NEW LIMERICK, Maine — Residents approved a municipal budget of $349,335 during Monday night’s annual town meeting. About 18 people attended the gathering, which lasted a little more than one hour. The budget is up $18,688, slightly more than 5 percent over last year. The spending plan does not include the town’s share of the SAD 70 budget or the Aroostook County tax.
Increases to the town’s ambulance and fire protection accounts were contributing factors to the higher budget. The cost for fire protection from the town of Houlton was $84,411, an increase of $4,019 over last year. The ambulance service, which is also contracted through the town of Houlton, went up $347 to $7,223.
Other accounts impacting the budget were: winter roads account, $83,500, which is an increase of $3,500; and roads and bridges account, $65,000, up $15,000 — a 30 percent increase.
Tana McNutt was re-elected to a three-year term on the board of selectmen with 17 votes, while Andrew Nickerson was a successful write-in candidate for a two-year seat on the SAD 70 board.
Residents did not support a request for funding from the Southern Aroostook Development Corporation (SADC). The economic development group sought $1,000 from the town, but voters turned down the request and did not provide any funds for the organization.
