OTISFIELD — When Otisfield holds its annual town meeting Saturday residents will elect three selectmen. One is a three-term for the seat held by Board Chair Hal Ferguson, who has served in the role since 2006 and is running for reelection.

The meeting will be held at the Community Hall on Oxford Road, starting at 9 a.m.

Voters will also choose candidates for two additional seats, one for a two-year term and one for a one-year term. Current board members are Lenny Adler, whose term expires next year and Rick Micklon, who was reelected to a three-year term in 2024. At that time Micklon indicated when his seat expires in 2027 he will likely retire from the select board.

Three other residents are expected to join the race for the three available seats: Anne Pastore, Brendan Bedell and Buddy Boville. Each position will be voted on individually during the meeting.

During last year’s town meeting Ferguson told residents the issues facing small towns like Otisfield are becoming more and more complex and with a three-person board two are not allowed to discuss their work because it becomes a quorum that necessitates a public meeting.

A five-person board will allow for more communication, expedite conducting town business and introduce new blood into its governance. Otisfield’s select board has been represented by the same three citizens since 2008.

There will also be an open director’s seat on the Maine School Administrative District 17 school board. Anna Gregoire, who is completing the three-year term she was elected to in 2021 will not seek reelection, citing a need to prioritize family commitments.

Otisfield’s proposed municipal budget for the next fiscal year is $2.52 million, a 1.4% increase over the current year.

The town department looking at the most significant increase is Warrant 11 General Government, which will jump by $74,000 if approved by voters. With two additional selectmen salaries to be paid, that line item is set to increase from $19,500 to $32,500. Utility expenses for town buildings are expected to 11,500 and modest increases have been budgeted for both administration compensation and insurance.

Warrant 13 Public Safety & Cemeteries, is projected to increase by 6.4% to $221,564. Fire department operations and code enforcement will go up by about $4,000 each, animal control by $2,700. The expense for the town’s beach gate will jump from $10,100 in 2024 to $15,500. Spending on cemetery care will decrease by $3,000.

Warrants 14 and 15 ask voters to approve transferring funds for public works equipment replacement. Warrant 14 calls for transferring funds derived from the Heiniger Park lease fees to a town equipment reserve account through fiscal year 2035. Doing so will eliminate $80,000 from the town’s public works operating budget, which is set to decrease by 5.5%. Warrant 15 will transfer funds being held in the Equipment Replacement reserve account into Capital Investment reserves

Warrant 19 Contractual Services are increasing 9.2% to $81,064 in the coming year, mostly due to TRIO software licensing increasing by $1,600 and an additional $5,400 for informational technology upgrades.

Solid waste management, Warrant 25 is expected to go up by $10,500 to $185,500.

Voters will also be asked to approve transferring ownership of 185 Bell Hill Road from Otisfield to the Bell Hill Meetinghouse Association and includes the Bell Hill Meetinghouse and the Bell Hill School. The association was founded in 1927 to oversee preservation and maintenance of the meetinghouse. In 1955 it became responsible for the care of the brick schoolhouse.

Although the property was widely believed to already be owned by Bell Hill Meetinghouse Association, recent deed research revealed the town was still the owner of record. The quit claim deed residents are voting on Saturday includes a clause stating the land and buildings will be returned to the town if the association is disbanded.

The Otisfield Town Office will be closed June 27 as the current fiscal year is closing. It will resume regular business hours on Monday.

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