Voters elected a new selectman and adopted a municipal budget that will increase the property tax rate about 30 cents Monday at their annual town meeting.

Town Clerk Diane Harrington said voters elected Nancy Perkins to serve a three-year term on the Board of Selectmen. She defeated Dan Sherman and write-in candidate Roland Scott to win the seat.

After the election, which took place Monday afternoon, about 80 residents gathered at Pike Memorial Hall to address a 73-article town meeting warrant.

Vinal Pendexter, chairman of the selectmen, said there was little doubt about how the town budget would affect the tax rate; but the town, which belongs to School Administrative District 55, still does not know how much its education budget will be.

"Taxes won't go up significantly because of our budget, but the school budget is very iffy at this point," Pendexter said.

Pendexter said construction of a new middle school that will serve students in the five-town district beginning this fall has raised questions about how much money will be needed to pay staff and maintain the school.

Voters also adopted an article that limits new retail stores to 15,000 square feet. Pendexter said changes to the town's land use and development ordinance will ensure that no big-box stores open in Cornish.

­ Staff report