Town Meeting and Warrant Articles

The Town of Thomaston will hold a town meeting on Wednesday, June 9th, at 7:00 PM at the American Legion Hall (10 Watts Lane). During this meeting the townspeople will vote on warrant articles 3 through 46, representing the municipal budget for 2010/2011.

An abridged version of these Warrant Articles was printed in the town newsletter for June and is reproduced here. The full text of the Warrant Articles and the Town's Annual Report is available online at http://town.thomaston.me.us/.

ARTICLE 1: To choose a moderator to preside at said meeting. THE MODERATOR MUST BE CHOSEN PRIOR TO THE OPENING OF THE POLLS FOR ELECTING TOWN OFFICERS (election to be held Tuesday, June 8th, beginning at 10:00 AM).

ARTICLE 2: To choose by ballot, two Selectpersons for terms of 3 years, and one Assessor for a term of 3 years and one RSU 13 School Board member for 3 years.

ARTICLE 3: To see if the Town will vote to accept the categories of funds listed below as provided by the Maine State Legislature and to expend same.

ARTICLE 4: To see if the Town will vote to lapse all non-real estate/personal property tax revenues to Undesignated Fund Balance (surplus), and to see what sum of money the Town will vote to appropriate to reduce the property tax assessment for Fiscal Year July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011.

ARTICLE 5: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $330,937.34 for GENERAL GOVERNMENT.

ARTICLE 6: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $90,345.00 for maintenance and operation of MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS.

ARTICLE 7: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $238,553.88 for the POLICE DEPARTMENT WAGES.

ARTICLE 8: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $41,800.00 for GENERAL EXPENDITURES –POLICE DEPARTMENT.

ARTICLE 9: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $96,987.49 for the FIRE DEPARTMENT.

ARTICLE 10: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $4,200.00 to purchase self-contained breathing (SCBA) bottles for the Fire Department.

ARTICLE 11: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $10,000.00 to purchase protective clothing for the Fire Department.

ARTICLE 12: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $5,000.00 to purchase new computers for the Fire Department.

ARTICLE 13: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $190,288.19 for PROTECTION AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

ARTICLE 14: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $406,504.28 for PUBLIC WORKS.

ARTICLE 15: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $210,000.00 for SANITATION.

ARTICLE 16: To see if the Town will accept as a Town Way the portion identified as Deer Run, a subdivision off Beechwood Street recorded July 19, 2004 in the Knox County Registry of Deeds, Cabinet 16, Sheet 161.

ARTICLE 17: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $55,947.45 for the AMBULANCE DEPARTMENT.

ARTICLE 18: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate $25,000.00 from Undesignated Fund Balance, with utilization of annual ambulance revenues, to continue funding the PER DIEM LICENSED AMBULANCE PERSONNEL to provide adequate emergency service and to assist with Fire and Ambulance Department Administration.

ARTICLE 19: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $32,448.00 for per diem weekend ambulance coverage.

ARTICLE 20: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $8,000.00 to purchase protective clothing for the Ambulance Department.

ARTICLE 21: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $15,000.00 to reimburse Rockland for Ambulance coverage at the rate of 250.00 per call and to authorize charging the same 250.00 per call for coverage when Thomaston’s Ambulance responds to calls outside of Thomaston.

ARTICLE 22: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $31,667.28 for the ASSESSOR’S OFFICE.

ARTICLE 23: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $57,850.00 for the RECREATION DEPARTMENT.

ARTICLE 24: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $14,833.94 for LEISURE SERVICES.

ARTICLE 25: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $636,904.60 for UNCLASSIFIED ACCOUNTS.

ARTICLE 26: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $77,600.00 for CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS/RESERVE ACCOUNTS.

ARTICLE 27: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $30,000.00 for FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.

ARTICLE 28: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $20,233.10 for PROVIDER AND LOCAL AGENCIES.

ARTICLE 29: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $68,250.00 for Fiscal Year July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011 and to utilize undesignated funds for the remainder to pave the following streets.

ARTICLE 30: To see if the Town will vote to authorize Selectpersons, on behalf of the Town, TO SELL AND DISPOSE OF ANY REAL ESTATE ACQUIRED BY THE TOWN for non-payment of the taxes thereon and to execute quit claim deeds for said property, said real estate to be sold as follows.

ARTICLE 31: To see if the Town will vote to permit acceptance of PREPAID TAXES and to fix the dates of December 1, 2010 for the first payment and June 1, 2011 for the second payment, when the taxes shall become due and payable; and, to see if the Town will fix the rate of interest at 7 percent to be charged on taxes unpaid after said date; and to see if the Town will fix the rate of interest for overpayments of taxes at 3 percent. For the period July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011. NOTE: Pursuant to Title 36 M.R.S.A. Section 506-A “Overpayment of Taxes”.

