Voters at South Bristol’s annual town meeting cast written ballots to vote on Article 42 of the warrant, which allows the town to raise and appropriate $1.8 million in additional local funds to fund the education budget for the 2025 fiscal year. Voters approved the article 63-2 the evening of Tuesday, March 12. (Piper Pavelich photo)
Changes are on the horizon for the town of South Bristol after voters approved every article on the warrant at the annual town meeting the evening of Tuesday, March 12.
As well as approving the education and municipal budgets, voters approved changing the positions of tax collector, treasurer, and town clerk to appointed positions, rather than elected, a question that was on the warrant for the second year in a row.
Voters at the 2023 annual town meeting voted against making this change, with only six out of nearly 70 voting in favor.
The intention of the change is to give the town more flexibility in the hiring process, said South Bristol Select Board member Robert Clifford. With approval from voters, town officials are now able to hire the candidates they believe are most qualified, whether they reside in South Bristol or not.
This change will go into effect in 2025, according to South Bristol Select Board Chair Bruce Farrin Jr.
Also at the annual town meeting, voters considered, and ultimately approved, amending the town’s shore land zoning ordinance to give the planning board the authority to issue dock permits.
The intention, according to select board members, is to streamline the process of issuing dock permits, as the select board also had to look over dock permits in the past.
While a few attendees were unsure of what the term “dock” encompassed, Rory Craib, administrative secretary and consultant to the planning board, said the amended ordinance encompasses docks, piers, wharfs, and “whatever you call it.”
A point of contention amongst attendees at the meeting was the budget for Central Lincoln County Ambulance Service budget. South Bristol’s portion of the CLC Ambulance Service budget totals $187,253, an increase of $22,264 or 12.7%.
“It seems to me that South Bristol pays more per capita than any other town in Lincoln County,” said John Harris, planning board member, during the meeting.
According to Nick Bryant, service chief of CLC Ambulance, the increase in the budget was largely due to payroll and insurance expenses.
Some wondered if South Bristol could consider negotiating the figure, but Bryant informed attendees that a renegotiation is not possible in the near future. South Bristol is currently in year two of five of its current agreement with CLC Ambulance.
Town contributions to CLC Ambulance are determined based on property valuation. The taxpayers of South Bristol are responsible for 20.21% of the budget.
Despite opposition from some voters, the recommended budget was approved.
Voters approved the $2,977,781.07 education budget with little discussion. The budget shows an increase of $446,908.10, or 17.66% from last year. This year, $2,362,543.93 of the education budget will be funded by taxes, an increase of $209,696.94 or 9.74%.
A significant difference in this year’s education budget is the inclusion of items that will be paid for by the Stratton Fund or from the Burns Foundation. Until this year, the school budget did not reflect work being paid for by outside accounts. The inclusion of these items makes up the majority of the increase education in the budget.
Outside contributions total $300,000, with $100,000 from the Burns Foundation and $200,000 from the Stratton Fund.
The $1,218,378 municipal budget was also approved by voters with little discussion. The budget reflects an increase of $105,815 or 9.51%, from last year.
The amount of the budget funded by taxation will also see an increase. This year, $676,335 of the budget will be funded by taxes, an increase of $252,258 or 59.48%.
The largest contributors to the increase were the transfer station budget, the town’s contract with CLC Ambulance Service, the renewal of the town’s snowplowing contract, repairs to fire department vehicles, and town buildings repairs.
At the election of officers on Monday, March 11, South Bristol voters elected two people to fill two three-year terms on the South Bristol School Committee.
South Bristol School Committee Chair Sara Mitchell was reelected to serve another three-year term on the committee. Mitchell was the only candidate to return nomination papers. Warren Storch, who announced a write-in candidacy, was elected to serve the other three-year term on the committee.
Current South Bristol Select Board member Robert Clifford was reelected to serve a three-year term.
