Newcastle residents agreed to borrow up to $300,000 for the purchase of a new fire truck at their Annual Town Meeting June 11.
The voters also passed every other item on the warrant, including an interlocal agreement with Damariscotta for joint public works services and a new wind energy ordinance.
The meeting, at the Lincoln Academy gym, began with a moment of silence, at the request of Newcastle Town Administrator Ron Grenier, for the late John Bowers. Bowers, a Lincoln County Healthcare executive and the president-elect of the Lincoln Academy Board of Trustees, died unexpectedly June 6. A handful of residents at the meeting left early in order to attend his funeral.
The interlocal agreement, after a multi-year development process and countless hours of discussion by officials in the Twin Villages, passed without discussion or dissent.
The article to “raise and appropriate” up to $300,000 and “solicit bids” for the fire truck was the first to spark debate.
Frank Juchnik asked the town to consider alternative funding for the purchase, referencing an article in the June 9 edition of The Lincoln County News that said the debt service on the loan “would likely bump the town’s property tax/mil rate up 20 cents to $14.50.”
“Frankly, I don’t think this is the year for any tax increase,” Juchnik said.
Grenier told the residents present that the information in the News was inaccurate. “There is no plan that I know of to fund this outside the existing mil rate,” he said.
A four-page document dated May 5 and authored by Grenier, however, places the estimated impact of the loan on the mil rate at 20 cents.
Larry Russell, a farmer, argued against the purchase. “There’s lots of equipment I’d love to have, but I have to deal with what I can afford,” Russell said. “I don’t think now’s the time to spend this kind of money.”
“If we have a breakdown, we’re not running a hay truck, we’re running a fire truck,” Newcastle Fire Chief Clayton Huntley replied. “We don’t get a second chance.”
Norman Hunt made a lengthy speech about the state of the economy. “People in our town are going without basic needs and necessities,” he said, including food, medication and transportation to the annual town meeting.
Hunt said the purchase would increase the demand on local food pantries and suggested that the Newcastle Fire Company raise funds privately instead of placing “the burden on the taxpayers.”
Huntley pointed out that the Company has raised “over $400,000” in grant funds since 2002 and applied unsuccessfully for a grant for the truck under consideration annually for three years. “It’s a very competitive system out there,” he said.
Mick Devin spoke in support of the purchase. “I don’t want my house in jeopardy because the pumper is not available,” he said.
Don Hunt countered Devin’s argument. He said his daughter’s house burned down, despite the efforts of local firefighters.
“A new truck isn’t going to save your house,” Hunt said. “A new fire truck isn’t going to solve your problems.”
Huntley, who previously said the town’s 31-year-old pumper broke down en route to two fires, said one of the two break downs was in the driveway at Don Hunt’s daughter’s house.
Ultimately, about 10 of the 50-plus voters in attendance voted against the measure.
Don Hunt also questioned the budget for snow removal. “I think the price is getting out of hand,” he said, and suggested splitting the town up and soliciting bids separately for different regions in hopes of attracting more contractor interest.
Newcastle Road Commissioner Steve Reynolds said part of the increase in the budget was due to a “fuel circuit breaker” stipulation in a town contract.
Under the terms of the contract, Newcastle reimbursed the contractor for fuel over $3.50 per gallon.
Reynolds also said the town intends “to break things up” in the next bidding process. Newcastle’s contract with Gordon Libby recently expired. A separate contract with Hagar Enterprises for sidewalks and municipal buildings was extended through the 2011-2012 season.
The rest of the municipal budget, which contains minimal increases on some line items and decreases on several others, passed without discussion or dissent.
The voters quickly adopted amendments to the land use and E-911 enhanced addressing ordinances, as well as a new wind energy ordinance.
The new ordinance, developed over two years by the Newcastle Planning Board and town attorney Peter Drum, “allows people to have wind towers that are properly put up, properly maintained and that do not annoy the neighbors with high decibel rates,” David Bailey, the vice chairman of the planning board, said.
Selectman Lee Straw, moments before the end of his tenure, moved to halve the amount of interest paid by delinquent property owners from six to three percent.
Straw reasoned that most of the property owners who fall behind “can least afford to pay” their bills, let alone interest.
Grenier and Chairman Ellen McFarland argued against the measure. “We wanted to create an incentive to pay on time,” McFarland said.
After a lengthy debate, the amendment failed, 29-25.
During consideration of the article that allows the selectmen to establish committees and appoint their members, McFarland thanked the dozens of volunteers who staff the town’s numerous boards. “We owe every single one of them our gratitude,” she said, before urging others to step forward and fill vacancies. “We really do need help.”
Finally, almost all present greeted McFarland’s answer to a resident’s question on the last article, which allows the selectmen to set the time, date and place for the annual town meeting, with enthusiasm.
McFarland said the town will likely “make a decision to go back to a Monday evening” for the annual town meeting, noting the unpopularity of the first Saturday morning meeting in 49 years.
A straw poll showed overwhelming support for a return to Monday evenings.
