CARY PLANTATION, Maine — Much of Monday evening’s annual town meeting was spent discussing the town’s failed attempt at deorganizing and what steps to take next, now that the community has withdrawn from School Administrative District 70.
“Basically, their [the state’s] argument was if they allowed us to deorganize, it would encourage other towns to do the same,” Kai Libby, first assessor for the town, told the roughly 35 residents gathered Monday in the lobby of Hodgdon High School. “Where it didn’t go to the full Legislature for a vote, they told us we could come back next year. If it had gone to the full Legislature and failed, we would have had to wait three years to start over.”
On March 9, after hearing testimony from Marcia McInnis, the state’s fiscal administrator for the state’s Unorganized Territory, lawmakers on the Legislature’s State and Local Government Committee denied Cary’s request to dissolve, LD 1633.
With 218 residents as of the 2010 Census, Cary would have been one of the largest towns to dissolve and join the Unorganized Territory if the request were approved. Of the 42 towns that have deorganized in the last century, few had more than 100 residents at the time. At least two exceptions were Benedicta in 1987 and Madrid in 2000.
McInnis took no official position for or against the bill when she testified, but she told lawmakers that the larger population of Cary would have an impact on the cost of delivering services to those residents already living within the Unorganized Territory.
At Monday night’s meeting, town officials disputed the census numbers, stating the population for Cary likely was well below 218. The town may have to conduct its own census to come up with a more accurate figure reflecting the current population.
Selectmen stated at the meeting that they all considered resigning. However, they feared if all members of the town government were to quit their positions, the state simply would hire a town manager, with Cary residents footing the bill. That cost could be much higher than the current pay of $1,500 per selectman and town clerk.
At Monday’s meeting, Libby also stated he no longer was drawing the $1,500 stipend and was doing the job of first assessor for free.
Residents expressed their desire for the town to continue with plans to deorganize and to make another pitch to the state next year.
“There are a lot of people from the state who have been very helpful,” Tina Libby, the first assessor’s wife, said. “I have not come across anyone who has told us we shouldn’t be doing this.”
According to the 2016 town report, Cary Plantation had $46,306 in delinquent taxes for 2015, to go along with $40,029 in unpaid taxes for 2014 and an additional $18,336 for 2013. The town collected $206,585 in taxes for 2015.
Kai Libby was re-elected as first assessor. Rob Smith and Jeremy Hiltz were re-elected as second and third assessors, respectively. Kathleen Osler was chosen to return as town clerk.
Because the town was successful in pulling out of SAD 70, residents were tasked with creating their own school board. David Cassidy was elected chairman of that group, agreeing to a one-year term, while Brian Kaseta and Raymond Putnam were selected for two- and three-year terms, respectively.
Residents approved a municipal budget of $176,317, which is an increase of $24,570 over last year. The town opted not to give any money to the Northern Maine Development Commission. That group had been seeking $391 for membership fees.
Town roads generated considerable discussion. The town historically has allocated $100,000 for winter and summer road maintenance. That amount was not sufficient, Kai Libby said, if they wanted to do any major repairs. Voters ultimately raised the line item to $125,000 for next year.