HAMPDEN, Maine — The town’s budget approval process is back on track as the result of a special meeting Wednesday.
The special meeting was convened after three of the town’s seven council members decided not to attend a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday night, leaving the council without a quorum and the ability to conduct business.
With all seven members on hand Wednesday, the council sent the budget on its way to a public hearing. Councilor Jean Lawlis made the motion to that end.
Also sent on to public hearing was a proposal to eliminate Saturday Community Connector bus runs in Hampden as a money-saving move. Councilor Ivan McPike made that motion.
Neither agenda item required a vote. Mayor Carol Duprey said the introductions were meant to serve as public notice for the June 16 hearings.
Councilors Thomas Brann, Lawlis and William Shakespeare decided not to attend Monday night’s council meeting largely in protest of a 4-3 vote to forward to the council for public hearing Councilor Greg Sirois’ proposal to reduce the stipends that councilors receive for meeting attendance from the current $35 per meeting for the mayor and $30 per meeting for councilors to $1.
A similar proposal failed 3-2 during the council’s May 5 meeting, with Mayor Duprey and Councilor Greg Sirois absent. Councilor McPike had suggested the cut earlier this spring as a cost-cutting measure.
The cancellation of Monday’s meeting came at a critical time, Town Manager Susan Lessard noted Tuesday. Monday night’s meeting agenda included the introduction of the proposed 2014-15 budget for a public hearing on June 16 — the council’s deadline for doing so if it is to comply with a town charter provision requiring that the budget hearing take place no later than the third Monday in June.
Resident Terry McAvoy, who attended both meetings, said he was not impressed that the special meeting had to be called.
“I can’t think of anything to say that’s printable,” McAvoy said Wednesday when asked to comment on Monday’s episode. “Anything that I have to say about it will take place behind that podium,” he said, gesturing toward the one in the council’s meeting room.