Brawn wins Parkman selectman’s race

By Bill Pearson
Staff Writer

    PARKMAN — Residents didn’t make many changes in their municipal budget as they easily approved  a spending package which shows less than a 1 percent increase. Voters easily passed the $430,130 budget which is a $4,300 increase from this year’s amount. However, voters did make two changes in their elected officials during the March 16 town meeting held in the Grange Hall.

    Incumbent Selectman James Morin, Sr. was defeated for re-election as was Associate Planning Board Member Christian McGinn. Dennis Brawn won the three-person race for selectman by defeating Morin and Anita Libby-Kain. Brawn received 35 votes, Morin had 25 and Kain tallied five. Brawn was elected to a three-year term.
    McGinn lost his re-election bid to a four-year term. He was defeated by Harold Corson, 21-16. In the only other contested race, Lynn Bosworth won a five-year term as an associate planning board member. She defeated Corson, 19-13, in balloting prior to his winning the four-year position.
    Other residents who won municipal elections were Starre White, SAD 4 director; Candace Cyr, Hospital Administrative District director; and Shirley Hersey, Harvey Memorial Library trustee. All these offices are for three-year terms. Pat Johnson was re-elected to serve as chairman of the board of selectmen for a one-year term.
    When the residents turned their attention to the town warrant, they didn’t spend much time debating the various articles until they reached the one about the annual Parkman Days celebration. The town still has plenty of money left in reserve from last years’s celebration, but some questioned whether there was enough volunteer manpower to organize the event.
    One resident proposed having the event every other year, but that proposal was defeated. The residents voted to continue with the annual event. The selectmen were charged to appoint a volunteer committee to organize this year’s event.
    In financial matters, residents abided by the budget committee’s recommendation on each article. The voters appropriated $500 for the Parkman Grange, but they didn’t appropriate any monies for other local and state non-profit groups. The budget committee recommended not to provide money for Community Health and Counseling, $125; Pine Tree Chapter of the Red Cross, $150; Womancare/Aegis, $250; Penquis, $1,320; Eastern Area of Aging, $100; and Pine Tree Hospice, $150.
    Residents voted unanimously to follow the committee’s recommendation not to fund the agencies’ requests except for one. Residents voted 7-5 in favor of the committee’s recommendation not to fund the Pine Tree Hospice request.
    Following the town meeting, there was a local referendum vote with four questions dealing with the sale and consumption of alcohol. Each one was defeated.
    Question One asked voters to authorize the state to issue licenses for the sale of liquor to be consumed on premises of licensed establishments on days other than Sunday. Eighteen voted in favor, 53 voted against.
    Question Two asked to authorize the state to issue licenses for the sale of malt liquor and wine to be consumed on the premises of licensed establishment on days other than Sunday. Nineteen voted yes, 52 voted against.
    Question Three asked voters to authorize the state to issue licenses for the sale of liquor to be consumed on premises of licensed establishments on Sunday.
    Question Four asked voters if this municipality shall authorize the state to issue licenses for the sale of malt liquor and wine to be consumed on premises of licensed establishments on Sunday.
    Both Questions Three and Four received 17 for and 54 against.