Voters will have the opportunity to elect two Edgecomb residents to two seats on the Edgecomb Select Board during a special election on Saturday, April 15.
Frances C. Mague is running for the seat formerly occupied by board Chair Dawn Murray, who resigned in December. The seat’s term expires May 20.
Lyndyn C. Norgang is running for the select board seat set to expire in 2025. Ted Hugger, who currently holds the seat, is moving out of Edgecomb, making him unable to hold the position.
Both candidates are running unopposed. Polls will be open from 1-7 p.m. at the town hall.
Also on the ballot is a warrant article asking residents to grant the harbor master the authority to spend $2,310 from the Edgecomb Waterfront Committee Fund for operational expenses related to mooring mapping technology and to purchase a no wake buoy/tackle.
Board Chair Mike Smith said the funds were already available, but there was no language in the warrant article from last year’s annual town meeting that gave the harbor master permission to spend the funds.
A public hearing is set for 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4 at town hall to give residents a chance to discuss giving the harbor master authority to spend the funds.
In other news, during the meeting Smith announced the town is seeking input from residents on how the town should spend the remaining funds available from the American Rescue Plan Act. According to Smith, approximately $25,000 is available for the town to spend.
“The board would love for input from the town,” Smith said.
Smith said the board has been considering using the funds to pay the fire department for the work they did over the COVID-19 pandemic or pay for renovating town hall. Smith said there are a lot of options for the town to use the funds.
“The guidelines are very generous,’ Smith said.
The town has until Dec. 31, 2025, to spend the funds, according to Smith.
Residents can call Smith at 882-7290 or email him through the town’s website edgecomb.org.
Smith informed attendees the ongoing dispute between the select board and resident Timothy Harrington over Freedom of Access Act request has ended. Town lawyer Ben McCall informed the board following a hearing at the Lincoln County Superior Courthouse on Tuesday, March 7. Harrington did not attend the hearing, leading to the dismissal of the case.
Since August, Harrington has been issuing Freedom of Access Act request to the town over information regarding whether or not Old Town Road was considered private property.
The hearing scheduled for Tuesday was set to discuss whether or not Harrington had received all the documents he requested from the town as part of the Freedom of Access Act requests. Harrington had claimed he did not receive all the documents he requested. Smith said the town provided Harrington with the documents he requested.
According to Smith the town received a new Freedom of Access Act request from resident Tori Anny Colby regarding how much money the town has spent in legal fees. Smith said he spoke with Colby over the request and an agreement was made to wait until after the April 15 election when the board is expected to seat two new members.
The next Edgecomb Select Board meeting is set for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21 at town hall.
