FARMINGTON — About 60 voters moved quickly through the 33‑article warrant on a snowy evening March 23, approving funding for the town government for the first six months of 2026.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the night came with the announcement of that day’s election results. While incumbents Richard Morton and Dennis O’Neil easily won their uncontested races for three‑year seats on the Farmington Select Board, write‑in candidates were elected to the Regional School Unit 9 (Mt. Blue) board of directors.
Write‑in candidates Ruth Gauvin and Iris Morgan narrowly topped incumbent J. Wayne Kinney and newcomer Christina Lynch Bobrow. Final totals were 74 votes for Gauvin, 67 for Morgan, 65 for Kinney and 56 for Bobrow.
Voters approved appropriations at the levels recommended by the Select Board, totaling $7,454,258.
Budget Committee member Stephan Bunker said the minor differences between the board’s and committee’s recommendations were due to the timing of their meetings, not disagreements over appropriations.
With an estimated $1.58 million in revenue, the net amount to be raised through taxation is $5,898,250.
The six‑month budget is intended to shift Farmington from budgeting for the calendar year to a fiscal year running from July 1 to June 30.
Many other governments, including the state, school district, county and most larger Maine communities, already use the July-to-June cycle, as do several of the town’s contracts and services, such as MaineHealth Emergency Medical Services, the Maine Public Employees Retirement System and fuel agreements.
The appropriation approved Monday is 48 percent less than the full‑year budget passed in 2025. Town appropriations are down 56 percent, while the county and school budgets are down 47 percent and 48.9 percent, respectively.
The town’s budget includes a cost‑of‑living adjustment of 45 cents, keeping pace with the minimum wage increase, and a 9 percent increase in health insurance premiums. There are no new capital expenditures in the budget and only a handful of minor new items.
The estimated property tax rate needed to raise the $5.89 million is $5.49 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
The warrant sets a zero percent interest rate on property taxes due June 30 — or 45 days after the commitment, whichever is later — until those bills go to lien.
Budget Committee member Bill Crandall suggested that changing the warrant to group fixed assessments — payroll taxes, health insurance, retirement benefits and the town’s insurance costs — made it more difficult to parse out costs, since those expenses had previously been spread across different departments.
Bunker said the change had been a positive one, as it grouped a number of fixed costs that were largely beyond the direct control of the town meeting.
Resident Josh Bell said he could see both sides of the argument and suggested adding a department‑level breakdown for some elements of the article next year.
In response to a question from resident Ed David, Public Works Director Philip Hutchins said the town’s recycling contract will go out to bid this year and Farmington will be looking at a new model.
Residents rejected a proposed Local Food Sovereignty Ordinance. The measure would have exempted local food producers from certain state licensing and inspection requirements, except for meat and products containing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis.
Town officials said the ordinance was largely redundant because the Maine Constitution’s “right to food” provision already offers similar protections.
Community members had requested the ordinance, but no supporters came forward to speak on it. Voters overwhelmingly defeated the measure.
