The Waldoboro Board of Selectmen and Budget Committee were unable to reach consensus, July 12, on adjustments to four warrant articles that failed at the polls earlier this year.
Selectmen had approved four proposals to put before voters on a Sept. 11 special election referendum ballot.
The Budget Committee approved the first proposal, to adjust the revenue estimate for Fiscal Year 2013 upwards by $40,000, by a vote of 5-3. The Selectmen’s proposal reflects new information from Emergency Medical Services Director Neil Lash. Town Manager John Spear said a new estimate shows a potential increase of up to $60,000 in revenues for out-of-town ambulance calls.
The committee rejected the board’s proposal to take $25,000 from the undesignated fund balance, in order to reduce the amount by which the town would override the levy limit set by state law, known as LD 1, by a vote of 6-2.
The proposal to adjust the expenditure for maintenance of the A.D. Gray School building, from $14,600 to $1249, received Budget Committee approval, by a vote of 5-3. This change anticipates approval by citizens of a lease/purchase agreement with the Central Lincoln County YMCA.
A proposed budget of $246,914 for the Finance and Customer Service Dept. was also supported by the Budget Committee by a 5-3 vote.
After the committee’s decisions, the Board of Selectmen began a lengthy discussion about what changes they might make to gain unanimous approval from the Budget Committee. Much of the debate centered on whether the town should fund the detective’s position that is currently vacant in the Police Department.
Chief Bill Labombarde said a detective has made it possible for the department’s case clearance rate to improve from 8.5 percent, in 2007, to 40 percent as of 2011.
A motion from Cunningham, to eliminate funding for the position, failed by a vote of 3-2, with selectmen Steve Cartwright, Ted Wooster and James Bodman opposed.
The board also debated whether there should be any override of the state-imposed tax levy limit, with Chairman Craig Cooley and Selectman Carl Cunningham saying they would not agree to changes that would use additional monies from the undesignated fund balance to hold the budget below that limit.
A number of possible compromises were discussed, but in the end the board was deadlocked, with Chairman Cooley repeatedly asking for suggestions. Shortly before 9 p.m., Bodman made a motion to adjourn. That motion passed by a vote of 3-2, with Cooley and Cunningham opposed.
The Board of Selectmen will approve the final warrant for the Sept. 11 special town meeting referendum vote, when they meet Tues., July 24. For more information, call the Waldoboro Town Office at 832-5369.
A complete story will follow in the next print edition of The Lincoln County News.
