Heeding advice from the Board of Selectmen, voters agreed to make the positions of town clerk, property and excise tax collector appointive during Saturday's annual town meeting. Nine residents showed up at the Town Hall for the meeting, which was postponed a week ago because of snow.

Kathy Walston has long served in those positions, but selectmen are concerned that those jobs require greater skills now, and that a hiring process is needed.

Hours earlier, a similar measure passed in the neighboring town of Troy, which made the change only for the job of town clerk.

Chairman Joseph Cianchette said residents trimmed $4,000 from expenses, including $2,500 for the Pittsfield Public Library and money for certain agencies. That left the town with a $269,525 municipal budget, which is $8,000 more than voters approved last year, Walston said. Voters agreed to set aside $10,000 toward a complete revaluation of property in the town. Walston said the revaluation will cost an estimated $46,000 and should be completed by the end of 2009.

The tax rate is $14.26 per $1,000 in assessed property value.

In municipal elections held March 16, Ethan Kelley won a seat on the Board of Selection in a three-person race to replace Galen Faloon, who has stepped down. Kelley got 37 votes, to 20 for Maria Sousa and 13 for Frank Ring.

­ Blethen Maine News Service