West Paris - Changes in governing to be studied

First Published: 1999-03-07

Voters at Saturday's town meeting approved creation of a committee to study the possibility of adopting a town manager form of government.

The committee has a little more than six months to produce a recommendation, which will then go to a special election in the fall, Selectman Wade Rainey said.

Residents also authorized the town to spend up to $170,000 for a new fire truck.

Selectmen can draw on $81,000 that has been set aside for the purchase and borrow the remaining $89,000 to complete the purchase this year.

In another high-profile decision, voters agreed to a plan that would increase the town's share of employee insurance premiums from 50 percent to 60 percent. The increase comes in lieu of pay raises.

Rainey said the 1999-2000 budget represents a decrease in spending from the previous year.

Selectmen hope to decrease the property tax rate from $16 to $15 per thousand, but Rainey said it depends on the School Administrative District 17 budget, which will be determined in June.

There were no contested elections.

Terry Campbell won a seat on the Board of Selectman left vacant when long-time selectman Howard Gurney chose not to run again.

Diane Stimson was re-elected to the town clerk's job.

Clips