Ronald Miller will take a seat on the Waldoboro Board of Selectmen, after citizens in June 11 balloting chose the Dutch Neck resident over Robert Butler and Darrell Goldrup in a 264 to 237 to 61 vote.
In other balloting, Valdmar Skov was re-elected to the budget committee, with 404 votes, and will be joined on that body by C. William Pacy, 272 votes, and write-in candidate Rebecca Maxwell, 81 votes.
David “Dusty” Starr will return to the Waldoboro Utility District after receiving five write-in votes.
Current Regional School Unit/Maine School Administrative District 40 Board Chairman Danny Jackson was re-elected to a three-year term, with 427 votes. Christopher Duffy was the only candidate to receive votes for a one-year term on the RSU/MSAD 40 board, with six write-in votes.
In a 253 to 304 vote, citizens rejected a request to raise and appropriate $249,160 to support the operations of town office staff. That article previously received unanimous support from the board of selectmen after the budget committee split on the measure, 4 to 4.
A $641,585 appropriation for the police department also failed, 252 to 299. The board of selectmen was divided in their recommendation, narrowly supporting the article 3 to 2. The budget committee opposed the measure, 3 to 5.
The Article calling on the town to increase the property tax levy limit, also known as the LD 1 limit, failed in a 255 to 289 vote.
If it had passed, the measure would have allowed Waldoboro to raise taxes by $61,461 more than allowed under state law. The formula set a limit of $1,771,480 on any increase in property taxes for the coming fiscal year without an override vote.
All other municipal warrant articles passed.
The proposed total municipal budget of $3,785,402 will now return to the budget committee for reconsideration before action from the board of selectmen.
“Unless we go to an open town meeting,” Spear said June 12.
He said the town needs to know how the state budget will impact the town, before it can properly determine the appropriate action.
“Hopefully we’ll get some clarity out of Augusta quickly,” Spear said. He said he would discuss possible changes to the budget with Waldoboro’s department heads and hoped to have a recommendation for the board of selectmen’s June 25 meeting.
He said passage of the article allowing the town to spend 3/12 of the previous year’s budget, provides “breathing room” so he and the board can consider their plan of action.
The next scheduled meeting of the Waldoboro Board of Selectmen is Tuesday, June 25 at 6 p.m. at the Waldoboro Municipal Building. For more information call the Waldoboro Town Office at 832-5369.
