Edgecomb residents spent almost four hours on Wednesday, April 29 discussing the warrant articles for the upcoming annual town meeting by referendum.
The public hearing was led by Edgecomb Select Board Chair Michael Maxim, who presented each warrant article via slideshow. Because the town transitioned from open town meeting voting to referendum voting, the public hearing was an opportunity for residents to learn more about both the municipal and education warrant articles, Maxim said.
“I’d love to give opportunity for people to ask questions about anything specific,” Maxim said.
Edgecomb residents will face a 48-article annual town meeting warrant this year, which includes an almost 10% increase in the total budget.
The budget for the upcoming fiscal year totals $7,082,888.02, an increase of $635,657.02 or 9.86%. The total includes the $4,487,740 education budget, an increase of $329,087 or 7.91% from last year.
The county tax totals $430,293, an increase of $16,458 or 3.98%.
The overall budget faces a slight decrease because of the newly approved total education budget of $4,487,740, which was amended and decreased at an open town meeting on Saturday, May 2. (See related article.)
Without the education budget and county tax factored in, the municipal budget totals $2,216,499.02, an increase of $341,756.02 or 18.23%.
Town Clerk Claudia Coffin pushed for residents to vote down Articles 13-15 when they get to the polls on May 16. The three articles ask if the town clerk, tax collector, and treasurer positions become appointed roles instead of elected.
Maxim said the switch would allow the select board to put people in those positions that are qualified, giving them an opportunity to represent the community.
Coffin said she opposes the articles because the positions have historically been elected and if it were to change, appointment would disturb the checks and balances between different town official’s responsibilities.
“The clerk’s office has historically been the independent office accountable to the residents, between the residents and the government the select board, without the influence of a changing select board reflecting the will of the town, not the will of the select board,” Coffin said.
Coffin said she feels a vote from the residents is better than the vote of a three to five member board. She also said the select board does not need to add administrative supervision to its already busy schedule.
On a more personal note since one of the positions is currently her own, she said she can express her opinions to the select board without worrying about losing her job. If the position became an appointed one, she said she fears that may change.
“I have heard of no valid reason to take this responsibility and right away from the people,” Coffin said.
Coffin closed her statement with what she said was a quote from a Massachusetts town debate.
“People’s power should never, ever have been taken out of the hands of the many and placed in the hands of the few,” Coffin said. “Don’t vote yourself out of the right to vote. Celebrate our country’s 250th birthday by voting ‘no’ on Articles 13, 14, and 15.”
If the article were to pass, Maxim said it would not go in to effect until 2027, after the terms end of those who are elected this upcoming election.
Another major area of discussion surrounded Article 41, which asks if the town can appropriate $275,000 from surplus to repair and repave the driveway of Edgecomb Eddy School. Maxim said traditionally, the town only asks to use $250,000 from surplus every year, which is why he wanted to bring the discussion to voters before the decision is made.
“This needs to be sold to the people in the way that it should be, because it’s important. It’s our town property. This community needs it. And every single one of us is going to drive through there on Saturday to go vote and understand what’s happening,” Maxim said.
Edgecomb School Committee Chair Heather Sinclair, select board member Forrest Carver, and Road Commissioner Scott Griffin have been working on getting proposals from companies for the project. Sinclair said the proposals the group have considered include the possibility of repairing and replacing the sidewalks, curbing in front and around the schools, and paving the parking lot behind the building.
Sinclair said the decision is in the town warrant instead of the education warrant because Edgecomb Eddy is town property.
“This is an investment in our town, not just the school itself,” Sinclair said.
Many residents were wary of the $275,000, especially since Sinclair said there is not a final estimate of the total cost of the project. Resident Gale Willauer said she believes asking for the money before getting an estimate is premature.
“It seems like kinds of like grasping at smoke,” Willauer said.
Sinclair also said the paving work has been cut from the budget for the last 13 years, and it is not getting any cheaper. She said the estimate four years ago was $96,000.
Article 48 is the final article in the budget, and asks if the town favors expanding the Wiscasset Water District’s service territory to include the entire town of Edgecomb. According to Chris Corsette, the water district’s superintendent, the change would not cost the town anything, unless an individual resident requested to be serviced by the water district.
Residents turned down this article at last year’s election. Maxim said the article was brought back because many residents said they didn’t know enough about the article before voting, and therefore voted to turn it down. He said he wanted to give them another chance to learn more about the water district and make a decision based on the new knowledge.
Corsette said the reason for the question is to give the organization the authority to provide service.
Residents in attendance voiced concerns that the water district is going to take their water and make them pay for it. Corsette said the services are mostly for the public and individuals would only be affected if they requested individual services.
“I don’t want your water,” Corsette said.
The general government budget totals $271,443, a decrease of $27,064 or 9.07%. Within general government, voters will see the town expenses budget total at $110,000, a decrease of $30,400 or 21.66%.
Maxim said the increase is to address over expenditure, which Article 11 addresses by asking if $18,751.69 can be taken out of surplus to cover said over expenditure. He said the number is from unexpected legal fees from the ordinance for the Edgecomb Fire Department in 2023 and 2024.
“I want to be transparent about the figures,” Maxim said.
The budget for the planning board and the ordinance review committee totals $8,900, an increase of $2,420 or 37.35%. The animal control officer will no longer be contracted through the town, Maxim said. Similar to most towns throughout the county, he said Edgecomb decided to contract with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
One of the largest percentage increases can be seen in the budget for the waterfront committee, which totals $9,241, up $2,725 or 41.8%. Willauer is the deputy harbor master and tried to decrease the amount at the public hearing, but the time was too late. Maxim said if voters were to turn down this budget line, it would revert to $0.
The public safety budget totals $396,174.47, an increase of $17,186.47 or 4.53%. The largest increase withi
this overall budget is seen in the fire truck reserve fund, which totals $25,000, an increase of $5,000 or 25%.
The fire department salary budget totals $105,449.15, an increase of $9,727.15 or 10.16%. The fire department training budget totals $13,210.90, a decrease of $1,872 or 12.4%.
Other areas of the total budget include emergency management at $800, an increase of $100 or 14.29%; Central Lincoln County Ambulance Service at $86,685.41, an increase of $3,705.41 or 4.47%; cemeteries at $9,200, an increase of $600 or 6.98%; the fire department at $125,558, an increase of $1,250 or 1.01%; and health and sanitation at $188,888.82, a decrease of $1,341.18 or 0.71%.
Residents will vote on the annual town meeting warrant and consider whether to validate education budget at the polls on Saturday, May 16 at the Edgecomb town hall. Polls will be open from 1-7 p.m.
For more information, call 882-7018 or go to edgecomb.org.
