A revised Wiscasset highway department budget proposal totaling $672,550 prompted emotional exchanges from selectmen and public, pro and con, at the regular Tuesday selectmen’s meeting.
Voters will decide on the board approved budget proposal at a Sept. 8 referendum.
The arguments centered on one item: A new hire and funding that would allow for sharing a halftime worker with the transfer station as has been done in the past, according to new road commissioner Greg Griffin.
“We can use a new man,” Griffin said after being asked if he really needed one.
With the increase, the budget totals $5000 less than the amount the budget committee recommended but more than the selectmen recommended without a new hire.
Griffin faced the challenge of presenting a new proposal (since both alternative articles failed in the June referendum) knowing what the reaction would be Tuesday night.
Selectman Chairman Bob Blagden, among the most vocal over the issue, objected to the increase in the salary line to $189,860 from the proposal offered in the June referendum even though it represents only a $10,000 increase for the part-time shared position. He voted against the proposed amount in a 4-1 decision favoring the increase.
“You didn’t want to hire one man when I asked for one last winter and now you have one and a half persons in the budget and nobody bats an eye,” Blagden said. “Explain it, please.”
The increase would also cover an increase in the original proposed salary of $12.75 per hour, with the rationale it might be difficult to hire someone for that amount.
Town Manager Arthur Faucher said the economy turned sour about the time Blagden asked for another man to replace Ron Lear who accepted the position of transfer station supervisor last year and people want to freeze everything.
Faucher argued the board makes the final decision and the board did not want to hire the person Blagden requested even though there was money in the highway department budget at the time.
Faucher also said Blagden originally agreed to a halftime person to be shared with the transfer station but then later changed his mind and wanted a fulltime worker to be with the highway department only.
Several members of the public spoke about the issue including members of the budget committee who originally supported a new hire.
During the highway budget discussion, budget chairman Steve Mehrl asked about the snow plowing for the schools, which he said to date does not appear on the Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit (RSU 12) revised budget.
The board transferred the school property to the RSU last week and a member said the town no longer has any responsibility to take care of that task.
Selectman Bill Curtis suggested sending the RSU a list of things the town will and will not do under the new consolidation plan into which Wiscasset entered, effective July 1.
Riverbank hearing Thursday
The board mentioned the proposed Riverbank Energy Center deepwater electric project hearing this Thurs., July 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Wiscasset primary school gym, preceded by transportation to the proposed site on Point East land off Ferry Road at 4 p.m.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requires a public hearing for the proposal before the application can move ahead in the permitting process.
During the board meeting Tuesday, resident Larry Lomison cautioned people to be aware that the company has to do some blasting to create a water reservoir for the technology Riverbank will use to generate electricity. He said the town has no ordinance regulating the use of explosives and lacks other in-place protections.
Main Street Pier policies
Waterfront committee chairman Matt Corwin presented proposed changes to the existing policies for use of Main Street (Creamery) Pier.
During the discussion, attention focused on electrical wiring issues. The board approved a suggestion from Selectman Pam Dunning to eliminate connections not in use and fix those that need fixing until the town can develop a plan to solve the problems after assessing the system there.
Local electrician Greg Curtis said he could do the work for $100-$200.
Curtis said it would cost an estimated $20-25,000 to redo the entire electrical system.
Harbormaster Peter Dalton recommended the project “if you want it done right.”
Corwin said the committee recommends expanding the amount of available space for the current five vendors to at least two more, along with a few other changes, to provide more flexibility in using the pier. He said other uses should be possible other than just food, art and crafts, and marine-related businesses.
