SECRET BALLOT ELECTION AND

TOWN MEETING WARRANT

Friday, March 12, 2010

and

Saturday, March 13, 2010

To Theresa Abbott, a resident of the Town of Freedom, County of Waldo, and State of Maine,

GREETINGS:

In the name of the State of Maine, you are hereby required to notify and warn the voters of said Town of Freedom, in said County and State, that are qualified by law to vote in town affairs to meet at the Freedom Town Office on Friday, March 12, 2010, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., then and there to act upon Article 1 and by secret ballot on Article 2 as set forth below.

And to notify and warn inhabitants to meet at the Dirigo Grange Hall in Freedom on Saturday, March 13, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. to act on Articles 3 through 53 as set forth below, to wit:

Friday, March 12, 2010, 10:00 AM - 8 PM

Article 1. To choose a moderator to preside at said meeting.

Article 2. To vote for Town Officers

Saturday, March 13, 2010, 10:00 AM

Article 3. To see if the town will vote to stay within the LDI property tax levy limit established for the Town of Freedom by state law. Limit is $538,869.04

Budget Committee recommends: Approve

Article 4. To see if the town will again raise & appropriate $2,500.00 in matching grant funds for the Old Town House Restoration (This pertains to Article 14 of the 2005 Warrant. This article was approved at the 2005 Town Meeting but never deposited in the Freedom Historical Socitey Account.). Refer to page 8 of the 2010 Budget Committee Report.

Budget Committee Recommends: Approve

Article 5. To see if the Town will raise and appropriate $2,500.00 for the Freedom Historical Society to be used as matching funds for grants being applied for in 2010. Refer to page 5 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $2,500

Article 6. To see if the town will direct the Board of Selectmen to hire a qualified person to work 25 hours per week on the prior audits.

Budget Committee recommends: up to $10,000 from the capitol improvements account.

Article 7. To see what sum the Town will raise & appropriate to compensate the Town Clerk & Town Treasurer to get the 2006 & 2007 audits completed. Refer to page 1 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Buget recommends. Town Clerk: $1,500 per Audit; Town Treasurer: $2,000

per Audit

Article 8. To see if the town will vote to conduct a non-binding poll on wheather the Selectboard should initiate the discontinuance process under 23MRSA Chapter 3026 in order to discontinue any public easement on a portion of Beaver Hill RD being approximately 7,800’ starting from the intersection of the Sibley Rd and ending at the east side of David Pottle’s driveway.

Article 9. To see if the town will authorize the Board of Selectmen to act as the Road Commissioner.

Budget Committee recommends: Approve

Article 10. To see what sum the town will raise & appropriate to compensate the selectpersons, the assessors, and the overseers of the poor. Refer to page 1 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $18,000 annual salary ($6,000 per selectperson which includes a $1,000 per selectperson as acting Road Commisioners)/ $500 Employee Costs; Total: $18,500.

Article 11. To see what sum the Town will raise & appropriate for a working Road Commissioner, providing Article 9 is voted down. Refer to page 4 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.Budget Committee recommends compensation equal to the cost encurred from Jan1, 2010 to Feb 20, 2010. Amount: $2,438.16

Article 12. To see if the Town wants to do away with trash stickers.

Budget committee recommends: no position taken.

Article 13. To see what sum the town will raise & appropriate for compensation for the Town Clerk, Tax Collector, Excise Tax Collector, and Registrar of the Voters. Refer to page 1 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $22,700 annual salary/$650 Employee Costs; Total: $23,350.

Article 14. To see what sum the town will raise & appropriate for compensation for the Town Treasurer. Refer to page 1 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $14,000 annual salary/$1300 Employee Costs; Total: $15,300.

Article 15. To see what sum the town will raise & appropriate to compensate the CEO/Building Inspector. Refer to page 1 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $4,000 annual salary/$1,000 Employee Costs; Total: $5,000.

Article 16. To see what sum the town will raise & appropriate to compensate the Plumbing Inspector. Refer to page 1 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $3,000 annual salary/$500 Employee Costs; Total: $3,500.

Article 17. To see what sum the town will raise & appropriate to compensate the Deputy Clerk. Refer to page 1 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $1,500 annual salary/$500 Employee Costs; Total: $2,000.

Article 18. To see what sum the town will raise & appropriate to compensate the Ballot Clerks. Refer to page 2 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $2,300 annual salary/$100 Employee Costs; Total: $2,400.

Article 19. To see what sum the town will raise and appropriate for the Administrative Budget. Refer to page 1 & 2 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $183,509

Article 20. To see what sum the town will raise and appropriate for legal services. Refer to page 2 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $5,000

Article 21. To see what sum the town will raise and appropriate for the Emergency Management Director. Refer to page 2 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $400 annual salary/$100 Employee Costs; Total: $500.

Article 22. To see what sum the town will raise and appropriate for the Animal Control Officer. Refer to page 2 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $2,000 annual salary/$250 Employee Costs; Total: $2,250.

Article 23. To see what sum the town will raise and appropriate for the Health Officer. Refer to page 2 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $250 annual salary.

Article 24. To see if the town will accept James Waterman as Fire Chief of the FVFD and to see what sum the town will raise and appropriate for the compensation of the FVFD Fire Chief. Refer to page 3 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $2,500 annual salary/$85 Employee Costs; Total: $2,585.

Article 25. To see if the town will approve depositing the unexpended balance from the FVFD 2010 appropriations to the FVFD Capital Improvement Account. Refer to page 3 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: Approval

Article 26. To see what sum the town will raise and appropriate for the FVFD Capital Improvement Account. Refer to page 8 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends:Raise $12,000 plus the $6,000, from Town of Knox; Total: $18,000.

