Town meeting time draws near

By Jon Gulliver
Staff writer
    It’s getting to be town meeting season in Maine.
    A town meeting is a form of direct democratic rule, used primarily in portions of the United States since the 17th century, primarily New England, in which members of a community come together to legislate policy and budgets for local government.
    “Town meetings have been praised as the purest form of democracy,” said UMPI political science professor Brent Anderson. “Ordinary members of a community can gather together and have a voice in what their local government is going to do for them and to them. Further, such meetings serve to educate citizens about community issues, gives them a sense of investment in addressing common problems, and fosters their engagement in solving those problems.”
    Hodgdon will be holding its town meeting on Monday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. at the Mill Pond School. Voting will be from 2-7 p.m. that day with townspeople electing two selectmen and two school board members. Running for selectmen are the incumbent John White and Dan London. Only one person is seeking a school board seat, incumbent Tom Horton.
    Linneus will be holding its town meeting on Monday, May 7, at 7 p.m. at the fire station. The polls will be open from 2-6:30 p.m. The town has not received any nomination papers yet to fill open seats.
    The town meeting in Smyrna will be on Monday, March 5, at 7 p.m. at the historical society (the old Methodist church). Voting will be held at the town office from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to elect one selectmen and one school board member. For selectmen Ross Crandall is seeking reelection, also seeking the post is Arden Williams. Leanne White is running unopposed for the school board.
    Merrill will be holding its meeting the following night in the same location also at 7 p.m. Voting will be held from 10-6 p.m. that Tuesday with one 3-year term as a selectmen up for grabs. Craig McManus is seeking reelection and is opposed by Robert Furrow.
    On Monday, March 19, Sherman residents will meet at 7:30 p.m. at the town office. Voting will take place earlier in the day from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. to fill a three-year and one-year term for selectmen. Harold Lane is running for the three-year term and incumbent Samuel Sides is seeking the one-year seat.
    Stacyville will hold its town meeting on Monday, March 19, at 7 p.m. at the VFW hall. From noon to 6 p.m. the polls will be open at the town office. Incumbent Alvin Theriault is running for a three-year term on the board of selectmen and incumbent Constance Theriault is seeking a three-year term on the school board.
    The Littleton town meeting will be held on Monday, March 19, at 7 p.m. Polling hours to be determined.
    Also on Monday, March 19, Oakfield residents will meet at 7 p.m. at the Oakfield Community Center. Voting for two selectmen will be held earlier in the day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Running are incumbents Willis Green and Dennis Paul, plus Taylor Locke, Joshua Crandall and Anthony White.
    Island Falls residents will meet at noon on Saturday, March 24, at the municipal building. Voting for two selectmen will be on Thursday, March 22, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., again at the municipal building. Incumbents Terrance Dwyer and Jeff Brooks will have plenty of company on the ballot with Toby Lougee, Brady Hatch and Joshua Rockwell also seeking the seats.
    The Patten town meeting will be on Tuesday, March 27, at 7 p.m. at the fire station. Voting for selectmen will be from 12-6 p.m. Town officials are still awaiting all the nomination forms for potential candidates.
    On Saturday, March 31, Amity will hold its town meeting at 9 a.m. at the Reed School.
    Danforth has not scheduled its meeting yet.
    Although town meetings are typically held in late winter or early spring some communities like Weston meet in June and Orient doesn’t hold its meeting until August.