Caswell
Voters re-elected incumbents to municipal offices and cut $10,000 from their town budget at the annual town meeting Friday, March 22.
Ulyesse Bernier remains treasurer and tax collector for another year, while Scott St. Pierre will serve on the Board of Selectmen and Claudette Roy on the school committee, each for three more years.
Paul Peers, town clerk, said the town didn’t have to do as much building maintenance or road work this year, reducing each of those accounts by $5,000.
Adjustments in some accounts reflected an approximate reduction of $3,000 in solid waste disposal, while general assistance costs are expected to be up by about $400.
Peers doesn’t expect the tax commitment to increase when the final bills are in for education and county taxes. The tax rate stands at $16 per $1,000 in property valuation.
The 25 voters who attended the 60-minute town meeting authorized the school committee to issue notes for the purchase of a school bus with a cost of no more than $60,000. They expect education grants will pay for it over time.
Sherman
Despite an estimated 14-percent hike in county taxes and $25,000 more for education, the town’s mill rate may not change, the town manager said Thursday.
“If the school remains relatively the same, we feel we can stay in the $17 range,” said Debra O’Roak.
The tax rate is $17.63 per $1,000 in property valuation.
“We have remained around $17 for the last three years, and we would like to keep that trend,” she said.
Taxes on new construction are expected to ease revenue concerns, O’Roak said.
At $225,586, the tax commitment to operate local government, without adding appropriations for education and county taxes, is up $1,000.
Voters at the Monday, March 18, town meeting gave $15,000 to the Upper Valley Economic Council. They approved $1,500 to the VFW, $500 more than last year, and $150 to the local Boy Scouts.
They also authorized officials to borrow $150,000 for paving projects with that sum to be paid back over a five-year period.
At the polls, 12-year veteran selectman Robert Gould lost his bid for re-election by three votes. Alonzo Guiggey won that seat in a 58- 55 vote.
Incumbent John Qualey was re-elected to another three years on the SAD 25 board of directors by write-in ballots. He had decided not to run again but acceded to the wishes of the 53 voters.
Frenchville
Voters at the March 19 town meeting transferred surplus funds to offset a $13,000 hike in the municipal budget and lowered tax appropriations by almost the same amount.
Philip Levesque, town manager, said Thursday voters approved $9,500 in additional capital improvement projects, including purchase of a pressure washer at the town garage.
Insurance costs rose about $3,000 and wages another 3.5 percent, he said.
Levesque was awaiting bills from the school and the county to set the tax rate, which he is hoping will stay at $23.50 per $1,000 in property valuation.
Bertrand Paradis defeated Danny Collin for the three-year selectman’s term.
Incumbent Bernard Nadeau was unopposed for the three-year seat on the SAD 33 board of directors.
Hamlin
For the tenth year, a 16-mill tax rate will fund the 2002 municipal budget.
“Everything is going smoothly,” Rudolph Parent, first selectman, saidThursday.
In 38 minutes, the 13 residents who attended the March 23 town meeting adopted a $181,743 budget, similar to last year.
A $1,100 reduction in insurance accounts was offset by higher rates for contracts with the town of Van Buren, which is charging $700 for fire protection and $500 more for ambulance service.
All incumbents were returned to municipal offices without opposition in elections March 22.
They are Scott Ayotte, selectman, three years; Donald Cyr, treasurer and tax collector, one year, and SAD 24 directors, three years.
Ludlow
The town meeting will take place 7 p.m. Monday, April 29, at the town office, preceded by elections from 2 to 6 p.m.
Ted Ivey is challenging incumbent Darrell Barton for the three-year selectman term.
Town Clerk Karen Beaulieu is unopposed for re-election. Melissa Ivey is unchallenged for the three-year seat on the SAD 70 board of directors.
– Compiled by Gloria Flannery
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