FARMINGTON — At annual Town Meeting Monday, voters made three changes to proposed budget amounts and approved all other articles.

The approved budget is now $8.48 million, an 11.53% increase over the current spending plan of $7.6 million.

Monday night, March 27, Farmington residents Richard and Joyce Morton at right check in prior to the annual Town Meeting held at Bjorn Auditorium on the Mt. Blue Campus. Police Chief Kenneth Charles is also seen talking with ballot clerk Aileen Kennedy, closest to doors. Also seen sitting beside her is ballot clerk Shane Cote, then ballot clerks Ann Arbor and John Rosenwald. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

Budget Committee member Judith Murphy’s motion to raise and appropriate almost $1.6 million for Public Works was approved. During the budget process, the committee proposed adding $98,730 to the amount put forth by the Town Manager and Select Board. The additional funds would add three new staff to the department instead of one.

The Select Board agreed it was a better idea this year to try adding one new foreman to oversee new roadway construction, hire out snow removal downtown and adjust next year if needed, Select Board Chair Matthew Smith said.

Resident Dennis O’Neil said he attended the budget meetings, believed new staff would tie into additional road work in the summer, which is everybody’s favorite project. He asked Public Works Director Phil Hutchins to explain what the three new employees would do.

“Adding three people would give a separate fulltime construction crew,” Hutchins said. “We are projected to have a heavy road building schedule.” High Street will be finished, Mosher Hill, Mosher Hill, Ramsdell Road and Christian Drive are on the schedule, he noted.

Three additional staff would allow the start of reconstruction on Weeks Mill, Bailey Hill, Davis and Holley roads, just to get ahead of the town’s five-year road plan, Hutchins said.

“I can see both sides,” Selectman Stephan Bunker, who lives on Bailey Hill Road, said. The Select Board was trying to keep the budget moderated, he stated. “We are first on the list for Pike Industries to do our paving, it’s probably going to be a project larger than we have had in the last decade or more,” he noted. “The fly in the ointment is in order to get Pike Industries to come over Bailey Hill there are many places that need to be rebuilt.”

At annual Town Meeting Monday night, March 27, Farmington voters are seen approving additional funds for Public Works that will allow the hiring of three new staff and more roadwork to be completed this summer. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

Crews need to replace culverts, ditching and shoulder work needs to be done first, Bunker said. “It’s a toss up on how moderate or aggressive you would like to be,” he added.

The roads are getting worse, the longer they are pushed out, the more money will be put into them, Murphy stated.

With current staffing 26,000 linear feet of roads can be done, adding one foreman would yield about 33,000 linear feet or about 56,000 with three new staff, Hutchins noted. It’s the taxpayers’ decision on making an investment in protecting the town’s largest assets, he added.

There is no one to take the place of someone who is out, it is a safety issue, Jim Kiernan, Public Works operations foreman, said. Staff are working 16 hours, sometimes more in some instances, he added.

Residents say they would like to see their road fixed, people his age have lived with putting off doing roads until next year, Clyde Ross, Budget Committee member said. “Tonight is an opportunity for you people for this to be next year,” he added.

Voters approved adding $800 to general administration after Sally Speich, who serves on the Conservation Commission, pointed out errors in the town warrant. The $30,000 amount listed as being requested by the commission should have been $800, the amount approved last year, she noted. No funds were proposed for the commission this year in the warrant, which was reflected in the amount proposed for administration.

Also approved was an amendment by Barbara Marshall, library board of trustees president, that decreased the library budget $8,280. In the fall the library had asked for $248,870; since then the price of oil has gone down and the library’s stocks are doing better, she stated.

All other articles passed as proposed, with a few drawing discussion.

Resident Jon Bubier voiced concern about CMP lights overshadowing new decorative lights on Front and High streets.

Public Works Director Phil Hutchins said University of Maine Farmington owns the lights on Front Street, the town doesn’t pay for those. Once the new lights are installed on High street, a light audit will be performed to determine which current lights can be removed, he noted.

One resident suggested fees be charged when teams use Hippach Field to help cover the costs of maintaining the facility.

Selectman Chair Matthew Smith recognized outgoing Selectman and Representative Scott Landry for his years of service from 2016 to 2023 to the board and town.

Landry and Senator Russell Black presented a Legislative sentiment to Jane Woodman. Woodman was surprised Thursday, March 16, to learn the 2022 Farmington Town Report was dedicated to her. Voters gave her a standing ovation.