Article 27. To see if the town will allow the FVFD to participate in the Fire Act Grant for 2010 and if approved for the grant to compensate the town for the application costs from the FVFD Capital Improvement Account.

Budget Committee recommends: Approve

Article 28. To see if the Town will direct the FVFD to purchase a new pumper tanker for the Freedom Fire Department. Money from the FVFD Capital Improvement Account would be used with the remaining balance financed through a lease/ purchase program.

Budget Committee recommends: Not more than $225,000

Article 29. To see what sum the town will raise and appropriate for the Public Safety Budget. Refer to pages 2 & 3 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $33,886.81

Article 30. To see what sum the town will raise and appropriate for the wages of the employees of the Public Works Department. Refer to page 4 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: State wages as a guide for the selectpersons to set.

Article 31. To see what sum the town will raise and appropriate for the Public Works Budget. Refer to page 4 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $139,350

Article 32. To see what sum the town will raise and appropriate for the Paving Account. Refer to page 8 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $6,000

Article 33. To see what sum the town will raise and appropriate for the Freedom Capital Improvement Account. Refer to page 8 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $15,000

Article 34. To see what sum the town will raise and appropriate for the Cemetary Budget. Refer to page 4 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $2,300

Article 35. To see what sum the town will raise and appropriate for the Rec Department Budget. The Field Day will not be budgeted this year in order for these monies to be used for the Ball Field reconstruction anticipated to occur this year. Refer to page 5 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $6,650

Article 36. To see what the town wants for clean up days: Part 2 to see what sum the Town votes to raise and appropriate.

(A) Door – to – Door Clean up $ 7,000

(B) Dumpster clean up on the Mitchell Rd. $3,000

Refer to page 5 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget committee recommends: C $10,000

Article 37. To see what sum the town will raise and appropriate for compensation for the Recycling pickup. Refer to page 5 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $3,000

Article 38. To see what sum the town will raise and appropriate for the Solid Waste Budget. Refer to page 5 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $53,099.23

Article 39. To see what sum the town will raise and appropriate for the General Assistance Budget. Refer to page 6 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $5,000

Article 40. To see what sum the town will raise and appropriate for the Service Organization Budget. Refer to page 6 & 7 of the 2010 Budget Committee report.

Budget Committee recommends: $12,078

Article 41. To see if the Town will authorize the selectpersons to take money from General fund to use for Septic Grants until the State refunds these Grants.

Budget Committee recommends: Approve

Article 42. To see if the town will accept all state monies such as Municipal Revenue Sharing, URIP, tree growth, veteran exempt, homestead etc.

Budget Committee recommends: Approve

Article 43. To see if the town will authorize the Board of Selectmen to dispose of any surplus equipment and real estate acquired by the town for nonpayment of taxes, by public bid, and to execute a quit claim deed for said real estate.

Budget Committee recommends: Approve

Article 44. To see if the town will authorize the Board of Selectmen to transfer $50,000.00 from the Capital Improvement Account to the General Fund Account to balance accounts, if needed, and all monies to be put back to Capital Improvement Account by Dec 31, 2010

Budget Committee recommends: Approve

Article 45. To see if the town will authorize the Board of Selectmen to spend an amount not more then 3/12 of the budgeted amounts, in each category of the 2010 annual budget, during the period from January 1, 2011, to the 2011 town meeting.

Budget Committee recommends: Approve

Article 46. To see if the town will authorize the Tax Collector to accept prepayments of taxes not yet committed pursuant to MRSA 36 § 506.

Budget Committee recommends: Approve

Article 47. To see if the town will allow a discount on taxes paid in full up to 30 days after commitment and to set the amount of discount allowed.

Budget Committee recommends: Approve with discount rate set at 2%

Article 48. To see if the town will fix a date when taxes shall be due and payable and to see if the town will fix a rate of interest (not to exceed 7% per annum) to be charged on unpaid taxes after that date.

Budget Committee recommends: 60 days after commitment date; a rate of 7% per annum

Article 49. To see if the town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to apply up to $75,000.00 of other revenues, collected by the town, (i.e. motor vehicle excise tax, tree growth, veteran's reimbursement, trust fund income, & etc.) to offset the property tax assessment(to lower the mill rate) for the 2010 tax year.

Budget Committee recommends: Approve

Article 50. To see if the town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to use up to $12,000.00 from the General Fund to pay discounts on property tax payments for tax year 2010.

Budget Committee recommends: Approve

Article 51. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to carry over monies to following years from accounts they deem fit, such as Recreation Committee, Park, Legal, Historical Society, Bi Centennial etc.

Budget Committee recommends: Approve

Article 52. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to negotiate with former owner of forclosed property with conditions stated.

1. Negotiations and settlements must be completed within 6 (six) months after foreclosure.

2. All delinquent property taxmust be paid in full in any negotiated settlement.

3. The Board of Selectmen will issue a quit claim deed after all requirements are met.

Article 53. The moderator will now accept a Motion to adjourn.

Notice is hereby given that the Registrar of Voters will be available at the Freedom Town Office on Friday, March 12, 2010, at 9:30 for any revision of the list of qualified voters.

Given under our hands this 4th day of March, 2010 A.D

Selectmen of Freedom:

______________________________________________________

C. Ronald Price

______________________________________________________

Clint Spaulding

______________________________________________________

Carol Richardson

Officer's Return:

I, Theresa Abbott, certify that I have notified the voters of Freedom of the time and place of the Annual Town meeting by posting and attend copy of the within warrant at each of the following places:

Freedom Town Office, Freedom General Store, Freedom Post Office and Freedom Fire Department.

Dated at Freedom, Maine on the 4th day of March 2010 A.D.

Attest: _____________________________________________

Theresa Abbott, Citizen of Freedom

Attest: _____________________________________________

Cynthia Abbott, CMC, Freedom Town Clerk