Last year the residents of Boothbay voted overwhelmingly to return to the traditional open town meeting format rather than secret ballot. Boothbay's Town Meeting day will consist of a day and evening vote.

On Monday, May 5, residents will vote on Articles I, II, and II from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Boothbay Town Offices.

After a moderator is chosen, they will be asked to elect public officials by secret ballot. The offices include that of a one-year, and a three-year, selectmen's position; a Community School District (CSD) trustee and a CSD school committee seat - both three-year terms; one three-year trustee position on the Boothbay Harbor Cemetery District and a three-year trustee term on the Boothbay Region Water District board.

Article III is a non-binding referendum question: the vote to move the location of open town meeting from the Boothbay Town Hall at the Boothbay Railway Village to the Boothbay Region Elementary School auditorium as the site of future meetings.

The open town meeting will be held at the Town Hall at Boothbay Railway Village beginning at 7:30 p.m. Here the remaining Articles, 4 through 15, on the warrant will be discussed and voted upon.

This year, voters will vote on the town's municipal budget of $1,887,137.

The outside organizations figure for the next fiscal year totals $39,620. These outside organizations include BRCTV.

Add to this the requested amounts for the Boothbay Region Ambulance Service ($37,381), Boothbay Region Cemetery District ($14,000), Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library ($35,000) and the Boothbay Region Refuse Disposal District ($316,658) to round out the requests for Article 9 that total $442,659.

Article 11 seeks residents' approval to allocate the sum of $20,000 from the Undesignated Fund Balance to begin a three-year project to rebuild the sidewalks in the village of East Boothbay.

Articles 12 through 14 call for voter approval on amendments to the new zoning ordinance, known as Attachments C, D and E.

Attachment C calls for voter approval to amendments to Section 3, Development and Use. The amendments are in: Development and Performance Standards - Lots; Maritime Commercial District; parking and loading; roads and driveways; non-conforming structures; Additional Standards - Shoreland Overlay Zone; a Use Table change and a definition change.

Attachment D reflects a change to the Town of Boothbay Administrative Code, Section 4.3.2 of Tax Acquired Property, relative to properties acquired on or after May 2, 2005.

Attachment E calls for the repeal and replacement of the current Floodplain Management Ordinance. The current ordinance has not been updated since 2000. Updating is necessary for the town's continued participation in the federal flood insurance program. FEMA recommends the ordinance's updating.

The 2008 Town Warrant and the zoning ordinance attachments C, D and E, may be viewed on the town's Web site:

Copies of the warrant and attachments may also be picked up at the town office.

For more information, contact the Boothbay Town Office at 633-2051.