ARTICLE 32: To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectpersons to accept, on behalf of the Town, GIFTS, DONATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS in the form of money, personal services and materials for the benefit of the Town, its government including legal departments and public facilities thereof, for the purpose of aiding and enhancing the delivery of public services. Said gifts to be without conditions and not require the voters to raise additional maintenance money.

ARTICLE 33: To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectpersons TO MOVE UP TO 10% OF UNEXPENDED BALANCES from various accounts as needed to provide for the smooth transition of Town business.

ARTICLE 34: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $2,500.00 TO SUPPORT THE SHELLFISH MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.

ARTICLE 35: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from undesignated fund balance the sum of $10,000.00 TO ASSIST THE FOURTH OF JULY COMMITTEE in continuing the annual celebration.

ARTICLE 36: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $950.00 for the continued administration of the Pine Tree Zone.

ARTICLE 37: Shall the Ordinance entitled Chapter Seven Thomaston Land Use and Development Ordinance and Chapter Ten, Definitions be amended? A copy of this ordinance certified by the municipal officers and the Planning Board has been on file with the municipal clerk’s office at least seven days before the Town Meeting. A certified copy of this ordinance is available for review in the Office of the Town Clerk during regular business hours.

ARTICLE 38: Shall the Ordinance entitled Chapter Four Thomaston Harbor Ordinance be amended? A copy of this ordinance certified by the municipal officers and the Planning Board has been on file with the municipal clerk’s office at least seven days before the Town Meeting. A certified copy of this ordinance is available for review in the Office of the Town Clerk during regular business hours.

ARTICLE 39: Shall the Ordinance entitled Georges River Regional Shellfish Management Ordinance be amended?

ARTICLE 40: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $12,225.00 towards the ongoing Thomaston Sidewalk Program to resurface sidewalks in Thomaston.

ARTICLE 41: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $19,000.00 for the operating budget of the Thomaston Village Cemetery.

ARTICLE 42: To see if the Town will vote to accept the Declaration of Slum and Blight Area behind the Business Block per Maine Community Development Block Grant.
"It is hereby found and declared: 1. That there exists in the Town of Thomaston a deteriorating, dilapidated, slum and blighted area, dangerous buildings, deficient public improvements and incompatible uses of property, which constitute a serious and growing menace, injurious and inimical to the public health, safety, morals and welfare of the residents of the Town of Thomaston. 2. That the existence of such an area, as shown on the attached map and identified as the area off Starr Street behind the Thomaston Business Block and located in Census Tract Number: 9704, is found to be consistent with Maine State Statute 30-A, Chapter 205, Section 5202 and regulations set forth by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in 24 CFR Part 570. 3. That the blighted area will be addressed with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and other funds through eligible activities, in accordance with all CDBG regulations and Maine State Statute 30-A, Chapter 205, Sections 5201 through 5205. 4. That the activities to be conducted are designed to eliminate the causes of slum and blight through the performance of streetscape and other related physical improvements. 5. The Declaration with attendant documentation is hereby enacted on the 9th of June, 2010 and is effective from this day forth until such conditions have been remedied through completion of the CDBG project."

ARTICLE 43: To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of $15,000.00 to upgrade the stormwater system at the intersection of Marsh Road north toward High Street on Route 131.

ARTICLE 44: To see if the Town will vote to approve participation in the Interagency Cooperation Agreement for the creation of an electronic database of public safety information to be utilized by member agencies in Knox County.

ARTICLE 45: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate $40,000.00 to purchase a 2004 Case 580M used backhoe with 856 hours utilizing $27,450.00 from unexpended winter roads funds, $8,451.00 from FEMA Grants and $4,099.00 from unexpended winter sand funds.

ARTICLE 46: To see if the voters of the Town of Thomaston will appropriate and authorize a majority of the municipal officers of the Town to borrow on behalf of the Town, a principal amount not to exceed One Million Nine Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,900,000.00) through the issuance of general obligation bonds or notes of the Town of Thomaston, which may be callable bonds or notes, the proceeds to be used for the purpose of financing improvements to the Town’s wastewater treatment and collection system, including, but not limited to replacement of the wastewater lines on Wadsworth Street, Brooklyn Heights Road, Sunrise Terrace, Sunset Terrace and Natalie Court (the “Project”); and further to authorize the municipal officers to accept any state and federal grants, which are hereby appropriated for the Project, and to take any and all actions and execute any and all documents, contracts or agreements necessary or convenient to issue the bonds or Notes of the Town and to accomplish the Project.