2020 Town Warrant

2020 DURHAM TOWN WARRANT

To: Rebecca Taylor-Chase, a Municipal Official of the Town of Durham, Androscoggin County, State of Maine.

Greetings:

In the name of the State of Maine, you are hereby required to notify and warn the Inhabitants of the Town of Durham in said county and state, qualified by law to vote in Town affairs, to assemble at Amvets Post 13, 1049 Royalsborough Road, Durham, Maine on Tuesday, July 14, 2020 at 7:45 a.m., then and there to act upon Article 1 and by secret ballot on Articles 2 through 24 as set out below. (Polls shall be open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.): Town clerk opened the town meeting at 7:45 am and proceeded to Article 1

Article 1      To choose a moderator to preside at said meeting.

Gary Spring was nominated by Priscilla Higgins and 2nd by Beth Morrill. Unanimously voted as Moderator.

Gary Spring nominated Sondra Higgins as Deputy Moderator 2nd by Nancy Swinton. Unanimously voted as Deputy Moderator.

Gary Swinton adjourned meeting to open Polls. Polls were opened at 8 am for remaining Articles.

Article 2      To elect all municipal officers, school committee members, and budget committee
               members as are required to be elected.

Article 3      To see if the Town of Durham will vote to raise and appropriate an amount not to
               exceed the 2019 Durham Municipal Budget for any budget articles not approved.
               o Yes 867      o No 255     Article Carries

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT ARTICLE

Article 4      To see if the Town will vote to appropriate and transfer $188,600 from the Public
               Works Capital Fund for the purchase of a new truck and snowplow package.
               Select Board and Budget Committee recommend yes
               o Yes 800       o No 371      Article Carries

CONTRACT WARRANT ARTICLE

Article 5      To see if the Town will enter into a three year contact with Pine Tree Waste for
               Curbside Waste and Recycling as outlined in their Contract Proposal.
               Select Board recommend yes
               o Yes 1075 o No 95             Article Carries

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2020 DURHAM TOWN WARRANT

BUDGET ARTICLES

Article 6     To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $255,692 for Solid Waste.
              Funding Source: Raise $235,003 and transfer $20,689 from the Solid Waste
              Revenue Fund.
              Select Board and Budget Committee recommend yes
              o Yes 925      o No 240       Article Carries

Article 7 To see if the Town will vote to appropriate and transfer $10,000 from undesignated funds for the Emergency Fund which can be accessed by a majority vote by both the Select Board and the Budget Committee. The balance of the Emergency Fund as of December 31, 2019, is $6,953. Select Board and Budget Committee recommend yes

o Yes 924 o No 246 Article Carries

Article 8 To see if the Town will vote to appropriate and transfer $77,410 from undesignated funds to be applied to the municipal operating budget. These funds lapsed into the undesignated fund due to an error in the RSU5 tax assessment and are being used to offset a portion of this year’s tax impact. Select Board and Budget Committee recommend yes

o Yes 948 o No 223 Article Carries

Article 9     To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $472,753 for the Durham
              Fire and Rescue Operating Budget. Funding Source: Raise $472,753
              Select Board and Budget Committee recommend yes
              o Yes 892      o No 274       Article Carries

Article 10 To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $1,038,693 for the Public Works Operating Budget. Funding Source: Raise $31,930 and Transfer $1,006,763 from the Following Revenue Funds: Excise Taxes $952,183 and LRAP (Local Roads Assistance Program) $54,580. Select Board and Budget Committee recommend yes

o Yes 854 o No 301 Article Carries

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2020 DURHAM TOWN WARRANT

Article 11 To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $390,544 for Administration Expenses. Funding Source: Raise $284,187 and transfer $106,357 from the following Revenue Funds: Building Permits $15,028, Electrical Permits $6,175, Plumbing Permits $6,765, Vehicle Registration $16,261, Delinquent Tax Interest $ 33,005, Tax Exemption Reimbursement $17,004, Town Clerk Fees $5,432 and Miscellaneous Revenue $6,687. Select Board and Budget Committee recommend yes

