Newcastle will vote on a fireworks ordinance, a land use ordinance amendment and a resolution to support an amendment to the U.S. Constitution at the annual town meeting Mon., June 18.
The proposed fireworks ordinance would prohibit fireworks use within 100 feet of a public way. The fine for a violation would be $100-$2500.
The amendment to the land use ordinance would establish a new zone, District D, along Rt. 1 “and surrounding areas;” moderately increase the residential growth permit limit in District A and the rural zone; substantially increase the same limit in District D and the “village zones” and transfer the authority for the review of special exception uses from the Appeals Board to the Planning Board, according to the warrant.
The resolution states that the people of Newcastle “stand with communities across the country to defend democracy from the corrupting effects of undue corporate power by amending the [Constitution] to establish that:
1. Only human beings, not corporations, are endowed with constitutional rights, and
2. Money is not speech, and therefore regulating political contributions and spending is not equivalent to limiting political speech.”
The resolution also states that Newcastle’s citizens “hereby instruct our state and federal representative to enact resolutions and legislation to advance this effort.”
The selectmen placed the resolution on the warrant at the request of resident David Powning.
A number of municipalities in Maine and across the country have passed similar resolutions as part of a movement to overturn the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in the 2010 case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.
Newcastle Town Administrator David Bolling said the town isn’t taking a stance on the issue. The selectmen thought it appropriate, however, to allow the voters to decide.
“That’s one of the beauties of town meeting,” Bolling said.
Other significant issues before the town include a three-year extension of the interlocal agreement with Damariscotta that governs joint public works operations.
Voters adopted the initial, one-year agreement at the 2011 town meeting. Bolling said the agreement has proven to be an efficient way to provide public works services. The three-year extension would facilitate long-term planning, he said.
A drop of almost 61 percent or $175,000 in the capital roads projects budget constitutes one of the most noticeable changes in the municipal budget.
The decrease is a result of the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee’s efforts “to focus on what we need instead of what we want,” Bolling said.
The boards left funding for “the most pressing issues,” including repairs to Academy Hill Road and a survey of North Newcastle Road, intact.
“We want to stay proactive in improving our roads to the best of our ability,” Bolling said.
Funding requests from 15 non-profit organizations might spark debate, especially as the selectmen and the finance committee have recommended holding appropriations to the 2011-12 level.
Four organizations asked for small increases, including Skidompha Public Library, which requested a $2000 bump.
The difference between the organizations’ requests, submitted by petition, and the boards’ recommendations, totals just $3425. Despite the amount, small in comparison to the budget as a whole, the article regularly generates impassioned debate at town meetings across the county.
Bolling, a recent transplant from Tennessee, said “it was the same way” in Oliver Springs, where he was the city manager before he came to Newcastle in February.
“It is contentious, but these are all organizations that provide services that the town government can’t and doesn’t have to provide because they’re there,” Bolling said.
Newcastle officials have said property owners are likely to see an increase in the mil rate if voters pass the budget as presented.
Bolling said the selectmen and the finance committee prepared the budget with this in mind.
“We know that we’re in tough economic times and we’re trying to be as attentive to that as possible,” he said.
“We have to try to control spending and provide services at the same time,” Bolling said. “We’re dealing with the same issues that people have to deal with in their own households.”
“We’ve scoured this really thoroughly, examined this budget item by item. There’s not a lot of fat there,” he said. “We’re confident that it’s just what we need to operate town government – not a lot of frills.”
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the Lincoln Academy gym.
