UPTON – Becoming a selectman is a whole new experience for retired chief financial officer James Rector.

Rector, who worked at Parkview Hospital in Brunswick until two years ago, moved here soon after. He and his wife, Wilma, bought the town’s oldest remaining farmhouse about six years ago and are spending their time restoring it. The home and barn were built about 160 years ago.

Finding the farmhouse, located on the East B Hill Road between Andover and Upton, happened quite by accident.

They were driving by one day and saw the “for sale” sign. It looked just right to be a getaway place. So they bought it and used it for weekends and vacations until retirement.

Now, they are firmly established in the town.

Being elected as a selectman at last month’s annual town meeting was Rector’s first foray into elective office. “It’s new. I’m in politics now,” he said.

He is filling out the unexpired term of Earl Largesse.

So far, the experience has been a good one. He likes to know what’s going on and he wants to help out. Right now, that means assessing additions or new structures.

“No real surprises yet. I get to meet more of the townspeople and see homes I otherwise wouldn’t have. It’s fun for me,” he said.

Hanover: Moose sightings start

HANOVER – A moose walked by the town office just a couple of weeks ago as Town Clerk Clem Worcester was going into work. It continued its lumbering gait into the nearby Hanover swamp.

And just a day or two before that, one was hit by a truck along Route 2.

Spring has certainly arrived in this small western Maine town.

“It’s about the time for them to come out. In spring, they move around more. People need to start being more careful,” he said.

Moose were also seen near Worcester’s Baby Brook Lane home. As he returned home one day and was about to enter his driveway, he said he had to stop and let four moose scramble off into the brush. That’s the first time he’s seen that many all at once, he said.

Worcester thinks a wild animal trail must exist between Hanover village and Newry corner. “Quite a few hang out there,” he said.

Carthage: Annual audit under way

CARTHAGE – May flowers will be popping up by the time the annual town meeting is held. Right now, it looks like it will take place in May.

Selectmen are still plugging away at the paperwork and figure-tallying needed to complete the annual audit, First Selectman Steve Brown said.

It seems that the numbers that have to be crunched and the amount of transactions that have to be carefully figured then presented to the auditor increase each year, and town officials do all theirs by hand.

“We have to work through each individual record,” said Brown.

The town office has a computer to handle day-to-day things, but money is lacking to buy the software needed to accommodate the annual audit, he said.

When town officials are ready, notices will be posted for the annual event that usually draws a fairly good crowd in March.

In the meantime, work on the town’s first-ever comprehensive plan continues with another meeting set for 7 p.m. Monday, May 5, at the town office. Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments’ Fergus Lea is expected to attend to help bring sections of the town’s plan together for the future. A portion of the plan will be presented at the town meeting for resident approval.

eadams@sunjournal.com
Newry: Selectmen switch time

NEWRY – Tradition was turned on its head by town officials at Tuesday’s selectmen meeting.

Instead of meeting at 9 a.m. every Tuesday, the board will now meet every Monday at 4:15 p.m. For the past couple of weeks, selectmen have met at 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays to accommodate a board member’s work schedule.

In other town news, longtime Selectman Bill Wight, who declined to seek re-election in March, will be honored with a retirement party starting at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 26, in the Bear River Grange Hall. Those attending have been asked to bring either a vegetable dish or salad to complement other food items provided.

Dixfield: Plenty of candidates

DIXFIELD – Voters at town meeting in June will have a slew of candidates to choose from to fill five three-year terms on the Board of Selectmen and SAD 21 Board of Directors.

Four people filed nomination papers for two openings on the Board of Selectmen: Norman Mitchell of East Dixfield, incumbent Eugene Skibitsky, Stephen Donahue and Pamela Pace, all of Dixfield.

One of three SAD 21 directors, incumbent Cynthia Gould of Dixfield, is seeking re-election. Board members Darlene Richard and longtime Chairman Lauren Hebert opted not to run again, Town Clerk Vicki Carrier said.

In addition to Gould, David W. Berry and Leslie Skibitsky, both of Dixfield, are each seeking one of the three available director’s seats.

Elections will be held Tuesday, June 10, in the fire station to coincide with the state referendum instead of Friday, June 6, as was previously advertised, Carrier added.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com