Voters elected a new selectman and approved a spending package of slightly more than $700,000 during a three-hour town meeting Saturday.

Mervin Wilson won the lone vacancy on the Board of Selectmen, besting Raymond Meldrum, 78-63, in a two-man race after a third candidate, Scott Hoisington, dropped out when none of the three received a necessary majority in an initial balloting.

Wilson, 37, a self-employed carpenter, has served on the town's playground construction committee. Married and the father of three children, he also was a member of the joint committee that planned the proposed merger of School Administrative Districts 58 and 9.

"I think I can help keep the town going in the right direction and speak for the younger people in town," Wilson said.

Wilson replaces John Dill, who did not seek re-election after 12 years on the board.

In the first vote, Meldrum received 67 votes; Wilson, 49; and Hoisington, 34. A minimum of 76 was needed to reach a majority. Hoisington immediately said he was dropping out and casting his support to Wilson.

In separate articles, residents debated funding for the Kingfield Days Committee and the Kingfield Pops Committee before approving the requested $3,000 and $2,000, respectively. The Budget Committee recommended $2,000 for the Kingfield Days and $1,000 for the Pops Committee.

Also approved after some discussion and amendments was $1,000 for the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. Chamber officials had asked for $2,000; the Budget Committee recommended $300.

The total budget came in at $704,100, which is $1,687 less than last year.