On June 11, Dresden voters elected Gerald Lilly as second selectman, Kim S. Rzasa as town clerk, treasurer and excise tax collector, Ann Pierce as property tax collector and Michael J. Terrell as RSU 2 school director. They also voted to send Scott Silverman to the budget committee.

Voters will decide the fate of appropriations proposed in its annual town meeting warrant articles totaling $635,892 when they gather again June 15 at 9 a.m. at Pownalborough Hall.

The Board of Selectmen recommend the dismissal of an article to raise the property tax levy limit of $771,406 established for Dresden by state law simply because if all articles pass as both the selectmen and budget review committee recommend, the town will begin next year’s business with the $635,892.

The total amounts to about $63,400 less than last year’s amount the town voted to raise and appropriate.

If this year’s annual town meeting is anything like last year’s session, all of the warrant articles will pass as written in historically brief meeting. This year as with last year’s warrant, local officials see no hot button issue on the agenda.

With the usual orderly style of attorney Ervin Snyder, whom selectmen have approved as the moderator, selectmen expect the meeting to go smoothly. However, there always exists the possibility of some unknown issues, though seemingly minor, that arouses the passions of some of the voters enough to extend the meeting to a length unanticipated.

The air of the unexpected ever give residents reason enough to attend a meeting that holds their future taxes in its wake.

The late Inga Foster, longtime resident and local philosopher, used to warn people not to come with preconceived notions. One time, she remarked how at one town meeting an article expected to receive the least attention received the most and the arguing back and forth went on for more than an hour.

This year the big money article concerns funds for its highway accounts. It totals $235,977, which broken down includes $139,977 for the second year of a three-year snow removal contract, $20,000 for sand, $50,000 for roads, and $26,000 for paving and capital improvement.

The figures represent an increase of $4077 for snow removal, a decrease of $20,000 for sand, a decrease of $25,000 for roads and the same amount for paving for a total decrease of $40,923.