ROCKPORT — The most contentious article on Rockport’s 2024 Town Meeting warrant – Article 3 — was decided at the polls June 11, and the proposed $33.7 million wastewater treatment facility and Route 90 sewer extension failed.
Article 3 received 428 yes votes and 612 no votes.
Article 15, which was to appoint an advisory committee to study the costs and benefits of a collaborative approach for improving wastewater treatment systems in the towns of Rockport and Camden, passed by a vote of 663 yes to 306.
All the rest of Rockport’s warrant articles, including an overhaul of its land use ordinances to allowing for increased density and reduced lot sizes passed.
Total number of ballots cast for municipal ballots were 1,060.
Voters also elected Michelle Hannan and Denise Munger to the Select Board.
Three candidates — Denise K. Munger, Delores Michelle Hannan and Tiffany Ford — sought two open seats on the Rockport Select Board. Candidate John Viehman ran unopposed for a one-year term.
The following votes were cast:
Denise K. Munger, 576 votes.
Delores Michelle Hannan, 537 votes.
Tiffany Ford, 457 votes.
John Viehman, 779 votes.
Rockport also elected Marcia Dietrich to the SAD 28 School Board and Five Town CSD School Board; David Bannister and Helen Shaw to the Library Committee; and Walker Angell, Helen Shaw and Douglas Cole to the Budget Committee.
Steven Bowen received 30 write-in votes to secure a seat on the Budget Committee for a three-year term.
Voters also authorized the CSD to build and equip a new 1,800-square-foot special education classroom on the Camden Hills Regional High School campus and expend up to $750,000 from the district’s capital reserve fund for that purpose.
Yes 785
No 256
The
municipal warrant contained a $11.4 million municipal budget, up 26 percent from the current budget, a number of land use ordinance amendments, as well as Articles 3, to fund and build a new wastewater treatment facility at Pen Bay Medical Center for municipal use.
The following votes were cast on the articles:
Article 3, Spend $33.667 on a new wastewater treatment facility on the Pen Bay Medical Center campus and extend the seer line from the Camden Hills Regional High School to the intersection of routes 90 and 1.
Yes 428
No 612
Article 4, amend the Land Use Ordinance to change a parcel’s zone on Map 20 Lot 182 from part of 903 Coastal Residential and 906 Mixed Business Residential to fully 906 Mixed Business Residential.
That parcel is the former Fuller Chevrolet at the corner of Route 1 and Pascal Ave., and which the Montessori School has purchased to site a new education facility. The change would place the entire lot in the 906 Mixed Business Residential district.
Yes 729
No 266
Article 5, amend the land use ordinance to add Section 817 Planned Unit Development, and with proposed amendments to definitions accompanying Planned Unit Development. The PUD ordinance is to allow for density bonuses in exchange for types of housing and other amenities.
Article 6, to create an Affordable Housing Ordinance known as Section 818 Affordable Housing.
Explanation: The Town finds that an adequate supply of affordable housing for persons of moderate income is desirable for public health, safety and welfare in that it promotes a community rich in economic, social, and cultural diversity. It is therefore a public purpose to make available and integrate into the Town an adequate supply of housing for people of all economic segments of the community.
Yes 714
No 259
Article 7, amend the land use ordinance with proposed with Cluster Development definitions.
Yes 651
No 286
Article 8, to amend the land use table with changes to definitions.
Yes 648
No 260
Article 9, amend the land use ordinance concerning lot size for developments and remove special district standards.
Yes 646
No 258
Article 10, amend definitions and reduce required lot sizes for various developments.
Yes 650
No 261
Article 11, amendments to the land use ordinance regarding section 816.
Yes 648
No 259
Article 12, accept the 2024-2025 $11.4 million municipal budget, up 26 percent from the current budget.
Yes 725
No 270
Article 13, Accept revenues of $3.9 million to help reduce the taxpayer load.
Yes 828
No 175
Article 14, accept privately built roads to be maintained by the town: “The dedication in fee simple of all of Business Circle, Rolling Meadow East, and Rolling Meadow West comprising approximately 1,600 feet of private right-of-ways located off of West Street Extension, as shown on the subdivision plan recorded in the Knox County Registry of Deeds at Cabinet 25, Sheet 131, as amended, and to accept and establish such ways as municipal roads to be Town-owned and maintained?”
Yes 701
No 241
Article 15, appoint an advisory committee to study the costs and benefits of a collaborative approach for improving wastewater treatment systems in the towns of Rockport and Camden, including a municipal utility district, and to have such committee report findings to the Board prior to the 2025 Rockport Town Meeting and prior to funding the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant?
Yes 663
No 306
State primaries
Republican ballot
U.S. Senate nomination
Demi Kouzounas, Saco, 215 votes
Representative to Congress, District 1
Andrew Plantidosi, Cape Elizabeth, 79 otes
Ronald Russell, Kennebunkport, 144 votes
State Senator District 12
William Scott Rocknack, Camden, 247 votes
Legislative representative, District 41
Cory Raymond, Rockport, 235 votes
Democrat ballot
David Allen Costello, Brunswick, for U.S. Senator, 463 votes
Representative to Congress, District 1
Chellie Pingree, North Haven, 633 votes
State Senator, District 12
Anne Beebe Center, Rockland, 594 votes
Legislative representative, District 41
Victoria Doudera, 623 votes
County Commissioner
Marc Ratner, 529 votes
