Dresden selectmen Gerald Lilly and John Rzasa voted Tuesday night, May 25 to reactivate the committee that studied withdrawing from Regional School Unit 2. Selectman Alan Moeller was absent.

Selectmen have also commissioned a poster opposing the RSU 2 school budget.

Resident Gary Blau said he volunteered to create a poster with an illustration of a boy screaming “bully” at a monster which resembles  the  COVID-19 virus. “ I found it on the internet,” Blau said of the image. 

The text supplied by the selectmen warns that taxes might increase by 8.8% or at least $200 if the proposed budget is approved. It also suggests town services and the quality of education might be impacted if the budget passes. It urges residents to vote “no” June 8. Town Administrator Mike Faass said he posted the flier at Dresden Take Out, the town office and post office. It was also on the town’s website and Facebook page, he said.

Asked for comment via email May 26 on selectmen’s opposition to the budget, RSU 2 Superintendent of Schools Tonya Arnold responded: “Here is a link to the page on our website with accurate information about our budget and the budget development process: https://www.kidsrsu.org/budget-information--89. The RSU will only use respectful communication, even when there may be disagreement.”

Blau said he also designed a second flier advertising a survey on holding the annual town meeting on a Tuesday evening versus the traditional Saturday morning. 

In other business, Lilly reported the town office staff was having problems with the computer system. “They are frustrated,” said Lilly. Faass said the computer software needed to be upgraded. He said that the printer had been fixed.

“You have the money to do it,” said Lilly of the upgrade.

Faass reported the conclusions of State Archivist Heather Moran, who inspected historic papers stored in the town office basement. He said Moran thought the papers had not been as badly damaged as previously thought. She recommended getting a new safe, he said.

“How can we afford that and how would we get it down there?” questioned Lilly.

Resident Shirley Storkson asked if absentee ballots for the June 8 referendum were available. Faass said the ballots were not required to be available until 12 days before the vote. He said the full town report would probably not be printed and available before for the June 8 school referendum. He said a printed warrant would be used for the purpose of voting. He said the full book should be completed for the June 12 annual town meeting.

Storkson reported that people were complaining about a shortage of transfer station tokens for sale at Dresden Take Out. Blau suggested a token vending machine be installed.