Gilead residents received some relief when tax bills arrived Aug. 22.

Select Board Chair Bob Ensslen, working with Town Clerk Patsy Cox and fire Chief Randall Grondin, reduced expenses by $107,826.

“It was a concerted effort,” Ensslen said. “We went through the previous town’s budget with a fine-toothed comb.”

The town’s expenses for about 195 taxpayers totaled $736,733 in 2024. This year, that number has dropped to $628,907.

“People were willing to take cuts (to their budgets),” Ensslen said.

Grondin cut the fire department budget by $3,000, then turned around and secured a grant.

Social services requests were reduced as well. “Almost half the list — nobody knew who those beneficiaries were,” Ensslen said.

The 2023 flooding also placed a burden on the town. “Quite a sum,” said Ensslen, noting the town initially had to cover the cost while awaiting FEMA reimbursement of $85,000. The state also provided reimbursement, Cox confirmed.

Ensslen praised her, saying, “Patsy is a great source … every bill, every expense crosses her desk. She does a great job, we are very fortunate to have her.”

The town pays to educate 17 children, and education accounts for about 65% of the annual budget. This year, Gilead received a state grant for special education.

“That (65% of the budget) was an eye-opener for me,” Ensslen said. He acknowledged that some of the children have special needs, which increases costs. “I think the state this year probably recognized our needs were greater and we did get an increase. So that helped with our budget.”

Ensslen said taking on extra responsibilities is part of the job.

In late June, Select Board member Jon Howe was helping upright tombstones at Lary North Cemetery. A few days later, he sustained serious injuries in a motorcycle accident and is still recovering.

Cox noted that selectmen help save the town money in many ways. After the Town Office’s front door blew off and shattered, Ensslen volunteered to pick up and install a new one.

Cox said the damage was probably for the best, since the old door’s faulty handle would sometimes trap people inside. “Sometimes you get stuck in here and have to walk around to the back of the building (to get out),” she said.

Former Select Board Chair Freeman Corriveau stopped by to register a vehicle and ended up fixing the handle.

Ensslen has also repaired windows, lights and patched a cracked wall at the Town Office. He recently met with a Pike Industries representative regarding the North Road Bridge and culvert — another task that goes beyond the once-a-month meetings.

“There are other small towns in the state of Maine that have given up their charter and been taken over by the state because they can’t manage their finances and they can’t make good decisions. I don’t want us to get in that position,” Ensslen said.

As for the town’s savings, he said, “It was an all-out effort by everybody involved. I’d love to take all of the credit but I can’t.”

The next Select Board meeting is Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. at the Town Office.