Casco residents debated whether the town should continue funding its animal control services during a period of upheaval at the annual town meeting. The topic was one of several highlighted at the June 3 meeting.

The town voted using a system where residents indicated their approval or disapproval of a warrant article with handheld clickers. Town officials tested the system with a mock vote on whether residents were enjoying summer. The “article” passed, 73-1.

The most divisive item was Article 13, which would appropriate roughly $105,000 to fund the town’s animal control department. Casco has been paying for two-thirds of what was formerly a three-town animal control arrangement with Naples and Raymond following Naples’ decision to leave the agreement two years ago. In addition, the animal control department only works from Monday to Thursday during the summer.

Multiple motions were made to lower the cost of the budget item, with one resident proposing $40,000 to fund the department for two to three months while the Town Council found a more permanent solution. Resident Tuan Nguyen opposed such motions, expressing concern the town would not have the funding to cover services beyond the suggested time frame. Town Manager Anthony Ward clarified the $40,000 would be stretched over the full fiscal year.

Resident Tiffany Payton said she would be happier with the number if the town had weekend coverage, citing an excessive amount of unanswered calls to Cumberland County on days when animal control is not working. Resident Payson Avery asked how the amended motion would affect the resources needed for animal control to function, and Ward said it would minimize the ability to acquire additional supplies.

Both amendments, one to lower the cost to $40,000, another to lower it to $93,000, were rejected, and the budget item passed as originally printed, 49-36.

Another contentious topic was the issue of private roads and whether the town government should subsidize them. Private roads were the subject of Article 29, which would authorize the plowing of certain private roads, while Article 37, which would appropriate $1 million to renovate the town’s roadways, drew questions of whether it applied to private roads as well as town-owned roads.

During the debate on Article 29, several residents of private roads spoke up, saying they have spent thousands of dollars over the years to bring their roads up to town standards. Resident Rae-Anne Nguyen asked Ward what the estimated cost of plowing the roads was, as well as the number of miles of private roads the town plows. Ward said the town currently plows 20 out of 28 miles with town staff, but it would cost $347,000 to plow all 28 miles with contractors. Tuan Nguyen argued that spending money to plow private roads was using public funds for private gain, and the money could easily be spent on fixing the town’s public roads and waterways. Ultimately, the article passed, 52-25.

On Article 37, resident Marcus Sherman asked if private roads would be repaired with the authorized money. Ward said they would not. While many residents were relieved the town was taking action to fix roads, others worried the amount of money allotted to the article was not nearly enough to fix Casco’s roadways. Answering a question from Tuan Nguyen, Ward said it would cost $16 million to fully repair the roads.

Select Board Chair Grant Plummer agreed the budget item was underfunded, but said it was a substantial increase from previous years, describing the amount as the first step in a multiyear process toward a larger, more appropriate number. The article passed, 70-5.

There was also concern about Article 26, which authorized the Select Board to accept and expend gifts and donations. Resident Meredith Morehouse asked what guardrails there were to prevent corruption, and Ward clarified that the article was not about gifts to the board, but rather authorizing it to accept donations toward specific projects.

This was also the final town meeting for Select Board member Mary Fernandes, who is retiring after 15 years of service to the town.