o Yes 828 o No 336 Article Carries

Article 12 To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $991,693 for the Town of Durham’s annual debt service. Funding Source: Raise $899,973 and transfer $91,720 from the following funds: Fire Department Capital Fund $41,720 and Undesignated Fund $50,000. Select Board and Budget Committee recommend yes

o Yes 829 o No 330 Article Carries

Article 13 To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $151,433 for the following budgets: Animal Control $16,528, Assessing $21,100, Cemeteries $4,650, Conservation. Recreation and Parks $10,986, Eureka Community Center $6,910, General Assistance $1,000, Planning Board/Appeals Board/Historic District Commission $35,038, and Telecommunications $55,221. Funding Source: Raise $77,052 and transfer $74,381 from the following funds: Animal Control $1,765, Undesignated Fund $4,300, Recreation Fund $10,986, Eureka Rentals $1,240, General Assistance $359, Conditional Use Permits $300, Appeals Revenue $210 and Telecommunications $55,221. Select Board and Budget Committee recommend yes

o Yes 845 o No 228 Article Carries

BUSINESS ARTICLES

Article 14    To see if the town will vote to appropriate an amount not to exceed 5% of the
              total 2020 Net Assessment for Commitment to pay tax abatements and applicable
              interest granted during the 2020 fiscal year.
              o Yes 777       o No 286       Article Carries

Article 15 To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to seek, accept and disburse grant funds from private, state or federal agencies, for the purpose so designated in each specific grant.

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2020 DURHAM TOWN WARRANT

o Yes 909 o No 171 Article Carries

Article 16    To see what action the Town will take in regard to fixing interest on delinquent
              taxes and establishing a date for interest to start. Interest shall begin to accrue on all
              unpaid taxes forty-five days after the date taxes are committed. The interest rate on
              delinquent taxes shall be 8% per annum.
              o Yes 869      o No 201         Article Carries

Article 17    To see if the Town will vote to leave the appointment of standing committee
              members and officials in the hands of the Board of Selectmen.
              o Yes 709     o No 368        Article Carries

Article 18    To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to dispose of town
              owned property which they determine is no longer needed or usable by the town, on
              such terms as they deem advisable.
              o Yes 720       o No 364       Article Carries

Article 19    To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen, on behalf of the
              Town, to sell and/or dispose of any property acquired by tax liens and allow the
              Selectmen to authorize the Treasurer to waive automatic lien foreclosures when it is
              in the best interest of the Town.
              o Yes 800        o No 281       Article Carries

Article 20    To see if the Town will vote to set the interest rate to be paid by the Town on
              overpayment of abated taxes at 4% pursuant to 36 MRSA § 506.
              o Yes 885       o No 179       Article Carries

Article 21    To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Tax Collector or Treasurer to accept
              prepayments of taxes not yet due or assessed, and to pay interest thereon at an
              interest rate of 0% pursuant to 36 MRSA § 506.
              o Yes 944        o No 128       Article Carries

Article 22    To see if the Town will authorize the Board of Selectmen to resolve any disputes
              with parties having an interest adverse to that of the Town which do not involve the
              expenditure of public funds or where there are sufficient funds in budgeted
              accounts to allow payment of any claim which is to be settled.
              o Yes 818       o No 248        Article Carries

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2020 DURHAM TOWN WARRANT

Article 23    To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to spend an amount
              not to exceed one third (1/3) of the budget amount in each category of the Town of
              Durham 2020 annual budget during the period from January 1, 2021 to the close of
              the 2021 annual town meeting.
              o Yes 798       o No 272       Article Carriess

Article 24     To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Treasurer to borrow money on notes
               approved by at least three members of the Board of Selectmen and countersigned by
               the Select Board Chair, to pay for the operating costs of the Town.
               o Yes 776      o No 293        Article Carries
Polls closed at 8 pm

Signatures on next page Given under our hands this 12th day of May, 2020:

Board of Selectmen

____________________________________ Kevin Nadeau, Chair

___________________________________ Richard George

____________________________________ Rob Pontau, Vice Chair

___________________________________ Marc Farrin

____________________________________ Todd Beaulieu

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