Voters reject borrowing, wind ordinance

BUCKFIELD — A plan to partially reconstruct four town roads will need to be adjusted after voters rejected borrowing $174,200 to pay for the project during the June 16 town meeting. 

Voters eventually approved a $1.58 million budget, including $351,901 for summer road maintenance.

Speaking to reporters during a recess, Selectman Robin Buswell said that without the borrowing, two of the roads envisioned in the project will probably not be repaired.

The town planned to work on parts of High Street, Purkis Road and Bear Pond and Jordan Roads.

Buswell said that while he would like to see the work completed, he understood that for some people an extra couple hundred tax dollars would be a burden on strained family budgets.

Voters also rejected a Small Wind Energy Ordinance recommended by the planning board, in a tight 10-9 vote.

The proposed ordinance regulated the location, size and noise of small wind towers.

Supporters of the ordinance said that it would help prepare the town in case larger wind projects were ever planned.

Opponents claimed that the ordinance unecessarily restricted the ability of property owners from building a wind tower on their property.

Selectmen told residents that they, as individuals, were against the ordinance and all three voted to reject it.

Voters approved appropriating $4,632 from the town's fund balance for social services/agencies.

This year's budget originally contained no funding for social services, but voters decided that, with the tight economic climate and considering how little the town budgets for General Assistance ($2,400), it should support the agencies that can provide help for people in need.

A bone of contention at the meeting was a 3-percent wage increase for municipal workers.

Voters attempted to amend the articles that concerned the budget for administration and fire department to remove or reduce the increase, but were eventually defeated.