TEMPLE – Residents moved swiftly through the warrant at the annual town meeting tonight, after voting in a new school board director.
Betsey Hyde will replace Director Jo Josephson, who is retiring when her term ends this summer, on the MSAD 9 school board.
Hyde said she was looking forward to serving on the 15-member board. She is no stranger to school administration, having served on the Reorganization Planning Committee for the MSAD 9/MSAD 58 school consolidation project. She was also involved in a school board policy debate last fall.
“It’s going to be great,” Hyde, who has four children currently in the school district, said. “I’m so excited.”
She said jokingly that Josephson, who retires after serving on the board through budget crunches, consolidations, new school projects and major policy changes, was perhaps getting the better half of the deal.
“Her smile’s wider,” Hyde joked. “I don’t know what I’m getting myself into.”
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Betsey Hyde, at right, will replace Director Jo Josephson, who is retiring when her term ends this summer, on the MSAD 9 school board. |
The town recognized Josephson’s contributions by dedicating the town report to her. In addition to serving on the school board, Josephson serves on the Sandy River Recycling Association Board and helps produce the Temple Times newsletter.
Residents also elected Incumbent George Blodgett to the board of selectmen, Lou Brackett to the positions of town clerk and excise tax collector and Marie Andrews to the positions of tax collector and treasurer. Raymond Nile was reelected to the position of road commissioner.
The selectman’s term will be three years, while the town office positions are two. This is an increase of one year, which Blodgett said was to allow newly elected employees time to learn the complicated job of running a town.
“The first year you don’t do too well,” Blodgett noted. “It really takes one or two to learn the position.”
The budget itself prompted little discussion. Small increases this year are mostly related to anticipated energy and paving costs. Residents approved setting $130,000 aside for the winter maintenance of roads. Selectmen couldn’t predict the exact cost for plowing this year, as that contract will go back out to bid later this month. Those bids will be opened in early-April.
