HERMON, Maine — Residents will fill expiring Town Council and school board seats in local elections on June 9. In the race for two council seats, Steve Thomas was the top vote getter, with 225 ballots cast in his favor, according to election results provided by Town Clerk Ruth Nickerson.
Winning the other council position was incumbent candidate Douglas Sinclair, who had 207 votes.
Donald Pelletier, who also was an incumbent, received 187 votes.
Incumbent candidate Debora Farnham and Teddy Harris were unopposed for two school board posts, with 386 and 275 votes, respectively. Chris Patten, whose seat also is expiring, did not seek re-election.
Also on Tuesday, residents voted 275 to 82 in favor of validating school officials’ $12.4 million education spending plan, Nickerson said.
Town Manager Roger Raymond said last month that the school budget, as adopted, will require $4,412,775 in local tax dollars, up nearly 6 percent from last year.
The rising budget primarily is because of increased costs for employee benefits, wages and salaries, as well as the lease of a portable classroom, the hiring of three additional full-time teachers and part-time finance staff, the purchase of a new school bus and an increase for career and technical education.
The proposed $4,025,381 municipal budget is down $34,481 from this year, despite a 4.83 percent increase in the county tax, set at $590,255 for the coming year, Raymond said.
It will go before voters during the annual town meeting, set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the Hermon High School auditorium.