Wiscasset voters were mostly in a giving mood, passing all but three articles on the town’s 61-article annual town meeting warrant June 12.
Article 4, a citizens’ petition article authorizing the town to file a petition for withdrawal with Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit 12 Board of Directors, form a committee to negotiate and investigate withdrawal and raise and appropriate $55,000 to fund the endeavor passed by 104 votes, 397-293.
The culmination of months of debate, the vote sets a up a second, future vote that will ultimately determine whether or not Wiscasset stays in or exits RSU 12.
An article authorizing the board of selectmen to sell the former Wiscasset school superintendent’s office and a portion of the land located at 214 Gardiner Rd. passed overwhelmingly, 555 to 129.
Among the rejected articles, Wiscasset voters vetoed a proposed $54,996 budget article funding Code Enforcement (354 opposed versus 315 in favor), and rejected an article seeking to raise and appropriate $60,000 for contingency purposes.
Article 45, which bundled together capital improvements for administration (computer upgrades), EMS (ambulance, cardiac monitors), Harbormaster (commercial pier debt), parks and recreation (pool blanket), and police (police cruiser), and public works (dump truck and road paving) passed narrowly, 346 to 331.
This article was intensely debated between the selectmen and the budget committee. The budget committee was adamant that the items be listed separately so that the citizens could vote for each item separately.
Voters also declined to raise and appropriate $7000 for Lincoln County Television, Wiscasset’s local public access station.
Article 55, which asked if the town should accept from Central Maine Power Company a deed to real estate, which includes a dam on Montsweag Brook, with funds of $100,000 for the real estate’s improvements, passed by a large margin 437 to 221. At previous meetings, some selectmen expressed their concerns about the potential costs of taking responsibility for the property, citing the difficulty of getting any equipment into the area.
In municipal election results, Wiscasset voters re-elected selectmen Judith Colby (366 votes) and Edward Polewarczyk (396 votes) and elevated Jeff Slack (364) to his first three-year term. Incumbent David Nichols’ bid for reelection was unsuccessful. Nichols’ 258 vote total trailed all candidates including fourth place finisher Jason Downing, who drew 337 votes.
In other results, in write-in decisions, voters elected Richard Hanson, Carla Chapman and Neil Page to three-year terms on the budget committee with 11, 12 and six votes respectively.
Voters also elected Clifford Hendricks to a one-year term on the board with 516 votes.
Wenonah Wirick received 13 write in votes to gain election to a three-year term on the RSU 12 Board of Directors, Gerald Bailey Sr., was elected to the same body for a two-year term with 469 votes.
Phil Device was elected to a three-year term as a Water District Trustee with 549 votes. Edward Kavanagh was elected to one-year term as a Water District Trustee with 545 votes.
In other items on the ballot, voters gave the green light to the Tax Collector to enter into a standard agreement with taxpayers establishing a “tax club” payment plan. This club was set up both to assist taxpayers in keeping up with their property tax payments, as well as will help the town have a more positive cash flow throughout the year.
Voters passed all of the ordinances, which were amended so as to expand the commercial district to the south side of Rt. 1 to correspond with the north side of Rt. 1. It also expands the district to the Woolwich town line. The Village 1 district provides a mixed use area that allows for residential and nonresidential uses.
