Town Meetings 2023: Warrants, Candidates, School & Town Budgets, plus a political race in House District 45
June is when many Maine citizens weigh how much to spend on school budgets, and polls are open on Election Day for voters to cast ballots on other business, including municipal and county budgets.
The longtime tradition of a March Town Meeting was changed dramatically decades ago when education and municipal budgets adopted a July-June budget cycle. Some town meetings then went to a June schedule. Now, the scenario has changed once again, with some towns doing away with in-person town meeting altogether, or scheduling them in May, or July or even August. Every municipality has its own schedule.
The one constant remains that voters ultimately decide whether to approve the budgets, which directly affect their property taxes. And many towns are busy with a variety of ordinance amendments, policy changes and developments (should Camden approve pot shops downtown? Will Thomaston craft a future for its Town Green? Will Rockport approve a new community park and build a new West Rockport fire station?)
Appleton, Camden, Rockport and Union have done away with the in-person town meeting, which traditionally was soon after the Tuesday June elections. This means that all municipal business, from budgets to policy initiatives and changes in those towns will now be addressed at the polls on Voting Day, Tuesday, June 13. If voters ever decide to bring back their in-person town meetings, they can organize to change the policy.
This is not a year for political primaries, although voters in Waldoboro will be considering at the polls a race for the state Legislature. Republican Abden Simmons and Democrat Wendy Pieh are running for the House District 45 (Friendship/ Washington/ Bremen/ Louds Island Township/ Waldoboro ) seat, which was vacated by Clinton Collamore, D-Waldoboro.
And Waldoboro has even created a resourceful Voter Guide to help voters get informed.
How does Camden thrive in the years ahead?
Hello Camden. I would like to introduce myself. My name is Ryan Roderick. I am a Maine native and have been a resident of Camden for about three years. I love Camden. I love everything about it. It took a single morning walk through town and my wife and I decided that we would never leave.
I have put together some thoughts relating to the recent application by Botany to open a recreational marijuana dispensary store here. My hope is that this will help clarify some points about what… Read more
Envisioning a family friendly space for former RES parcel
Camden does not need cannabis stores
I have absolutely nothing against individuals who use cannabis products but I don’t think we need stores here in Camden. There are plenty of businesses nearby, up and down Route 1, where those who want to purchase cannabis products can go for them.
I share the many opinions expressed in the several letters to the Camden Herald (some also printed in the Free Press) in the past weeks that are in opposition to cannabis stores here in Camden. I think one essential… Read more
Alison McKellar: Why I’m running for the Camden Select Board
Camden residents, vote no on Articles 3 and 4
Marijuana stores are vastly different from the existing businesses in Camden. No other shop must prohibit kids from entering. No other shop is required to be kept at a distance from schools. No other shop sells a product that is illegal on the federal level. We don’t have any gun shops, strip clubs, liquor stores, gambling halls or even Dunkin’ Donuts in Camden. We are a quaint, family-friendly village that is consistently voted one of the best places in the nation… Read more
Hope to hold public hearing on proposed mining moratorium June 14
HOPE — Like neighboring towns of Union and Warren, the citizens of Hope are concerned about the possibility of metal mining in their town. This follows last winter’s arrival of the Toronto-based company Exiro in both Union and Warren to talk with residents there about… Read more
Vote yes on articles 4 and 5 on the Union ballot concerning mining
I write to offer a different perspective to that expressed by Union Select Board member Bill Packard in his letter of June 4 regarding CARMA and mineral mining in Union.
As a Union resident who volunteered to help CARMA circulate the citizen petition to place an amendment to the land use ordinance on the June ballot, I object to Mr Packard's assertion that "[t]he people who circulated and signed the petition in Union disregarded the code enforcement office and, more importantly,… Read more
Rockland voters asked to replace aging fire truck before prices, manufacturing times leap again
ROCKLAND — Rockland Fire Department needs a new pumper truck, and for every 4 - 6 months that the purchase is delayed, the price of a new truck increases significantly. Grant proposals have been distributed and passed over, and with time wearing thin for the 25-year-old necessity, RFD is turning to the people for help.
On the Tuesday, June 13 City ballot, Rockland residents will find a request to dip into unspent bond money and then to contribute additional funds for the sake of a… Read more
A public/private partnership for Rockport community park
On Tuesday, the citizens of Rockport will vote on whether to accept the Lesher Family Foundation’s (LFF)gift to develop a public park at the former RES site. We’d like to offer clarification in response to some confusion surrounding certain aspects of our proposal.
You may have seen references to our intention to create a public/private partnership with the Town of Rockport and are wondering what such a partnership entails.
The LFF proposed this public/private partnership… Read more
‘Old guard’ needs to retire old ideas and outmoded notions of developing the Thomaston Green for private use
In response to Chris Rector’s recent (June 6) letter in the Free Press, certain facts related to the Knox Clinic’s plans are simply wrong and misleading.
