There is a new Dresden selectman.

Challenger Dale Hinote narrowly defeated incumbent Phil Johnston, 61-56, during Tuesday's municipal election.

Treasurer Kim Rzasa fended off two challengers to win reelection. Rzasa received 69 votes. Challengers Joe Atkinson received 33 and Pat Theriault tallied 18 votes.

Theriault ran unopposed and won reelection as town clerk.

Other municipal officials reelected were Ann Pierce, property and excise tax collector.

Write-in candidates Peter Walsh and Sherry Moody were elected to the budget review committee.

William Matthews ran opposed for a term to the Regional School Unit 2 board of directors.

One hundred twenty-two residents cast ballots in the RSU 2 budget validation vote.

Dresden joined its four other RSU members in approving the $25.9 million budget. Dresden residents voted 81-41 to validate the 2015-16 school budget.

Town Meeting

On Saturday, Dresden residents will assemble at 9 a.m. in Pownalborough Hall for the annual town meeting, where Dresden residents will have an opportunity to debate various warrant items, including $355,354 in highway appropriations alone. 

If the selectmen’s recommended amounts for the municipal budget pass, the total for the coming 2015-2016 fiscal year will amount to $28,754 more than the 2014-2015 total.

One non-budget item concerns the enactment of the 2015 Floodplain Management Ordinance for the town.

Another non-budget item, if passed, will allow the town to accept funds and expend them from the estate of Inge Foster for the stabilization/restoration of the land at the end of Town Landing Road.

As stated in the warrant, the objective for the project (to be named Patterson Landing) is to provide a pleasant and peaceful place to observe the river and to create safe access to the river for canoeists, kayakers and fishermen. No additional town funds will be used for the project.