The Southport town meeting adopted a $2.65 million budget raising property taxes by seven percent Monday, but the 60 residents balked only once, when a lobsterman questioned plans to spend $100,000 to repair the Pratt’s Island Bridge.
Pratt’s Island, home to just 21 homes, is connected to Southport Island by a wooden bridge that needs repairs, said Gerry Gammage, the chairman of the board of selectman.
New construction on Pratt’s Island has seen heavy truck traffic over the town owned bridge. The bridge connects with a private road.
Evelyn Sherman told the town her father, Earl Pratt, purchased Pratt’s Island in 1923. He built the bridge and turned it over to the town.
Lobsterman Craig Sproul questioned whether it was a good use of town funds to repair a bridge to a private road.
“I don’t think the town should support a private colony,” Sproul said. He suggested the town may want to transfer the bridge to the Pratt’s Island residents.
At issue was a request to spend $100,000 for bridge repairs.
Gammage noted the 21 residences on Pratt’s Island pay about $100,000 in property taxes each year, but this argument didn’t satisfy Sproul.
Pratt’s Island residents have donated $5000 for bridge repairs, Gammage said.
That explanation did not satisfy Sproul.
“I move to amend the $100,000 bridge repair figure to $5000, and request the town to turn it over to the Pratt’s Island residents,” Sproul said.
No one else agreed with the lobsterman and his motion died with out receiving a second.
Gammage told the town residents the reason the budget was up seven percent was because of the $100,000 line item for the bridge and an additional $50,000 to help repay a loan incurred last year to purchase a former store.
Other major expenses approved include $269,348 in tuition for 21 Southport students to attend Boothbay Schools. That figure is up this year because next year there are nine additional students anticipated.
Total school costs approved by the town are $959,699; this is $19,000 more than last year. The region refuse district will be funded at $158,000, more than 4000 than last year.
An appropriation to pay for Southport streetlights drew a question from longtime resident Ramona Gaudette.
“How many streetlights do we have on Southport? It seems pretty dark here,” she asked.
Gammage, who admitted the streetlights do not shed a lot of light, said the town has 85 street lights.
In other action, the town approved spending tax money on outside agencies including $500 for the town fireworks fund, $660 for New Hope for Women, and $200 for the Boothbay Region Alumni Band.
