Monticello

Voters will select two of the five candidates running for the Board of Selectmen at the annual poll from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 20, at the town office.

The annual town meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the fire house.

The two three-year seats for selectmen are being sought by incumbents Meredith Folsom and Rachel Good, along with challengers Jimmy Burpee, Merlyn Faulkner and Theodore J. Peterson, Jr.

Dale Estey is the only candidate for the single three-year seat on the SAD 29 board of directors.

The proposed municipal budget in the amount of $447,000 is approximately the same as last year and is not expected to change the tax rate of $22.60 per $1,000 in property valuation, according to Norma Harper, town manager and clerk.

The largest expenditures are for snowplowing and maintenance of roads followed by the solid waste account.

Stacyville

It is expected to be a quiet day at the polls from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, March 20, at the town office with no contests for seats on the board of selectmen and SAD 25 board.

Neither incumbent Selectman David Pratt or SAD 25 incumbent James Perz are being challenged for three-year seats they wish to retain.

Mary Ann Guiggey, town manager and town clerk, said the proposed municipal budget, at approximately $160,000, is up from last year to fund road paving projects, supplies and a copier for the town office.

The new expenditures are not expected to raise the tax rate of $17.04 per $1,000 in property valuation, she said.

Bridgewater

The annual town meeting and election of municipal officers will be held Monday, March 20, at the Civic Building. Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., followed by the town meeting at 7 p.m.

At $165,910, the proposed municipal budget is $13,000 higher than last year. The increase is the result of an additional $5,000 in the highway equipment account; $2,000 to increase the volunteer firefighters’ stipend and training; $1,500 more in the general assistance account; and $400 for signs in the 911 program.

The two three-year seats on the Board of Selectmen are being sought by incumbent Wayne Bradbury, Dottie Wheeler and Terry Bradstreet.

Incumbent Theodore Van Alft is the only candidate for the single one-year term available on the school Bridgewater School Committee. Donna Kingsbury is seeking re-election to her term as town clerk and treasurer without a challenger.

Easton

The annual town meeting and elections will be held Monday, April 3.

Polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the town office. Incumbents Michael Corey and Paul Dudley are being challenged by Wayne Pendexter for one of the two three-year seats available on the Board of Selectmen.

Incumbent Todd Bradley is joined by Gregory Jackson and Hugh Turner in a three-way race for the two three-year terms available on the school board.

The town meeting will begin at 8 p.m. at the Odd Fellows Hall.

Residents will be presented with a proposed municipal budget in the amount of $530,066, an increase of $39,000 over last year.

The increase is the result of an additional $15,000 for road improvements, $10,000 more for equipment, higher fuel prices and health benefit costs, and an additional pay period for employees in the fiscal cycle.

Voters will consider a town request to take up to $92,000 from the equipment reserve account to purchase a new plow truck. The town also will ask voters for permission to use an additional $41,000 in revenue sharing and excise taxes to keep the tax rate stable.

The proposed municipal budget is not expected to change the tax rate of $17.50 per $1,000 in property valuation, according to Jackie Bradley, town manager.

Ashland

Voters at the annual town meeting, set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, at the high school, will consider a proposed municipal budget that is $15,000 less than last year.

The proposed budget of $1,020,756 is actually $7,000 higher than the previous budget. A total of $621,181 from sources other than property taxes, however, will reduce it.

“We will be using $150,000 from anticipated excise tax, dip into surplus for $246,181, use $50,000 of municipal forest income and take $45,000 from interest income,” Ray Beaulier, Ashland town manager, said.

In the $399,575 municipal budget, an additional $52,000 from surplus will set up an account to resurface roads along with $48,000 from the state’s Department of Transportation block grant funds. One of the largest municipal costs is the $167,385 solid waste program.

A total of $50,000 was set aside for legal fees in the town’s attempt to oppose a tax abatement request from the owners of the Beaver-Ashland power plant.

Beaulier expects the tax rate of $19 per $1,000 of property valuation to remain the same or decrease because the town council reduced the value of the power in 1988. As a result of that reduction, the county tax dropped and general purpose aid to education and revenue sharing should increase, he said.

Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, March 20, in the municipal building conference room.

Incumbent Eric Holden is the only candidate for the two three-year terms available on the town council. Incumbent Stephanie Landry is the single candidate for the two three-year terms available for library trustee.

Both incumbents who are trustees on the Water and Sewer District are seeking re-election. They are Norman J. Long, three-year term, and Michael Millett, one-year term.