Registered voters of Southport should know the four candidates running for positions on the school committee, town clerk and board of selectmen are uncontested as people go to the polls March 1. Ballot voting at the Southport Town Hall will be open from 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Smith Climo is running for a three-year term on the Southport Board of Selectmen. Kathy Tibbetts is running for a three-year term on the School Committee and Amy Shaw is running for a one-year unexpired term on the School Committee. Donna Climo is running for another term as Town Clerk, which is a three-year post.
Residents will cast their vote on the municipal budget by hand count at the annual town meeting, which starts at 7:30 p.m. the same day.
In addition to 56 budget articles, voters will be asked to adopt changes to the town’s Planning Ordinance (article 28) and to accept changes to the Harbor Ordinance (article 29).
Other articles ask voters to exceed the state’s property tax cap (article 59), to fix a rate of seven percent on unpaid property taxes due (article 60) and to allow the town to acquire funds from excise tax, interest, back taxes, boat excise taxes and unexpended balances to settle some of the town’s commitments.
Changes to the Harbor Ordinance include definitions of terms and additional information. Under the job description of Harbor Master, the words “Southport harbors” have been changed to “waters of Southport.” Under Harbor Committee, the ordinance stipulates seven resident members, as well as space determinations regarding mooring permits.
Other changes in the Harbor Ordinance include various definitions, such as “Resident”, “Parcel of Land” and “Abandoned Vessels”. The ordinance includes a number of additions and information relating to moorings, fees and permits.
Proposed Planning Ordinance changes relate to non-conforming structures and appeals for variances. The amendments also include the definition of a “structure”.
Copies of the proposed changes as well as the entire warrant are available at the Town Hall and will be available at town meeting. The warrant and proposed ordinance changes are also available on the town website: www.townofsouthport.org.
