SOUTH THOMASTON, Maine — A request for $329,000 to renovate and expand the town office/fire station is the big-ticket item on this year’s annual town meeting.
The work is needed, according to town officials, because of code deficiencies, particularly in the fire station portion of the building.
The project would be financed by a loan of $295,000 from the Maine Municipal Bond Bank and $34,000 from the town’s building reserve account.
The proposal calls for an addition of about 16-by-70. One of the major deficiencies in the existing building involves a mezzanine in the fire station section that has no proper way to safely exit.
The overall proposed 2015 municipal budget is $1,144,818, a little more than 4 percent up from the 2014 budget.
There will be no contested race this year for the single seat open on the select board. That seat is being vacated by Dianne Darling, who did not seek re-election. Moira Paddock was the only person to turn in nomination papers by the Tuesday deadline.
The town meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, at the Gilford Butler School.