Sandy River Plantation voters elect moderator, approve 2026'27 warrant and reserve fund contributions

Sandy River Plantation voters met June 13, 2026, at the Plantation Town Hall and elected David Duguay as moderator by written ballot. The meeting also filled one Board of Assessors seat and adopted the plantation's warrant setting tax and budget policies for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026.

The meeting confirmed Erin Johnson to a three-year term on the Board of Assessors, while the Regional School Unit 78 seat had no nominations and remained vacant. Voters appointed Sharon Dingfelder, Carole Hoffmann and Leslie Packard-Ferguson to the Budget Committee for one-year terms.

On fiscal policy, the meeting set the due date for real estate and personal property taxes at January 1, 2027, and approved a 2% discount on taxes paid in full within 30 days of the tax-list commitment, for which the warrant appropriates $12,000. The plantation set a 7% annual interest rate on delinquent taxes with a delinquent date 90 days from the date of commitment (Article B3) and authorized prepayments under 36 M.R.S. —06 (Article B4). The warrant also sets the interest rate paid on abated taxes at 3% for the fiscal year (Article B5) and authorizes abatements out of overlay (B6).

Voters approved a series of reserve fund contributions: $10,000 to the Forest Fire Account (Article C1), $7,500 to the Property Revaluation reserve (C2), $50 to the Restore Graves reserve (C3), $23,750 to the Roads Improvement reserve (C4) and $23,750 to the Capital Improvement reserve (C5). The warrant notes the Forest Fire Account appropriation is consistent with 12 M.R.S. —204, which directs municipal responsibility for forest-fire costs up to a statutory limit.

The warrant allocates tax-supported appropriations for operations: $311,530 for Administration (including line items such as elected officials, town office, tax collector/town clerk and insurances), $105,540 for Public Safety (including Fire and Rescue, EMS and Enhanced E-911), and $169,020 for Public Works (Highway and Solid Waste). The plantation also approved $7,000 in contributions to local agencies, with line-item recommendations for the Maine Forestry Museum, Rangeley Family Medicine, Rangeley Health & Wellness programs, Rangeley Townhouse meal site and the Rangeley Public Library.

Article B10 authorizes the municipal officers to dispose of tax-acquired property by quitclaim deed under the processes described, including offering to former owners or using the competitive sealed-bid process required by 36 M.R.S. —43-C when applicable; excess sale proceeds are to be returned to former owners as defined by statute.

The warrant lists estimated non-property tax revenues of $75,000 to be applied to approved articles (Article RV1). All articles in the warrant were recorded as carried "as recommended" in the meeting minutes.

Votes at a glance (selected items): - Article A1: Elected moderator ' David Duguay ' carried by written ballot. - Article A3: Board of Assessors seat ' Erin Johnson elected to a three-year term. - Article B1: Tax due date set to Jan. 1, 2027 ' approved. - Article B2: 2% early-payment discount; $12,000 appropriation ' approved. - Article B3: 7% interest on delinquent taxes; 90-day delinquent date (36 M.R.S. —) ' approved. - Article C1'C5: Special reserve contributions (Forest Fire $10,000; Property Reval $7,500; Restore Graves $50; Roads $23,750; Capital Improvement $23,750) ' approved. - Article EX1'EX3: Operating appropriations (Administration $311,530; Public Safety $105,540; Public Works $169,020) ' approved. - Article FR1: $7,000 to community agencies ' approved. - Article RV1: Estimated revenues $75,000 to fund approved articles EX1'FR1 ' approved.

What comes next: the approved warrant and appropriations will provide the basis for next year's property tax levy; RSU 78 and Franklin County budgets are set independently and are estimated in the warrant at $377,656 and $406,575 respectively as the plantation's estimated allocations for those levies.