Hodgdon voters approve budget, elect officers

By Sarah Berthiaume
Special to the Houlton Pioneer Times
    HODGDON – Roughly 40 people gathered Monday night for Hodgdon’s annual town meeting.
    Almost every chair set up in the Mill Pond School gymnasium was full and voters worked their way through the 42-item warrant in less than an hour.
    With the municipal budget approved, Hodgdon Town Manager Jim Griffin said the tax rate in Hodgdon will likely go up one mil to around 18.9 mils, or $18.90 per $1,000 of property valuation. This is only an estimate, he added, as school and county taxes have yet to be received.
    Only one proposed expense garnered more than a few comments. Voters were asked what sum of money the town should raise and appropriate for discounts and abatements. Historically, the town has offered a discount for residents who pay their property tax bills early. For 2011, the selectmen recommended $17,500 be set aside to fund a discount; the majority of the budget committee was recommending that no money be raised for this.
     “If we’re going to have discounts and abatements, we’re going to have to raise money for them,” said Griffin. “The difference [in tax bills] would be about a half a mil.”
    Some felt the discounts should stay because they provide an important incentive and are a budgetary tradition. Others said that raising additional money to pay discounts essentially defeated the purpose. Griffin added that over the years more and more residents have taken advantage of the benefit. In the past, he said, he’s been able to bank the taxes paid early in CDs to gather interest; current interest rates don’t make this as profitable.
    In the end, voters OK’d the $17,500 with a strong majority – 29 yes and 7 no.
    In a separate warrant article, voters approved a 4 percent discount on taxes paid within one month of commitment and a 2 percent discount on tax bills paid by Oct. 1.
    Other items approved on 2011 warrant included: $160,000 for winter roads; $128,000 for officers and general government, $75,000 for roads and bridges and $70,000 for a road resurfacing reserve account.
    One factor impacting Hodgdon’s budget is an expected decrease in state revenue sharing – money the state provides to help municipalities pay day-to-day expenses.
     “These amounts are going down rather rapidly,” Griffin said.
    Revenue sharing for 2010 was just under $90,000 in Hodgdon; in 2011, projections are closer to $70,000. Also as part of this year’s town meeting, voters elected municipal officers. At the polls, three selectmen were chosen for 3-year terms and three SAD 70 Board members were also being sought for 3-year terms.
    Topping the list of candidates for selectmen this year was Joel Duff, who received 68 votes. David Winship received 42 votes and incumbent Blaine Lincoln, 41 votes. Clarissa Porter, who was also on the ballot for the office, fell just a few votes shy with 39.
    For SAD 70 School Board, incumbents Kevin Scott and Joel Oliver received 62 and 60 votes, respectively. Topping the list of write-in candidates was Billy Fitzpatrick, also an incumbent, who received seven votes.