Gray town meeting voters approved a plan Saturday to buy the former Walker's Tire garage on Turnpike Acres Road to replace the cramped and aging Village Fire Station, said Deborah Mancini, town council chairwoman.

The decision to spend $260,000 on the newer garage property must be ratified during the second half of the annual town meeting on June 10, Mancini said.

The landmark village station was built as a town hall in 1837. Mancini said the historic brick building likely will be sold if the plan to replace it with the more modern garage wins final approval.

Boothbay Harbor town meeting voters approved a 2008-09 budget on Saturday for more than $7 million in municipal, school and county services.

The meeting at the Boothbay Region Elementary School lasted four hours and covered 89 warrant articles, said Louis Burnham, town council chairman.

On Friday, town voters elected Denise Griffin and Frank Sample III to two open seats on the town council. They received 326 votes and 275 votes, respectively. A third candidate, Thomas Carbone, received 229 votes.

Also on Friday, town residents voted down a proposal to close the Boothbay Harbor Communication Center. The ballot was 239-218 to keep it open, Burnham said.

Residents at the annual town meeting turned down a proposed ordinance that would have slowed growth on the town’s west side.

The intent of the growth ordinance, said selectman Joan Mooney, was to limit the number of building permits that can be issued in parts of town that are not serviced by public water and sewer lines.

But residents voted strongly against the ordinance, so there will be no limits on growth this year, Mooney said.

The town’s $14.6 million budget was passed, with a few minor modifications.
Residents also approved a $1.3 million project to replace the sea wall at Webhannet Drive, which sustained heavy damage during storms over the past two years.

The town meeting, held at Wells High School, included balloting on Friday and a moderated discussion on Saturday, which drew about 100 people.

James Spiller was re-elected as a selectman, beating Russell Fox and Richard Lambert in the only contested municipal race.

A moment of silence was held Saturday for Harold Pauk Jr., the longtime manager of the town transfer station, who committed suicide earlier this month at the facility.