His letter conflicts with the Knox Clinic’s own informational statements conveyed at several meetings over the past few weeks and months. First the footprint of the clinic on the Green is approximately 7,400 square feet—not 7,000, as stated in Rector’s letter.
To be clear, this is the equivalent of three… Read more
Town Meetings, Municipal and School Budgets, Warrants and Candidates
Below are area municipalities holding elections and town meetings in June
APPLETON
appleton.maine.gov
Annual Town Meeting, June 13, by Secret Ballot, Appleton Fire Station, 2899 Sennebec Road, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
On May 30, Appleton will hold a public hearing at 7:15 p.m. at the Appleton Town Office to present the warrant. Read the 2022-2023 Appleton Town Report here. There will be three ballots: The municipal warrant, the $3.6 million Appleton Village School ballot, and the $13 million Five Town CSD ballot. Absentee ballots are currently available.
If you are a resident and would like to vote but are unsure if you are registered, call the Town Office. You can also register on the day of the election.
From the 2022-2023 Appleton Town Report, Select Board Report: “Proposed municipal expenditures are up 8.7% in 2024, which you will read in this report. Appleton Village School, when offset by its fund balance, proposes a 17.7% increase. Knox County Commissioners approved a 9.9% increase in the countywide budget, and the Five-Town Consolidated School District proposes a 7.7% increase for Appleton’s high school students. All in, the four combine for a proposed 12.9% increase in budgeted spending over 2022-2023. The Select Board endorses using $300,000 from Town of Appleton undesignated funds to reduce the impact on taxpayers. The result of all is an anticipated $21.70 mil rate, up $0.20 from the current assessment.”
camdenmaine.gov
Annual Town Meeting, June 13, Camden Public Safety Building, by secret ballot, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
On the Camden Town Meeting Warrant: land use ordinances, marijuana retail proposal, municipal budget
• Camden to place two marijuana shop warrant articles before voters
• Camden to hold public hearing on whether to allow marijuana retail shops
On June 13, voters in Camden will elect two to serve on the School Administrative District 28 (Camden-Rockport K-8) and the Five Town CSD (Camden Hills Regional High School) boards of directors. There are two open seats this June, both three-year terms.
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Camden Select Board Candidates
The 2023 annual-person town meeting is Monday, June 19, at the Edna Drinkwater School (56 Bayside Road), at 6:30 p.m.
ROCKLAND
rocklandmaine.gov
On the Tuesday, June 13, City ballot, Rockland residents will find a request to dip into unspent bond money and then to contribute additional funds for the sake of a critical vehicle that can’t be substituted by any other in the Rockland fleet, nor borrowed from mutual aid.
Rockland voters asked to replace aging fire truck before prices, manufacturing times leap again
Thomaston has assembled budgets, warrants, ballots and information concerning the ordinance amendments, plus information about the Town Green, on one municipal website page.
VINALHAVEN
townofvinalhaven.org
Vinalhaven will hold Election Day June 13 at the town office. Absentee Ballots now available. All absentee ballot requests must be received by the clerk by the close of business on Thursday, June 8. All absentee ballots must be received by the clerk by the close of the polls, 8 p.m., Tuesday, June 13.
At the polls, voters will decide if they are electing Thomas Anthony as Selectman for a 3-year term. He is running unopposed, and another seat remains empty, with no candidate. They will also decide upon electing Susan Dempster to a 3-year term on the SAD 8 School Board. She is also running unopposed. And, Pamela Conway Allen is running unopposed for a 3-year term on the Water District board.
“A write-in vote MUST be counted if voter intent is clear, even if the name is misspelled or a nickname is used, the box or square to the left of the name MUST also be marked,” notes the Vinalhaven Town Office. “No exceptions.”
Voters will also consider approving the SAD 8 (Vinalhaven School) $4.6 million 2024 budget.
On June 21, at 5:30 p.m., citizens will reconvene to continue their annual town meeting. The warrant and municipal have yet to be posted at the Vinalhaven municipal website.
Candidates for RSU 40 are Steven Karp, Emily Trask-Eaton and Melvin Williams.
Voters will also consider approving a $34 million budget for RSU 40. See RSU 40 budget information here. RSU 40 comprises Waldoboro, Warren, Friendship, Washington and Union K-12 public schools.
Waldoboro voters also have a state Legislative race to consider for House District 45, with Republican Abden Simmons and Democrat Wendy Pieh squaring off. HD 45 includes Friendship/ Washington/ Bremen/ Louds Island Township/ Waldoboro and the seat was vacated by Clinton Collamore, D-Waldoboro, in February following his indictment on charges of campaign financing irregularities.