DYER BROOK, Maine — Town meeting time arrived for residents of Dyer Brook, Crystal and Patten this past week as the three communities elected new officials and approved municipal budgets.
Dyer Brook became the latest community in Aroostook County to approve a town ordinance banning retail marijuana at its town meeting, held Monday, March 19. According to Town Clerk Florence Hardy, the new ordinance prohibits retail marijuana establishments and social clubs within the town limits.
The ordinance was passed unanimously at the town meeting, she said. “It was a very well attended meeting and the board was grateful for all the interest in our little town,” she added.
A second ordinance, “To Protect the Health and Integrity of the Local Food System in the Town of Dyer Brook” was also unanimously passed by voters.
Residents approved a total municipal budget of $159,890, which is an increase of $7,480 over the previous year.
David McLaughlin and Richard Burton were re-elected for three year terms on the town’s Board of Selectmen, while Randy Curry was re-elected to a one-year term as town treasurer and Florence Hardy was re-elected for a one-year term as town clerk. Barbara Burton was re-elected to a three-year term on the RSU 50 school board.
At the Crystal town meeting, Monday, March 19, Phyllis Chambers and Patrick York both were re-elected to the town’s Board of Selectmen as each received 19 votes.
The meeting marked the first time townspeople gathered at the Island Falls Municipal Building to conduct business. Island Falls Town Manager Jutta Beyer serves as the manager for both communities.
The 2018 budget in the amount of $150,127 was approved by voters. The spending plan is down $25,444 from the previous budget of $175,571.
“The major savings are due to contracting with Island Falls,” Beyer said. “The town of Crystal entered into an administrative service agreement for five years. The response has been very positive so far. Sharing services is a cost saving factor for both towns. The boards have been talking about joint meetings in the future to discuss upcoming projects and to work together.”
Voters were not able to cast ballots on an ordinance to prohibit retail marijuana establishments and social clubs, Beyer said, because a public hearing on the ordinance was unable to be held due to a snowstorm. She said the town will revisit the ordinance at a later date.
At Patten’s town meeting, held Tuesday, March 20, only 37 registered voters participated in the town meeting. There are 670 registered voters in the community, according to Town Manager Raymond Foss. Therefore, roughly only 5.5 percent participated in the meeting.
A total municipal budget of $988,802 was approved by voters. That figure is up $95,897 from last year’s spending plan of $892,905.
Highway capital improvements accounted for the single largest increase in the budget. The account was approved at $252,525, which is an increase of $102,725. However, $100,125 will be carried forward from the 2017 account, requiring $15,000 from local taxes — the same amount approved in 2017.
Martin McCarthy and Gregg Smallwood were both elected to the town’s Board of Selectmen with 50 and 49 votes respectively.
An article to hire a police officer through the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office for the town was shot down by voters. The position would have cost $70,000 for the remainder of 2018, a prorated amount based on $90,000 for an entire year.
Foss said the board of selectmen will continue to discuss the possibility of contracting with an outside police agency to increase patrols in the Patten area, but did not foresee any such hiring in 2018.
Voting for the newly-formed RSU 89 (Katahdin) School Board also was held on Monday, March 19. Leslie Gardner was elected to a two-year position with 68 votes and Rebecca Boone was elected to a one-year position with 67 votes.
