Meeting July 2, the Wiscasset Board of Selectmen agreed to send lay-off notices to all town departments whose budget failed to pass during the annual town meeting June 11. Notices will be sent to the planning, assessing and human resources departments, transfer station, and the code enforcement office.
According to Wiscasset Town Manager Laurie Smith, the selectmen confirmed their decision following an executive session to discuss labor negotiation Tuesday evening.
The voters will have an opportunity to vote on the budgets again Sept. 10. The selectmen are expected to make their final decision on what changes will be made to the budgets, if any, on July 16. The town is required, by the union contract, to give a minimum of a 30-day notice in the event of a lay-off. Should the budgets fail again, the town would have to follow through with the lay-offs of the departments the voters failed to approve.
The Wiscasset meeting room at the town office was filled to capacity with residents and business owners July 2 when the Wiscasset Selectmen, and the Wiscasset Budget Committee sat down at the table together to discuss the budgets that were reject on the June 11 vote.
During the three hour meeting the selectmen, the budget committee and members of the public were given the opportunity to speak on each rejected budget as well as the contingency, and capital improvement articles that also failed June 11.
Michelle Peele, owner of the Marianmade Flower Farm, on Sherman Lane in Wiscasset said, “I would not have started my business if it were not for Misty, She encouraged me, and was a cheerleader.. To say there is no growth, just look around, there is some real growth around Wiscasset,”
Gary Crosby, owner of the Market Place Mall, on Route 1, said, “You can’t grow if there is no one there to steer the ship.” In speaking about growth, Crosby pointed out he had invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in the business, and it has gown from 34 percent occupancy to 85 percent occupancy, With that growth, it has also increased employees from about 6 people to 36 people now employed in the area., “Please ask yourselves, if you eliminate the position ‘What do you do?”
The planning budget was supported by the selectmen, and they indicated there would be no changes in the numbers they will be presenting at the next vote. The planning budget of $75,968 was rejected by 74 votes in the June 11 election, 231 to 157.
Smith told the meeting there have been about 20 new or improved businesses in town since Parker has been the town planner.
Budget committee members recommended combining the administrative assistant’s position with the assessor’s job, but the selectmen said that could not be done because the administrative assistant’s position is a non-union job, and the assessor’s agent was a union position; therefore the two could not be combined into one position..
Wiscasset resident Richard Grondon asked if there had been any give or take in the assessor’s agent’s contract. Smith told him there had been some concessions. A less expensive health care plan for the town was accepted by the union. Also in the past when the assessor’s agent assumed the duties of the town manager, the agent was paid the wages of the town manager. Under the new contract the agent will be required to assume those duties without compensation.
Smith explained that the pay increase was the result of the union contract bringing the assessor’s agent salary in line with that of the treasurer, which should have been done years ago.
Selectman Judy Colby pointed out it will cost the town $68,000 if the town has to let the current assessor’s agent go. Colby was referring to the fact that the current assessor’s agent has been employed by the town for over 35 years; her vacation and severance package would amount to about that amount.
“About 400 voters are controlling the finances of this town, and that really irritates me,” Colby said. “This town is growing, and we need to grow with it.’
The proposed $74,719 assessing/human resource budget was rejected by 139 votes, 266 to 127.
Norm Guidoboni suggested eliminating a full-time person by attrition. Selectmen Chair Ed Polewarczyk asked how the town could do that with no one indicating they were leaving.
Budget committee suggested reviewing efficiencies at the transfer station to see where cuts could be made to lower the payroll line.
The transfer station budget failed by 25 votes on June 11, 206 to 181. The amount of the proposed budget was $542,123. The selectmen discussed taking the $30,000 out of the budget that had been put there to purchase the bags in the event the pay as you throw system was adopted. Since it was rejected it is no longer needed in the budget.
The selectmen agreed that would be a consideration when they negotiate with the union in 2018. The code enforcement budget of $43,126 was rejected on June 11 by 78 votes, 236 to 158.
Smith expressed concern about not bringing the question back because of the urgent need for the roof repair at the municipal building. She added there is some question if the $55,000 for the fire truck repair will be included in the next vote.