Edgecomb residents overwhelmingly approved an adult entertainment ordinance at their annual town meeting May 19.
Passing with no debate, the ordinance requires any adult entertainment business opening in Edgecomb to be located more than 1500 feet from a school, residence, or place of worship, and restricts business hours to between 10 a.m. and midnight. Currently, there are no adult entertainment businesses operating in Edgecomb.
At the polls May 18, Edgecomb voters returned incumbent Selectman Stuart Smith to the board with 69 votes. Opponents Marilee Harris and Byron B. Johnson had 51 and 19 votes respectively. In uncontested races, voters elected Thomas Steele-Maley to the Edgecomb School Board, John French and Pat Jeremiah to the Planning Board, Russell Griffin was elected Roads Commissioner, Deb Boucher, Tax Collector, and Claudia Coffin Town Treasurer/Town Clerk.
Reconvening for the business portion of the town meeting at the Town Hall May 19, voters approved the $3.4 million budget with an increase of $2000 to the Other Instruction cost center in the education budget.
Among the budget articles, Article 10, which proposed increasing general government and town expenses by $6500, sparked the most debate.
The article outlined pay increases of $1000 per year for the three selectmen and the code enforcement officer, and a $500 pay increase for the positions of tax collector, treasurer, secretary and town clerk.
Several citizens expressed concern about the potential increase in the selectmen’s stipends. Jarryl Larsen said that in years prior the selectmen met every week but now they were meeting every other week, so she did not feel the pay raises were warranted.
Stuart Smith said that, although he was not comfortable giving himself a pay increase, he was in favor of the raising the salaries of tax collector, town clerk, treasurer, and CEO.
“The board’s responsibilities have become more complicated, the burden more heavy, more complex,” said selectboard chairman Jack Sarmanian. “I am not concerned so much for my own salary but for those who are selectmen ahead of me.”
One citizen said the pay increase of 33 per cent was high in this economy and should not be allowed to be more than 5 percent. He asked that the article be amended to that effect.
Selectman Jessica Chubbuck pointed out the board had not had a pay increase in 11 years arguing the $1000 increase was appropriate. “I’m a taxpayer, and have three jobs,” she said. “We may not meet every week but we put in 20 to 50 hours per week into the job.”
Seventy-one percent of Edgecomb’s budget is for educational expenses, totaling $2,433,436. Articles seeking regular instruction $1.146 million (for 175 K-12 students), special education $427,968 (for 30 students), $70,356 for student and staff support, $72,085 for system administration, $109,263 for school administration; $73,882 for transportation and buses, $179,954 for facilities maintenance, $334,018 for debt service and other commitments, and $5400 for all other expenditures, were all approved as presented.
The only change in the educational budget was to Article 24. Marilee Harris approached the voters and asked that they amend the article to read that the town be authorized to expend $2000 for “other instruction” so as to help toward the $2600 needed to send Edgecomb’s 6th graders to Chewonki next fall.
School Board chair Thomas Steele-Maley said that the board had not recommended any money for “other instruction” because they wanted to present the leanest budget possible. The amended article passed.
At the town meeting Harris and other parents had organized a fundraiser for the Chewonki trip: several children provided and served baked goods, drinks and lunch to the townspeople for a goodwill donation.
Voters also approved appropriating the sum of $100,000 from surplus to reduce the tax commitment. Speaking in favor of the article, article 11, Smith said the funds would be used to reduce the tax commitment, and help keep Edgecomb’s mil rate flat for FY 2012-13.
Voters approved appropriating $2000 each for the Wiscasset Public Library and the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library; approved $4000 for maintenance and repair of the Town Hall; $4000 for General Assistance Program; $1570 for the Schmid Preserve Advisory Board expenses; $12,000 for legal fees, and $874 for the Lincoln County Animal Shelter contract, to be taken from animal license fees.
Article 20, authorizing appropriating money collected from boat excise tax to the Woodend boat fund, passed. These monies will go into an account set up to collect funds for a public boat access and a working waterfront in Edgecomb.
The town voted to appropriate $36,435.64 from the Tax Increment Financing District (TIF) for the payment of the Fire Station Loan, and $17,485 for the final coat of paving at the new Fire Station.
The town approved $62,380 for the operation of the Public Safety Department, $1350 for operation of the EMA, $3000 for the Wiscasset Ambulance Service, and $3000 for the Planning Board.
