Town Manager Dave Cota (left) answers a question from the floor at the Carrabassett Valley Town Meeting. Meeting Moderator Bill Gilmore (right) made short work of the town business last Wednesday, March 10. (David Hart photo) CARRABASSETT VALLEY — Nearly 45 residents breezed through 56 articles last Wednesday night, March 10 with next to no opposition or concern during the annual town meeting.

“It’s great to see the attendance we get at our annual town meetings even when we do not have a major capital project on the agenda,” said Town Manager Dave Cota after the meeting. “People here care about the community and are willing to look to the future of the community.”

Earlier that day, voters hit the polls from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. to elect two selectmen, two members for the sanitary district and two members for the school committee.

Incumbents Robert Luce and Lloyd Cuttler were looking to return to the board of selectmen. Challenger Richard Rose was looking for one of the two seats. Resident George Abbott had three write-ins.

When the tally was in, Luce led the three with 88 votes followed by Cuttler with 65, allowing them to resume their positions. Rose gathered 37 votes.

Incumbents Carl Demshar and Neal Trask ran uncontested and collected 94 votes each to remain on the sanitary district board. Jane Luce and Jennifer Mc- Cormack were also uncontested and continue on the school committee.

A couple of articles being read from the warrant needed explanation, which Cota provided.

The last article of the evening had technical legal language relating to CNL, the financial company which owns Sugarloaf assets. Cota explained that CNL was in the process of refinancing some of its assets and the article was simply a procedural matter where if a new institution takes over a town lease due to default, the lease between the town and the new institution remains intact. This article relates to the lease the town has with Boyne/CNL to operate the golf course.

If CNL defaulted and a new financial institution took over, “they would have to operate under all the terms and conditions of our lease,” Cota explained. The town has been through this procedural process a few other times in the past, but it didn’t get much attention, he said.

Library Director Andie DeBiase had an opportunity to thank the Carrabassett voters, fellow contributors and the entire community for allowing the new C.V. Public Library and Community Center to be built and exist as it does today.

DeBiase noted that those visiting the library have been so pleased with the atmosphere and that new members are signing up daily. “It’s everything that we hoped it to be.” DeBiase also said she has had an outpouring of volunteers since they opened the doors this year. “We just want to thank all of you for supporting this project.”

”Carrabassett Valley is a truly unique community,” Cota noted the next day. “The editorial in this week’s ‘Irregular’ from 82-year-old Louise Chase concerning the new library and community center sums it up pretty well: ‘Carrabassett Valley is a true complete paradise for the smallest baby and his/her parents to the oldest of residents and visitors from afar,’” Cota quoted.

From the beginning of the incorporation of the town in 1972, its leaders had a vision for what the community can be and they continue to follow that dream, Coat explained. The fact that over $0.5 million was raised from donations and grants by the library board for the new library is an example of that, he asserted.

“The community has always had a ‘can do’ attitude,” Cota said.