ROCKPORT —  Town Meeting is really a two-day process, beginning with Election Day, Tuesday, June 11. Polls will be open at the Town Office from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Folks will receive the official ballot for candidates and a ballot for ordinance/zoning changes, as well as the School Administrative District 28 and the Five Town CSD “Validation” ballots. (Town budget is voted on at Town meeting, on Wednesday, June 12).

The second part of Town Meeting will be held Wednesday, June 12, at 7 p.m. at the Opera House, televised on Public Access Television Channel 22. Good company, good food, important meeting! Once again, Library Director Molly Larson is organizing a potluck supper which will be held in the meeting room of the Opera House from  6 to 7  p.m. prior to Town Meeting. Everyone is invited to attend the supper and those wishing to share a favorite chili, dessert, etc., will be greatly appreciated. In addition, Children’s Librarian Kim Slocum will conduct a special story hour with activities for kids while their folks attend Town Meeting.

Stephanie Kumble keeps an eye on Rockport municipal news in her regular column here.

Remember, this is where residents get to discuss Rockport’s proposed 2013-2014 municipal budget, including line-item by line-item if so desired. Line item numbers can be changed in the various articles as long as the bottom line number in the category remains the same. Sadly, voter turnout is usually a small percentage of registered voters who this year will decide the fate of the $2.9 million municipal budget. Let your voice be one of them.

Immediately following the conclusion of the Annual Town Meeting a Select Board Organizational Meeting will be held. That's when the board will elect its chairman for the coming year.

SAD 28 and CSD budgets

The May meeting found all line items for both the SAD 28 and CSD budgets passed as presented by attendees from the towns represented. Only 30 registered Rockport voters, approximately 1 percent of Rockport’s 2,639 registered voters, were at the meeting. Now, all that’s left for the rest of the voters is the “Validation Referendum” vote on Election Day, basically a meaningless rubber stamp of the SAD and CSD budget.

Not understood by most voters, this convoluted system of a two-phase vote for the school budgets means that in Rockport, less than 1 percent of the registered voters decide on just over 70 percent of the budget.

Under the old system, individual line-items were voted on for the school budgets as well as the bottom line. Unfortunately, it didn’t matter which way line-item votes went if the bottom line of the budgets were approved by a majority, the budget stood as presented. The main difference is that at a typical June Election Day (with no state referendums), the voter turnout is usually in the 20 to 22 percent range, a bit more representative than the 1 percent that currently makes these decisions.

But this year you have a say in how future school budgets are decided, a chance to change this two-step, two-day process, to return to the old method. At the bottom of each school budget validation referendum ballot, voters will be asked:  “DO YOU WISH TO CONTINUE THE VALIDATION REFERENDUM PROCESS THE WAY IT IS FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS?”

A “Yes” vote will require the Five Town CSD to continue to hold both the Budget Meeting and the Budget Referendum.  The Budget Meeting is a meeting of the voters to approve the budgeted amounts in each cost center.  The Budget Meeting is held at the Strom Auditorium late May, and we typically have between 50 and 200 voters turn out for this meeting.   The budget amounts approved at the Budget Meeting will then be approved in total at the public Referendum in June. The Referendum takes place in each of the member towns and we typically have between 1400 and 2000 voters participate.

A “No” vote will discontinue the Budget Referendum for at least three years.  This means that the budget will be finally approved at the Budget Meeting held at the Strom Auditorium and will not go to vote at the town Referendums in June.

The Five Town CSD and the MSAD 28 voters have had both the Budget Validation Meeting and a Budget Referendum for the past six years.   

2013 Annual Town Report

This year’s Annual Town Report was unveiled last week. Once again, an Anne Kilham painting graces the cover, a lovely artistic rendition of the Library. And, when you open the cover, there’s a wonderful, succinct one-page history of the Library, established in 1914, housed in the then YMCA now the Opera House! The report highlights seven major funding, building, expansion events with three pictures.

This year’s Annual Report is extra special because of the Dedication and Memoriam (complete text found on pages 2 and 3). The Dedication is to Bruce C. Woodward, recently retired Fire Chief. There was little question in residents’ minds as to who this year’s dedication should go to, but confirmation was good!

Part of the Dedication reads:  “The Town of Rockport and forty-two years equals one amazing man, our Fire Chief, co-worker and friend, Bruce C. Woodward. Not many can say they have had the privilege to work with and know, a man who is as straightforward, honest, kind and energetic. Fortunately for many of us, co-workers,...boards and committees, citizens and those just stopping by, we have. It has been a privilege.”

The Annual Memoriam, to James V. Bitner, Jr., was also most fitting. Jim served on various town committees and so many community organizations from the time he retired to Rockport in the mid-80’s. Part of his memoriam reads, “He will always be an inspiration as one of the finest in his generation and will forever be remembered in our hearts. . . . We will miss you Jim and all that you gave to the town.”

The Town Report covers every aspect of town government and also the June 2013 Annual Town Meeting Warrant, including the Articles to be voted on by paper ballot (Articles 2-9) on Election Day. The 2013 -14 proposed budget line items (Articles 10 - 30) are also in the Report. Pick up your Annual Report at the Town Office before Election Day to get a good look at the items you’ll vote on at the polls on Tuesday, June 11 and especially at the line-item budget you’ll vote on at Town Meeting Wednesday, June 12.  

As usual, kudos to Executive Secretary Stacey Parra for a super job of not only compiling the report, but also for her heartfelt writing of both the Dedication to Chief Bruce Woodward and Memoriam to Jim Bitner. Stacey so accurately captured the essence of each man and their professional and personal gifts to the town of Rockport for so many years.

The Annual Report wouldn’t exist without all the department heads contributions, as well as so much by so many other town employees. The finished product reflects the best efforts of a talented, dedicated team effort to keep residents informed about all aspects of their town and its government. It seems each year’s report just gets better and better with more information, easier to find!  
 
The report is available at the Town Office during open hours, including election Day, Tuesday June 11. (Copies of the Five town CSD and the MSAD 28 Annual Reports are also available at the Town Office including the line-item budgets).
 

Graduation

The Parent/Senior Breakfast will be held Friday June 7 from 7:45 to 8:45 a.m. at the High School Café. The final marching practice  with the Symphonic Band (for graduating seniors - attendance mandatory in order to participate in the graduation ceremony), will follow at 9 a.m. Graduation itself will be held Friday evening at 8 p.m. (seniors need to gather by 7 p.m.). A reception in the Wave Café follows the ceremony.

Did you know?

Yet another town employee recently received special recognition. Ann Filley, Rockport Library’s Circulation/Adult Services Librarian (and friend and neighbor!), was recently selected as one of eight librarians to take part the first Maine State Library Leadership Institute. Library director Molly Larson recommended for the Institute, funded in part by a generous grant from the Maine Community Foundation. The year-long program is designed to prepare library leaders to bring effective and innovative services to Maine citizens to meet the challenges of today and the future.

The kickoff event for the institute is the week-long New England Library Association's "New England Library Leadership Symposium" in July, led by Maureen Sullivan, the current president of the American Library Association. Each month the cohort will meet to learn about and discuss solutions to challenges facing the library profession. The participants will also work with a mentor and be responsible for designing and completing a project that will address Maine library needs. The year will culminate with a presentation of the projects at a statewide meeting of librarians.

Congratulations, Ann! It’s always wonderful when our own town employees (folks we know are superbly talented!), are recognized not only at “home,” but on a state or beyond level.