FREEDOM — The Town of Freedom will enact upon 35 articles at over a two day period for its annual town meeting this weekend, Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14. 

There are 35 articles appearing on the town meeting warrant, with the first two articles being voted upon on Friday. 

Voting for Article 1 and Article 2 will take place Friday at the Town Office from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

To see those running for municipal positions, click here. 

The annual town meeting will take place at the Dirigo Grange Hall at 10 a.m. 

Below is a listing of the articles appearing on the warrant. To view the full warrant, including budget charts, view the attached PDF file of the warrant. 

Article 1. To choose a moderator to preside at said meeting. 

Article 2. To vote for Town Officers. 

Article 3. To see if the Town will vote to increase the property tax levy not to exceed the rate established for the Town of Freedom by State Law LD1, in the event that the municipal budget approved under the following articles will result in a tax commitment that is greater than that property tax levy limit. Budget Committee recommends approval. 

Article 4. To see if the Town will authorize the Selectmen to set wages for hourly employees of the town using State Wages as a guide. Budget Committee recommends approval. 

Article 5. To see if the Town will vote to accept all State monies and donations and apply these monies to the purposes for which they are intended. Budget Committee recommends approval. 

Article 6. To see if the Town will vote when taxes are due and payable and to set a date from which interest may be charged and to set the interest rate. (MRSA Title 36 Chapter 105 Section 505, Subsection 2 & 4). Budget Committee recommends taxes are due and payable when bills are mailed, and interest at 7% commencing October 1, 2020. 

Article 7. To see what sum of money the Town will raise and appropriate to pay tax abatement granted during the fiscal year. Budget Committee recommends paying tax abatements from the overlay.

Article 8. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Tax Collector or Treasurer to accept prepayment of taxes not yet committed pursuant to Title 36 MRSA § 506. Budget Committee recommends approval. 

Article 9. To see what sum, if any, the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for General Government. Budget Committee recommends $225,251. 

Article 10. To see what sum, if any, the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for General Assistance. Budget Committee recommends $3,000. 

Article 11. To see what sum, if any, the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for Public Safety. Budget Committee recommends $7,558. 

Article 12. To see what sum, if any, the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for Public Works. Budget Committee recommends $228,200. 

Article 13. To see if the Town will vote to deposit unexpended balances from Public Works expenditures into the Public Works Capital Reserve Account. Budget Committee recommends approval. 

Article 14. To see if the Town will approve making the 2020 Road Bond payment in the amount of $85,945.72 from Excise Taxes. Budget Committee recommends approval. 

Article 15. To see what sum of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for recreation. Budget Committee recommends $4,200. 

Article 16. To see if the Town what sum, if any, the Town will raise and appropriate for the Freedom Community Historical Society. Budget Committee recommends $2,800. 

Article 17. To see what sum, if any, the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for Town Cemetery maintenance. Budget Committee recommends $6,900. 

Article 18. To see what sum, if any, the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for Solid Waste Management, Recycling and Spring Cleanup. Budget Committee recommends $47,260. 

Article 19. To see what sum the Town will vote, to raise and appropriate for Service Organizations. Budget Committee recommends $14,982.65. 

Article 20. To see if the Town will accept James Waterman as Fire Chief of the Freedom Volunteer Fire Department and set compensation. Budget Committee recommends $4,000. 

Article 21. To see if the Town will vote to deposit the unexpended balance from F.V.F.D. appropriations into the F.V.F.D. Capital Improvement account. Budget Committee recommends approval. 

Article 22. To see if the Town will vote to transfer all monies received from the Town of Knox to the F.V.F.D. Capital Improvement Account. Budget Committee recommends approval. 

Article 23. To see if the town will vote to transfer all monies received from Central Maine Cost Recovery (CMCR), to the F.V.F.D. Capital Improvement Account. Budget Committee recommends approval. 

Article 24. To see what sum, if any, the Town will raise and appropriate for the Freedom Volunteer Fire Department. Budget Committee recommends $30,135. 

Article 25. to see what sum, if any, the town will raise and appropriate for repairs to the Sandy Pond Dam and the Boat Landing. Budget Committee recommends $2,000. 

Article 26. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to spend an amount not more than 3/12 of the budget amounts, in each category within the 2020 budget year, during the period from January 1, 2021 to the 2021 Town Meeting. Budget Committee recommends approval. 

Article 27. To see if the Town will authorize the Selectman to expend up to $10,000 from the undesignated fund balance to cover the costs of foreclosures and/or maintenance of foreclosed property. Budget Committee recommends approval. 

Article 28. To see if the Town will authorize the Selectmen to expend up to $40,000 from the undesignated fund balance in case of emergency. Budget Committee recommends approval. 

Article 29. To see if the Town will authorize the Selectmen, on behalf of the Town, to dispose of any surplus equipment and real estate acquired for nonpayment of taxes, by public bid, and to execute a quitclaim deed for said real estate. Budget Committee recommends approval. 

Article 30. To see if the Town will vote to allow the Selectmen to apply all or a portion of other revenues collected by the Town, for example motor vehicle excise tax, tree growth reimbursement, bank interest income, and appropriated surplus revenue, to offset the property tax assessment for the 2018 year. Budget Committee recommends approval. 

Article 31. To see if the Town will authorize the Selectmen to designate unexpended funds to be carried forward as they deem necessary and to spend such funds carried forward for their intended purpose. Budget Committee recommends approval. 

Article 32. To see if the Town will authorize the Selectmen to enter into contracts and lease agreements as they deem advisable. Budget Committee recommends approval. 

Article 33. To see if the Town will vote to allow the Selectmen to procure a temporary loan in anticipation of taxes for the purpose of paying obligations of the Town. Interest and fees for such loans are to be repaid within one year of the date of the loan from the general fund balance. Budget Committee recommends approval. 

Article 34. To see if the Town will vote to approve the following article: Be it enacted by the citizens of the Town of Freedom that no wireless communication device may be installed in the public way within three hundred feet of any occupied structure without the express written consent of the owner of such structure. 

Article 35: The moderator will now accept a Motion to adjourn.