PHIPPSBURG

Phippsburg voters approved appropriations to the tune of $2,381,301.50 at the business portion of their annual town meeting Tuesday evening — $2,184 more than the warrant called for.

Changes came on two items: The town hall budget and funding for the Bath Area Food Bank.

Though selectmen recommended just $12,316 for the town hall budget, the budget committee actually suggested an even $14,000. The difference between the committee and selectmen came down to whether the lower figure included a request for $1,500 from the Maine Pre-Trial Work Program for mulch and other gardening supplies. The budget committee felt those funds had not been included, and recommended the town appropriate $14,000.

Residents ultimately approved the amended higher appropriations.

While selectmen had allotted $1,000 in funding to the Bath Area Food Bank in their contributions to area nonprofits and agencies, recently ousted former Selectman Julia House moved to appropriate an additional $500 to the Bath-based nonprofit, which she noted had made more efforts in Phippsburg in recent years.

“I’ve been working closely with the director (of the food bank), and she’s been doing a lot more work in town. There’s emergency bags at the Totman library if anybody cannot make it to the food bank (and) for a year and half she brought the food truck to the fire department,” said Totman.

Residents approved the amended amount of $1,500 for the Bath Area Food Bank.

The most contentious item of the evening was salary increases for town personnel. The town was seeking $516,314 for salaries in fiscal year 2019 — an increase of $22,500 — driven largely by cost of living adjustments. The Fire/Rescue Administrator position in the budget also saw an increase of about 50 percent — from $22,330 to $33,130, because the fire department felt short-handed this year and was looking to hire another person to work a day or two a week.

James Totman, who sits on the town’s road committee, made a motion to eliminate all proposed salary increases except for the fire/rescue administrator raise of $10,800, leaving total salary appropriations at $504,614.

“I haven’t seen any raises in my social security, and I know a lot of elderly people here in the town are having a hard time paying their taxes,” said Totman.

However, another elderly resident retorted that “anyone who works is entitled” to their cost of living adjustment.

While a handful of voters supported the motion, residents ultimately rejected Totman’s amendment, voting instead to approve the salary increases as originally requested in the warrant.

In a straw poll vote, residents voted against having the road committee pursue discontinuing a number of smaller roads in the town. While a vote on actually discontinuing the roads wouldn’t take place until town meeting next year if at all, most residents seemed uninterested in spending money on pursuing that project without having clear benefits presented to them.

The straw poll vote was the only warrant item rejected by voters Tuesday evening.

Recognitions

Sen. Eloise Vitelli, D-Arrowsic, and Rep. Jeff Pierce, R-Dresden, kicked off the evening by reading two legislative sentiments honoring two Phippsburg residents.

Marie Varian received a Spirit of America Foundation Award last year. Varian has been active in town government, serving on a number of committees, as well as overseeing the town’s comprehensive plan review. Varian first joined the planning board in 1988, and has served as chairman since 1994.

Former Selectman John Morse has served on various committees, but many residents know him best as the town moderator for the annual town meetings, a service he has steadfastly provided for 33 years.

On Tuesday, Morse passed that role on to Kim Albertson, who serves on the budget committee.

The selectmen also expressed their appreciation to Morse for his service.

Selectman Gary Read continued the recognitions by honoring Merrill Chapin with a Spirit of America Foundation Award. Chapin has served as the chair of the historic preservation committee, a member of the historic society, and chair of the board of Maine’s First Ship, of which she is still a member.

“(Chapin is being honored) for her dedication to the Phippsburg community, for her decades of volunteer service,” said Read. “She is a tireless supporter of preserving Phippsburg’s historic fabric.”

nstrout@timesrecord.com

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misstated when Chapin served in her respective roles.