The Bremen Select Board discusses key issues of the warrant with voters during the annual town meeting on Saturday, June 28. From left: Bremen Select Board members Steve Page, Boe Marsh, and Chair Wendy Pieh; and moderator Don Means. (Christina Wallace photo)
Residents of Bremen discussed the future purchase of a new fire truck, charitable donations to nonprofits and the Bremen Library, and work planned for town roads and bridges at their annual town meeting on Saturday, June 28.
It took approximately 50 voters about an hour and a half to dispatch with 36 warrant articles, the majority of which dealt with the municipal budget. As approved, the municipal budget totals $1,809,680, an increase of $495,070 or 37.65% from the previous year.
After a discussion, voters approved the $574,393 budget for roads and bridges, an increase of $79,525, or 16% from the previous year.
The budget for road maintenance and repairs is $225,000, an increase of $11,000 or 5.14%. According to the Bremen Town Clerk Melanie Pendleton, the increase is due to a plan to resurface town roads.
The budget for snow removal is $329,393, an increase of $68,525, or 26.26% from the previous year. The town is entering into a new three-year phased contract to 13gradually increase payments to their contractor, Jody Sprague, which will bring the costs closer to what neighboring towns pay for similar services, Pendleton said. Sprague also supplies sand, which is a significant part of winter road treatment.
Residents approved of the transfer of $75,000 from unexpended funds into the fire truck reserve account as the Bremen Fire Department looks to purchase a new truck in the next few years, Bremen Fire Chief Eric Teele.
In May 2021, after receiving select board approval, the department moved forward with the purchase of a custom pumper/tanker. The vehicle was welcomed to the Bremen fleet in December 2022.
“The next structure we are looking to replace is our primary pumper out there, which is 25 years old,” Teele said. “We are formally trying to build this (reserve account) so it doesn’t hurt taxpayers all at once.”
According to Teele, fire trucks have a life span of 30 years, which is recommended by the National Fire Protection Association.
Residents voted to give the Bremen Library $20,000, the same amount as last year and recommended by the Bremen Budget Committee. The select board recommended $15,000.
Voters raised concerns over the towns increasing share of library funding and said that they would like to see more private fundraising.
“I think the concern now is that the library is asking for a third of their budget to be funded by the town,” said resident Chris Berg. “We love the library, I’ve supported it a long time, but my concern is too that it’s moving into pretty high numbers.”
Sharon Marchi, a member of the library board, spoke on the library’s need for town appropriation.
“The majority of the libraries in the state of Maine are like the Bremen Library, they are private, nonprofit libraries for small towns,” said Marchi. “We all depend on help and care. Things are getting more expensive, we depend on our towns to support what is a very important part of your community, the library.”
Residents also split with town officials’ recommendations on some of the charitable donation requests. The select board and budget committee recommended $27,342, an increase of $7,713 or 39.3% over last year.
Requests for funding were made by ElderCare Network, for $7,500; Community Housing Improvement Project Inc., for $1,000; Central Lincoln County YMCA, for $7,500; Healthy Kids, for $1,500; LifeFlight of Maine, for $1,000; Lincoln County Television, for $2,500; Hearty Roots, for $2,000; Mobius Inc., for $400; New Hope Midcoast, for $1,660; Spectrum Generations, for $981.75; Veggies to Table, for $1,000; and Waldoboro Food Pantry, for $1,300.
Bremen residents gather in the fire station to approve a $1.8 million municipal budget at their annual town meeting Saturday, June 28. Residents discussed funding for roads and bridges, the library, future fire truck purchase, and charitable donations. (Christina Wallace photo)
The only charitable organization on the ballot the select board and budget committee recommended not funding is Veggies to Table.
Veggies to Table, a grow-to-donate nonprofit farm in Newcastle, did not attend the budget committee meeting to explain their request. According to select board Chair Wendy Pieh, the absence of a representative from Veggies to Table led to their funding request not being supported.
New to the warrant this year was a request from Central Lincoln County YMCA, of Damariscotta. According to Pieh, CLC YMCA representatives told the select board the request was due to an increase in the cost of providing child care.
Without the requests from Veggies to Table and the CLC YMCA, Bremen residents approved a total of $19,842 for charitable donations.
All other articles were approved without discussion.
Earlier in the day, residents took to the polls to elect municipal officers. Thomas Papell received 54 votes to be elected to the Bremen Select Board. Incumbent Steve Page did not seek reelection.
Justin Stanley and incumbent Mark Tenney were elected to three-year terms on the Bremen Planning Board with 44 and 50 votes, respectively. No one sought election for the third three-year term up for election and there were no write-ins.
Incumbent David Osier was elected to represent Bremen on the RSU 48 Board of Directors with 59 votes. The RSU 48 Board of Directors oversees the pre-K through grade 12 education for the towns of Bremen, Damariscotta, and Newcastle.
Incumbent Melanee Osier-Gilbert was reelected for a three-year term on the Bremen Harbor Committee with 49 votes. Challenger Dale Witham received 11 votes.
The RSU 48 budget was also validated with a vote of 52-13.
In May, voters from Bremen, Damariscotta, and Newcastle approved the budget’s $13,162,140 total, a $698,694.95 or 5.61% increase from their combined 2025 education expenses. Damariscotta and Newcastle validated the budget at the polls on June 10.
Each town’s amount to be raised in taxes contains two parts — the required local funds, which are calculated through a formula set by the state; and additional local funds, which are based on the town’s student population.
Bremen will pay $1,272,180.58 in required local funds and $519,356.87 in additional local funds for a total of $1,791,537.45, meaning a $48,844.34 or 2.8% increase.
Newcastle will pitch in $2,222,331.67 in required local funds and $11,585,952.56 in additional local funds for a total of $3,808,284.23, meaning a $390,460.75 or 12.52% increase.
Damariscotta will contribute $2,791,260 in required local funds and $2,030,391.05 in additional local funds for a total of $4,821,751.05, meaning a $536,521.80 or 11.42% increase.
