Residents in Fayette, Litchfield and Mount Vernon approved municipal budgets at their annual Town Meetings on Saturday.

Fayette

Voters adopted almost all articles as presented, including a $1.6 million school budget and a municipal budget of just over $1 million.

They rejected one proposal to use money left from a wood energy project to pay down the principalBAdams 6/19/13 cq this is the correct spelling on a 2012 school construction bond. The school committee had supported the article, but the Budget Committee and the selectmen recommended rejection.

Town Manager Mark Robinson said the latter groups thought it was not financially prudent to pay down a bond which has a near-zero interest rate.

As a result of the Town Meeting votes, Robinson said on Wednesday that the tax rate should remain around $13.55 per $1,000 worth of property, provided the Legislature does not make cuts that have an impact on revenue sharing, excise tax collection and local road funding.

Selectmen  set the tax rate in September, he said.

Some 40 registered voters attended the meeting, which lasted about 2.5 hours.

Litchfield

Residents approved a $1.35 million budget and added $25,000 to the special projects fund to improve conditions at two dangerous intersections: Stevenstown, Upper Pond and Plains roads; and Route 197, West and Farrin roads.

The improvements are designed to alert motorists to oncoming traffic. Town officials said they will also seek state funding.

Voters rejected by a 26-18 vote a proposal initiated by Kevin Pulk to allow vehicle sales and service in the rural district, subject to review by the Planning Board.

The updates to the comprehensive plan were adopted with little discussion.

In other business, Richard Lane agreed to be the newest member of the Budget Committee. He received 11 write-in votes in the June 11 election.

Some 64 registered voters attended the meeting, which lasted about four hours.

Mount Vernon

About 90 residents completed the town’s business in less than two hours, approving a $1.02 million municipal budget and a proposal to spend up to $28,500 on concrete work for the town’s salt and sand shed.

“Everything went really smoothly,” Town Clerk Rachel Meader said on Wednesday.

Voters approved an amendment to the land use ordinance relating to wind energy, but a second amendment covering personal wireless services was withdrawn and returned to the Ordinance Review Committee for more study.

Betty Adams — 621-5631
badams@centralmaine.com