The South Bristol town meeting limped into history Tuesday as just 30 residents stuck around for the final budget vote.
At the polls the town re-elected Chris Plummer to the board of selectmen, Linda M. Smith is again the treasurer and tax collector, Mary Jane McLoon is again elected town clerk, while Bruce Farrin Jr. and Annette Farrin were elected to the school board.
The highlight of the evening, for most, was the annual raffle of a skiff built by last year’s 8th grade class during school’s year-long boat building program at Bath’s Maine Marine Museum.
The only significant audience question came from a resident who asked if the public was permitted access to tax exempt property held by the Damariscotta River Association. Selectman Ken Lincoln said the DRA permits access to the parcels.
Moderator Ken Maguire, just a week off the operating table for what he called a “plumbing repair,” managed to keep the meeting on track, although there was a dissenting “no vote” on a warrant article that proposed to spend no money at all.
For the record, the town voted to spend $146,215 for government administration, and $55,000 for road repairs and maintenance and $169,000 to maintain the roads during the winter.
Biggest expense approved was $1,687,922, a 2.5 percent increase over last year, to fund South Bristol School. Principal Scott White said the biggest increase came from transportation charges totaling $132,822.
The taxpayer property tax burden was reduced by $240,000 as selectmen applied interest and earnings from a large bequest from a former resident.
Voters approved $700 for the town’s little league baseball program, and $5000 to be used for the town’s Centennial celebration in 2015.
Again for the record, the winner of the skiff was George Gardner Jr. of Swampscott, Mass.
