Waterboro voters approve budget in first-ever referendum

Waterboro voter Alicia Shortill holds up her ballots before inserting them into the voting machines Tuesday evening, while Town Administrator Gary Lamb stands by at Massabesic East, part of Massabesic High School. Waterboro voters came out to cast ballots in the first-ever referendum election for the municipal budget, after voting a year ago to abolish the traditional annual Town Meeting. TAMMY WELLS/Journal Tribune

WATERBORO — Voters in Waterboro approved the municipality’s $6.46 million budget in a referendum on Tuesday — the first-ever after voters agreed to abolish the traditional open Town Meeting a year ago.

Slightly more than 25 percent — or 1,265 of the 5,100 eligible voters cast ballots in the referendum. Town Clerk Christine Torno said voting was steady all day on Tuesday.

At the last annual Waterboro Town Meeting, held in June 2017, 45 people attended and voted.

All of the 15 questions passed. The municipal budget is $6.46 million, of which $2.58 million is to be raised by property taxes and $3.88 million from a number of other revenue sources, including $800,000 from the town’s undesignated fund balance, the latter up by $300,000 from the amount used the previous year.

Town Administrator Gary Lamb said the effect on the tax rate, including Waterboro’s $8.56 million share of RSU 57, is expected to be less than 10 cents — or about $18 annually for a home valued at $200,000.

In a memo to voters, Lamb said the budget is up $482,000 or 8 percent. He said major increases include $150,000 to install a new insulated metal roof on Central Fire Station to stop ice dams and structural water damage and $136,000 in increased costs for sand, salt and a new snow plow contract. The town pledged to put $130,000 for paving Old Alfred Road, with the state transportation department picking up the remaining $130,000 estimated cost, according to budget documents. Other changes include a decrease in leases or debt service by $61,000; payroll in general government is up by about $12,000; there’s an increase of $43,000 in public safety due to an increase from 25 to 32 hours a week for the administrative assistant and cost of living adjustments for full-time staff.

On the revenue side, excise tax and homestead reimbursements have increased about $190,000.

Citizens were also asked to elect some town officials — incumbent Selectman Gordon Littlefield and RSU 57 Director Jennifer Mayo ran unopposed in their bids for re-election to three-year terms. There was no candidate for a two-year RSU 57 position.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.