Westport Island voters have made it very clear they are not in favor of putting the Wright House and easement property on the market.
In a referendum vote June 28, 70 favored and 176 opposed a warrant article that would have authorized selling the waterfront property at the end of the Ferry Road on Wright Landing.
At the business portion of Westport Island’s annual town meeting June 29, residents even approved an amended warrant article, increasing the Wright property committee’s operating expenses from $100 to $500.
Members of the town budget committee had circulated a citizens petition to put the question on a referendum for the town meeting in an effort to pay-off the mortgage, owed by the town, and put the property back on the tax roll.
Other recommendations by the town’s budget committee were also rejected by the voters at the open town meeting, Saturday.
Westport Island’s historic town hall was nearly filled to capacity, as they gathered to determine their next year’s budget. The meeting was moderated by Dan Bradford.
Although there were articles everyone did not agree on, the meeting was very orderly and the residents were respectful to one another while approving all 48 articles in less than three hours.
The budget committee opposed a 1.75 percent raise for the town employees, the voters at town meeting supported the increase. The budget committee had recommended interest on delinquent taxes be 7 percent, which is maximum allowed by the state. The selectmen recommend only 5.5 percent; the voters went with the selectmen’s recommendation.
Voters approved the $100,000 budget for the maintenance of town roads, as recommended by the selectmen and Westport Island Road Commissioner Garry Cromwell.
An article to transfer $560 from the vehicle excise taxes for maintenance and improvements to the North End Road, near Clough Point Road, brought several people to their feet. Dawn Morris, a resident on the road, told voters they shared in the responsibility of maintaining the road, because of the traffic on the road going to Clough Point. The only way the town can put money into the road is with the approval of the voters, according to the selectmen.
Westport Island resident William Hopkins asked if the residents on the road had established a road committee that had been agreed on last year. The purpose of the committee was to look into maintaining the road. Morris said she had been unable to establish a committee because some of the land owners on the road do not live on the island, therefore do not feel they should put money into the road.
“You do not need every land owner on the road to establish a committee,” Hopkins said.
First Selectman George Richardson pointed out it had been a recommendation to establish a road committee, He was asked if the residents would be asked the same question at next year’s town meeting.
“I can not answer that question,” he said. “However, when a resident asks the selectmen to put a question before the voters, we usually do. It is up to the voters of this town to decide if they want to do it or not.”
This year the voters agreed to form a committee.
In total, residents approved a municipal budget of roughly $2.15 million with an overlay of $10,000. Last year’s budget was $2.17 million, a decrease of about $24,000.
The selectmen requested $20,000 be set aside in the reserve account to complete a new revaluation of all properties on the island next year. The total amount currently set aside for the revaluation is $60,000. According to the board’s annual report, the Maine Revenue Services has the town at 116 percent of market value and that could increase again this year.
The voters approved amendments to the town’s cluster, model addressing (911), pipeline control; minimum lot size and site plan review ordinances.
In referendum polling Friday, George Richardson was re-elected for another three-year term as the town’s first selectman; Garry Cromwell was also re-elected as the town’s road commissioner for a three-year term.
There are two open seats on the town’s budget committee. Roxanne Andrews was elected to fill one of those seats. The leading write-in candidate for the second seat was David Niederstadt.
