Town meetings appear steady ahead

KINGFIELD –- Town Warrants are set for this Saturday’s town meetings in Kingfield, Eustis and Strong.

In Strong, the voting will begin on Friday, Feb. 5 with elections starting at 1 p.m. and ending at 6 p.m. with two selectmen’s seats up for three-year terms.

Incumbent Milton Baston is contested by Strong resident Robert Boyd. James Burill, another incumbent, will be challenged by Rupert Pratt.

No one has returned papers for a seat on the budget committee.

At this time, no one is challenging Lois Barker for a three-year term as Strong Town Clerk and Duane Boyd is running uncontested for fire chief.

In Eustis, the elected officials will again be determined on March 5 from 4 to 8 p.m.

John Caldwell’s seat is up for grabs as the incumbent, but no one filled out paperwork to contest him. There are also three seats available for the town’s planning board with no nomination papers filled out. For a director’s spot on the MSAD #58 school board, Sarah Strunk is challenging incumbent Sarah Woods for the position.

On Saturday, Strong and Kingfield voters will see if they want to use $200,000 from surplus to reduce the 2010 tax commitment under article 9 and 3 respectively. Article 12 in Eustis asks for only $50,000 from surplus under article 12.

While Eustis municipal budgets are somewhat stable, with the exception of “Protection” which is up $9,000, it asks for a new larger version of a $2,500 tax map for the town under Article 15. The winter and summer roads account is down $30,000 for 2010 and covered under article 22.

The selectmen in Eustis have specified what TIF expenditures are expected for 2010 for voter approval. Under article 32, a request for $3,500 is requested for new cemetery maps from the Cemetery Trust Fund.

In Strong, voters will look to maintain a carry-over of $203,206.55 in balances into 2010.

Most articles and requests were recommended by either the selectmen or the budget committee. However a $1,500 request for the Parks account was recommended at $700 by the Budget Committee. Also a Franklin County Chamber request for $250 was recommended at $100 and a $1,500 United Economic Ministry Request was recommended at $1,000 by the Budget Committee.

Strong’s Article 37 calls for $4,000 to replace the roof of the fire station.

A six-month budget is called for Kingfield’s Town Meeting with another Town Meeting scheduled in May. Most all Kingfield budgets were cut in half and all elections and terms are extended into a July 1 start with the new fiscal year.