It took 43 Southport residents a little over two hours to approve 63 of 64 warrant articles during the 2024 town meeting. Residents overwhelming approved the $1,293,802 school budget (up $128,395), municipal spending, $1,614,980 (up $272,862) and municipal commitment, $3,978,000. The mil rate increased from .00525 to .00585. 

The only article not approved was skipped. No. 62 asked “To see if the town will vote to exceed the property tax cap imposed by the state of Maine?”

Most articles received overwhelming support without much discussion. Resident Donald Duncan was the first to ask a question. He asked about Other Instruction, in the school budget, which requested $9,000 for Fiscal Year 24, and again in FY 25. School committee chairman Adam Harkins explained other instruction included school field trips, YMCA programs and computer literacy programing. “It’s basically things outside regular school programming,” he said.  

A change in the school administration account also triggered a question. No. 12 sought voter authorization for $127,743 for FY 25, compared to last year’s $85,030. A resident asked about the increase. Harkins explained this line was for clarity. He explained the change resulted from Principal Lisa Clarke’s evolving role within the school.

Clarke is retiring at year’s end as a teaching principal, but she is remaining to serve as a “one-year” mentor to her successor. “Her principal stipend was 18%. So, what we’ve done is her stipend will be 50%,” Harkins said. “We will be hiring another individual to fill the lead-teacher role. It’s covering two positions with an increase in the stipend.”

Two articles received considerable discussion involving blasting. No. 30 sought voter authorization to amend the land use codes regarding regulations “pertaining to blasting.” Previously, contractors didn’t need a permit. Now they do. Residents overwhelmingly approved amending the land use code. Moderator Skip Simonds, who is also the planning board chairman, explained how the new ordinance worked.  “If contractors abide by all ordinance requirements, then the building inspector must approve their permit,” he said. 

One requirement is a pre- and post-blasting survey of residences. Local contractor Justin Wood of Newcastle described the 72-hour timeframe for post-blasting surveys as “unrealistic.”

“I’m not opposed to a permit. I’m hoping you could decline this now, and come back later, because this has negative effects on contractors,” Wood said.

Resident Sarah Sherman favored the amendment. She told about her water well struggles on Pratt’s Island. “I’m for this,” she said. “Blasting was conducted on the west side of Pratt’s Island, and my 15-year-old well turned to salt. A second one was drilled. Salt. And a third. I was told at this point there was no other place on my property to drill. If this one turns to salt then we are done. A $50,000 salinization unit makes my family homeless. Please vote for this ordinance.”

Resident Jeff Long was part of an ad-hoc committee last summer which researched what other southern Maine communities had for blasting ordinances. He told residents this ordinance strongly resembled what other communities adopted. “This one is closely modeled after Edgecomb’s,” he said. “This focuses on three things: qualifications and licensing, notification and surveying and testing.”

Residents also overwhelmingly approved a 180-day drilling moratorium on Pratt’s Island. Simonds explained the moratorium’s purpose is studying the island’s aquifer and determining what drilling can be done safely in the future.