By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

CASCO — Planning for the future often is a matter of negotiating for a lot of unknown factors.

The Town of Casco needs to hold a special town meeting to address three items before its annual town meeting that’s usually held during the first week in June. 

“There are a number of items that need to be on a special town meeting,” Casco Interim Town Manager Don Gerrish said. “They are approving the assessing and legal budget for this year, authorizing the use of Undesignated Fund Balance (UFB) for completing the Memorial Field project, and authorizing the selling of property. The board needs to discuss options of when and how special town meeting could be held.”   

Also, elected officials need to determine whether to conduct Casco Annual Town Meeting as an in-person gathering or as a secret ballot election. 

This was discussed during the Casco Board of Selectmen meeting on Feb. 9, which was a make-up meeting following the cancellation of the board’s regularly scheduled meeting on Feb. 2. A snowstorm cancelled the first meeting of the month for the Casco selectmen.

According to Chairman Thomas “Tom” Peaslee, there was no consensus or vote regarding when and how to hold special town meeting or the annual town meeting.

“The board talked about it. A final decision was not made. It was pointed out to the board that the town attorney recommended it [secret ballot] and that other towns are doing it,” Peaslee said last week. “Could we have it in person? Is it a possibility? It becomes an issue in how many people, under current guidelines, can attend. Things are in limbo. The board needs to make a decision. We need more data and input, but time is of the essence. We don’t have a lot of time.”  

It will be discussed again. The board’s next regularly scheduled meeting is March 2. 

As far as the Annual Town Meeting goes, during the meeting on Feb. 9, Gerrish suggested that the town prepare for secret ballot and switch to in-person if the number of Covid-19 cases go down. 

“Because of the Covid, the governor’s emergency orders gave the selectboard the authorization to have the secret ballot election,” he began. “There is the feeling— we don’t know yet — if the governor’s emergency order will continue through the time we have regular town meeting. The town attorney is recommending that we plan for a secret ballot. We just don’t know what is going to happen,” Gerrish said. “If you do that, you can always pull that back and have a regular town meeting. We ought to be thinking about secret ballot for upcoming budget.”

In addition to the budgetary warrant article, the townspeople will have to vote to approve a contract zone agreement between the Town of Casco and Hancock Leasing, LLC.

“The reason we want to start working on the budget next month is to have enough time to get it approved so we can get the ballots ready to have an election in June,” he said.

Board member Holly Hancock said that annual town meeting could be held outdoors in the Casco Days park, where people could socially distance. 

Vice chairperson Mary-Vienessa Fernades asked if doing a secret ballot election had a timeframe attached to it.

“Yes, at least 45 days ahead of time to get the ballots ordered. There is timeframe to do that,” Gerrish answered.  

In regard to the specialtown meeting, dates in April and in May were brought up. 

“The school is going to be voting on a secret ballot for the school budget. That is on May 25,” Gerrish said. “You could put that on that day as a special town meeting. That is only two weeks away” from June’s town meeting.

On one hand, it might not make much sense to hold a special town meeting when the annual one is about to take place.  

On the flip side of the coin, piggy-backing on SAD 61’s election would be cost effective.

“The school pays for their vote, pays us the cost of running the election in May,” Gerrish said.

Hancock spoke, sharing her opinion on the timing of special town meeting.

“I think April would be an appropriate time. We could open the doors. I don’t think there are controversial issues. I don’t know who would show up,” she said, addressing the possibility of more people showing up than are allowed to gathering per the governor’s emergency order. 

“We could do it outside,” Gerrish said. “The idea is to hold a specialtown meeting before our town meeting.”