As municipalities in the Lakes Region wrap up their budget seasons, the final four annual town meetings have concluded. Here’s a summary of what took place at each meeting.

BRIDGTON

At the annual Town Meeting June 12, all 31 warrant articles passed as written.

Seventy-nine residents attended the meeting, which lasted approximately an hour and a half.

Town Manager Bob Peabody said that turnout was “a little light,” but “all the controversial votes were taken in secret ballot” on June 11.

He noted the passage of the Land Use Ordinance during the election.

“The town hasn’t had zoning, except for Shoreland Zoning, for a very long time. So that’s going to take some getting used to,” he said.

Overall, Peabody said the meeting “went pretty well,” with a few questions being asked about roads but no other debate.

The municipal budget is $4.43 million, which represents an increase of $38,000, or 0.88%, over this year’s budget. The impact on the tax rate has not been calculated. The current tax rate is $14.80 per $1,000 of taxable assessed value.

CASCO

At the annual Town Meeting June 12, all 26 warrant articles passed as written in about two hours.

Town Manager Dave Morton said there was “considerable debate” regarding Articles 22 and 26. Article 22 concerned the issuance of bonds and the usage of money to improve recreation areas at Memorial Field Park. Article 26 asked about leasing a portion of town property for use by the Crooked River Snowmobile Club and the Casco Days organization.

Morton said the debate was “all valid, it was all good discussions.”

He estimated that 100 residents turned out for the meeting, which he said was a good turnout.

Casco’s new town manager, Courtney O’Donnell, also attended.

Overall, the meeting “went very well. It was a good Town Meeting. There was some good discussion. It was a typical Casco town meeting,” Morton said.

Morton is retiring in July after 41 years as town manager, so this meeting also marked his “last Town Meeting sitting up at the front table.”

The municipal budget is $4.68 million, which represents an increase of $781,000 over this year’s budget. This will increase the current tax rate, $15.40 per $1,000 of taxable value, by 40 cents.

STANDISH

All 36 warrant articles passed as proposed at the annual Town Meeting June 15.

“It went smooth,” said Town Manager Bill Giroux. “There was no debate. A couple people got up and said they were very happy with the job that people did with the budget.”

The meeting was also “very quick” and lasted only 15 minutes.

Residents voted on capital expenditures at the polls June 11, so Saturday’s meeting covered only the operating budget.

Giroux said approximately 30 people attended, which is usually how many residents attend.

The municipal budget is $10.36 million, which represents an increase of $407,000 over this year’s budget. It will cause a 81-cent increase in the tax rate, from $13.90 per $1,000 of taxable assessed value to $14.71.

WINDHAM

The annual Town Meeting June 15 “went well,” said Interim Town Manager Don Gerrish, with all 18 warrant articles passing as written in less than half an hour.

Residents approved Articles 1 through 7. Because Article 7 was approved, which asks about authorizing a total municipal budget for the year, it was not necessary to vote on the following 11 articles.

Gerrish said there was no debate or discussion, and “there were no questions on any of the warrant articles.”

Only 36 voting members participated in the meeting, while Windham has over 13,000 registered voters.

The municipal budget is $24 million, a $5.5 million increase over this year’s budget. The increase is misleading, Gerrish said, because much of it is due to funds moving to different categories in the budget. The budget will lead to an approximately 4.42% tax increase, from $15.18 per $1,000 of taxable assessed value to $15.85.

Jane Vaughan can be reached at 780-9103 or at jvaughan@theforecaster.net.

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