held the seat. The town will once again debate the concept of switching to a pay-per-bag system for its garbage. Currently, the town does not charge for disposing trash at its transfer station and has seen its annual cost for municipal waste rise steadily. For more information, call 538-9862.
Ludlow — Wednesday, March 19, 6 p.m. A special town meeting will be held to approve a four-month budget. The town is switching to a July 1 to June 30 fiscal calendar. The regular town meeting will be held at the end of July, and will include elections for two new selectmen as the board expands from three members to five. For more information, call 532-7743. The town hall phone number is 532-3894.
Monticello — Monday, March 17, 7 p.m. at the town fire station. Polls are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the town office. Two seats on the town’s Board of Selectmen, for three-year terms, are open with two candidates — Terry Wade and Jimmy Burpee — seeking election. There is one open seat for a three-year term on the RSU 29 school board, with one candidate — incumbent Sandra Wilkins. For more information, call 538-9500.
New Limerick — Monday, March 31, 7 p.m. Voting will take place from 2-6 p.m. Mark Stiles is running unopposed to a three-year term on Board of Selectmen. There are no candidates for a three-year seat on the SAD 70 school board. For more information, call 532-3303.
Oakfield — Monday, March 17, 7 p.m. at the Community Center. A three-year seat on the Board of Selectmen is available, with three candidates — Cathy Briggs, Gina Clark and Jim Sholler. According to Town Manager Dale Morris, the municipal budget is $540,752 which is a decrease of $13,484 from last year’s $554,236, these number do not include school and county assessments. For more information, call 757-8479.
Orient — Wednesday, April 30, 6 p.m. at the town hall. Voting will take place Tuesday, April 29. Victor Alexander is running unopposed for a three-year term on the town’s Board of Selectmen. For the school committee, Barbara Sharpe is seeking a three-year seat, while Donna Foley is running for a one-year term. For more information, call 448-7729.
Patten — Tuesday, March 25, 7 p.m. at the town fire station. Voting will take place from noon-6 p.m., also at the fire house. Up for grabs are one seat on the town’s Board of Selectmen, with Steve Yates and Reggie Porter Sr. vying for the seat and one spot on the RSU 50 school board, sought by Leslie Gardner. Both seats are for three-year terms. For more information, call 528-2215.
Sherman — Monday, March 17, 7:30 p.m. Voting takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the town office. Two seats are open on the town’s Board of Selectmen — a three-year term sought by Wade O’Roak and a one-year term by Harold Gould. Additionally, Philip Knowles is running unopposed for a three-year term on the RSU 50 school board. For more information, call 365-4260.
Stacyville — Monday, March 17, 7 p.m. at the VFW Hall on Station Road. Elections will be held from noon to 6 p.m. at the town office. Up for grabs, is one three-year seat on the Board of Selectmen. Incumbent Leon Robinson is the only candidate for the position. For more information, call 365-4195.
Weston — Saturday, June 14, 9 a.m. at the town office. One seat is open for both the board of selectmen and school committee. For more information, call 448-2316.
