Dresden voters approved a total of $630,252 to be raised and appropriated for the town’s 2013-2014 budget on June 15.

“It was pretty cut and dried,” Town Clerk/Treasurer Kim Rzasa said. Rzasa counted 37 voters this time, only two more voters than showed up for the 2012 town meeting.

In the tightly run meeting, which attorney Ervin Snyder moderated, two articles passed for less of an appropriation than the Board of Selectmen recommended, following the budget review committee’s recommendation instead. On article six, the town voted to keep the town administrative assistant’s salary at $38,400 instead of raising it to $42,040 ($40,000 salary, $2,000 benefits).

Article 13, the second article that went with the budget review committee's recommendation, added $101 to the present legal account balance of $9,899 and capped the balance at $10,000. Selectmen recommended a $2,000 increase and a cap of $15,000 as the ultimate goal, which the voters turned down.

All other articles passed as written, including the highest sum of $235,977 for the highway account. Broken down, the total to be raised and appropriated will go for the second year of the snow removal contract, $139,977; sand, $20,000; roads, $50,000, and paving/capital improvement, $26,000.

Town officials’ salaries will remain the same as selectmen and the budget review committee recommended. Town clerk receives $7,965; first selectman, $6,500; second selectman, $5,000; third selectman, $5,000; treasurer, $12,000; tax collector, $7,500; excise tax collector, $5,900.

At the election portion of the town meeting held last week on June 11, voters elected Gerald Lilly to the three-year position on the Board of Selectmen as second selectman replacing David Probert, who did not seek reelection after serving one term.

Lilly ran against Melanie Gaczi and Lauren Haven.

One-year term officials elected included Kim Rzasa as town clerk, treasurer and excise collector. Voters reelected Ann Pierce, who defeated Susan Bickford-Lilly.

Michael Terrell regained his position on the KIDS RSU 2 Board of Directors, a three-year term; and voters approved Scott Silverman for the three-year position on the budget review committee.

In other voting action Saturday, residents approved raising $28,000 for the operation of the Dresden Fire Department and $12,500 for purchase of equipment. Other fire department measures also passed, including $12,500 to reimburse working volunteer fire fights for clothing, fuel and related expenses incurred while participating in fire department operation.

A warrant article under fire department measures authorizes selectmen to appoint a fire chief and assistant fire chief, taking into consideration persons the Dresden Fire Association elects, and to appoint any unfilled position in conjunction with the fire chief.

The association recently elected Steve Lilly as fire chief, who has been serving as assistant fire chief, and Ron Theriault as the new assistant fire chief. Selectmen followed the fire department’s choices in appointing both at their regular meeting this Monday, June 17. Former Fire Chief Gerald Lilly resigned from the position he has held for many years.

The town voted to raise and appropriate $5,000 for its contract with Northeast Mobile Health Ambulance Service.

Meeting attendees approved raising $60,210 as the fourth payment on the 30-year public safety building dong from the Maine Bond Bank.

Concerning health and sanitation, the town voted to raise and appropriate $14,000 for tipping fees, $23,000 for recycling center salaries (a $6,500 increase combining transfer station and recycling attendant salaries in one account), $6,000 for operation of the recycling center and transfer station.

The town voted to follow the selectmen’s recommendation to donate a total $3,050 to various nonprofits, such as Healthy Kids, Kennebec Valley Mental Health, Spectrum Generations, Elmhurst, Maine General Health Reach Net, Midcoast Community Action Coastal Trans, Richmond Food Pantry, Lincoln County TV and New Hope for Women.

Dresden residents benefit from services the agencies offer.

In other action, the town meeting voted to place the $6,000 in franchise fees it receives from Time Warner in the town recreational fund.

 The town also voted to accept state fund provided by the Maine Legislature: state revenue sharing, $85,000, MDOT Block Grants, $39,000; General Assistance payments, $5,000; snowmobile registration money, $750; Tree Growth reimbursement, $3,000; Veterans Exemption reimbursement, $1,100; Homestead reimbursement, $29,000, and other state funds, $7,000.

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.

They did this 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 $630,252 it voted to raise and appropriate.