SOLON & BEYOND, Week of March 2, 2017

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

The Solon 2017 annual town meeting will be held at the Solon Elementary School on Saturday, March 4, with voting for the following nominated candidates from 8 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. Candidates are Selectman, three-year term: Sarah Davis; Road Commissioner: Michael Foster; Town Clerk/Tax Collector: Leslie Giroux and MSAD # 74 School Board Director, three-year term: Laura Layman.

The annual Solon Pine Tree 4-H Club bake sale is from 8 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. The 4-H Club’s luncheon is 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Hope you will join them for lunch and support this club.

The town meeting starts at 1:30 p.m. In 2017 the selectmen and budget committee are again each recommending budgets that are under the state mandated cap. The selectmen’s recommended municipal budget needed to be raised by taxation, after reducing this budget by loan, reserve funds, State Revenue Sharing and available surplus, is $103 less than last year and the budget committee’s is $22 more than last year.

The following are some of the articles that will be on the agenda this year:

• Art. 3: In 2016 we were overdrawn in Town Charges by $1,563.62 and we need the authorization to use surplus to cover the overage. Articles 5 through 12: Articles to raise money for various purposes. Our budget worksheet will be available at the town office and at the town meeting;
• Art. 11-4: The Library Trustees are asking for a $5,000 increase by taxation. The selectmen and budget committee are recommending no increase. They have reserve funds invested and the yearly income is available to be used when needed.
• Art. 14: This article is to repair and repave the sidewalks on South Main Street, School St, Pleasant St. and the southerly portion of North Main St. Funding for the project will be $9,700 from the sidewalk Repair Reserve and $45,000 from the Road Paving Reserve.
• Art.17: This will give the selectmen the authority to trade in our 1991 Ford L900 Roll Off Truck and to purchase a used roll off truck for the transfer station using up to $56,000 from the transfer station truck and Tub Reserve Account Funds and taking out a loan for up to $21,000. The loan will be paid back over three years.
• Article 19: The town foreclosed on the Goldhamer property on Wentworth (Ironbound) Pond in 2012. The lot’s depth does not allow for development. We need to discuss what to do with this property.
• Article 20 & 21: This gives the selectmen authority and direction on disposing of tax acquired property. There are two separate pieces of property that were foreclosed on for nonpayment of 2014 property taxes. One property belonged to Steve Carey who died in 2014. The other property is a camp belonging to Louis Vallee.
• Articles 22 through 28 are articles either required by Maine law every year or are articles included every year for the reasons stated in the articles.

I received the above information from Leslie Giroux where they are available at the Solon Corner Store and perhaps at other stores in Solon and you can get the total articles at the town office also.

I have got to get on the ball and try and get the yearly booklets from organizations in the area so I can share what is going on there with you, and when their meetings are going to be. .

And now what you’ve been waiting for, Percy’s memoir: I’ll count the kind of deeds done today Instead of hurts that come my way. I’ll catch the sunbeams on my sill And let the clouds move as they will. I’ll listen to a trilling note And lift the one caught in my throat. I’ll nod and smile at passerby And not give in to thoughts that cry. I’ll smell the flowers as they bloom Within, without my living room. I’ll watch the children near the gate And let their freedom compensate. I’ll count the health I know today And find tomorrow – as it may… Because my hope and joy shall be the love of Christ, who strengthens me. (words by Roxie Lusk Smith).