NEW VINEYARD — Townspeople will start the fiscal year with a new road commissioner and a lean budget.

The Saturday morning town meeting drew 35 voters to Smith Memorial Hall. The proposed $444,021 budget included a request for a sharp increase over last year’s winter roads budget. One item that generated discussion was the cost to contract plowing and sanding services during winter months. 

Last year, the voters approved spending $171,000 for plowing and sanding, hiring Douglas Nile for the job. This year, as Selectmen Frank Forster and Fay Adams explained to the audience, Nile’s insurance costs had increased, so they were including that $15,000 in the 2015 request. 

Those arguing against the increase suggested Nile should be responsible for his increases and that selectmen should not be asking taxpayers to pay the costs through a town meeting warrant article. The town does not to own any of the equipment for road maintenance, and 2014’s plowing and sanding costs had increased by $17,000 from the amount they approved in 2013, according to Earl Luce.

“You talked us into this a few years ago, Frank, to contract this out so you could have control over it,” Luce said. “I don’t see where the control is, except going up through the roof.”

Voters denied the selectmen’s request for an increase, approving instead an amended motion to raise $171,000, as they had last year.

Longtime Road Commissioner Earl “Duffer” Luce Jr. did not run for re-election, and voters selected Robert Silanpaa to fill that position. Voters also re-elected his brother Niilo Silanpaa as selectman. Richard Hargreaves was re-elected to another three-year term on the RSU 9 school board, and Sue Lambert and Adrienne Rollo will fill two Planning Board openings. 

Voters unanimously adopted the draft of a revised Comprehensive Plan and elected James Toner and Richard Hargreaves to serve as committee members who will implement it.  Hargreaves addressed the audience, suggesting that additional volunteers could help with the continued effort.

The cost to hire professional help to develop an updated plan would have been at least $18,000, Hargreaves said. 

The town’s volunteer committee has completed the ground work and spent $1,800 to have consultant John Maloney of Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments provide oversight as the plan was developed.

The Sandy River Recycling Association’s Farmington facility closed last year, and the town received a $3,000 rebate from its annual membership fee. Voters also approved taking that money to apply to the selectmen’s $9,000 request to fund the town’s transfer station. Selectman Adams explained that they had contracted with waste hauler Archie’s Inc. but would be willing to consider other options if they were not satisfied with the level of service.

This year’s town report was dedicated to Greg Swenson, who died last year after a long battle with cancer. Swenson had been an active volunteer, serving as selectman, firefighter, Planning Board member and Comprehensive Plan Update Committee member. His wife Paula received a standing ovation after she thanked the town for their kindness and support for Greg and the family during the past several years.