Only about 50 people attended the Nobleboro Town Meeting on March 20 at the Nobleboro Central School. Town officials attributed the low turnout – 75 to 100 people usually attend – to the fact that the proposed budget was down this year and there was no strong controversy surrounding items on the warrant.
During the meeting, which lasted about an hour and a half, every item on the warrant passed, with only a handful of votes in opposition to any item.
The total 2010 budget will be $678,502. The school budget will be $2,743,563.
Selectmen Dick Spear said at the meeting that the mil rate will likely increase slightly this year. The mil rate was 10.1 percent last year and could increase by .1 or .2 percent, Spear said.
There were no contested races at this year’s secret ballot vote on March 19, and the candidates on the ballot all won their seats. Deborah Wilson retained her seat on the Board of Selectmen as she was reelected for a three-year term. Jen Andrews and Hilary Petersen were each elected to three-year terms on the school committee. Robert Whear was reelected to a two-year term as a trustee for the Great Salt Bay Sanitary District.
The proposed, redrawn shoreland zoning map, which institutes state-mandated updates to shoreland zoning, passed 51 votes to 17.
A total of 69 ballots were cast.
Nobleboro’s share of the cost for the Nobleboro/Jefferson Transfer Facility decreased by $8531 this year, for a total cost of $68,400. This change reflects an increase in salary for the three employees by two percent, and a decrease in miscellaneous expenses of about $15,000, selectmen said at the meeting.
The fire department budget decreased by $27,514 for a total budget of $72,000. This decrease comes largely from a significant decrease in the cost of insurance for the department, said representatives from the department at the meeting.
The voters approved the article granting 90 percent of the money from cable subscribers’ fees to Lincoln County Television.
The one percent franchise fees were instituted for the first time last year, and beginning in 2010, 90 percent of that money – about $1900, Spear said – will go to LCTV. The town will keep the other 10 percent for administrative expenses.
At the meeting, there was some question about increases to the school facilities maintenance budget. The facilities maintenance budget is up about $14,000 for 2010.
The increase is to pay for engineering studies in preparation for repairs to the school in coming years, said School Committee Chair Josh Hatch. The town will pay $10,000 for two studies this year, Hatch said.
The studies are being done because after this year, the school building will be completely paid for. This will free up some money in the school budget which the committee recommends be used for necessary repairs to the building.
Currently, the payments on the building are $150,000 each year. The state heavily subsidizes those payments, so having the building paid for saves the town far less than that amount in town funds, Hatch said.
