The Wiscasset Board of Selectmen met for the first time following the June 10 election Tuesday, June 17.
Selectmen William Barnes and Ben Rines Jr. have joined the board. The first order of business was to elect a chairman and vice chairman. The board elected Pam Dunning as the new chairman and Rines as vice chairman.
The selectmen appointed Rines to the Wiscasset Cemetery Committee, Selectman Jefferson Slack to the Wiscasset Investment Advisory Committee, and Barnes and Selectman Tim Merry to the committee to interview candidates for town committees.
The selectmen also nominated Rines as a candidate for the Maine Municipal Association’s Legislative Policy Committee, a position previously held by Dunning.
Liquor license
The selectmen unanimously approved a liquor license for the Lighthouse Lobster Shack, located at the Heritage Village on Route 1. Kelly Coady, of Boothbay, requested the license. The shack will serve beer and wine only, she said.
Tipping fee
The selectmen approved Transfer Station Superintendent Ron Lear’s recommendation to increase lumber tipping fees from 1 cent to 4 cents per pound. The increase will cover an increase in the amount the town pays to dispose of the lumber.
Paving
Interim Town Manager Don Gerrish told the selectmen the town will solicit bids for paving projects soon.
The town plans to pave approximately 13,200 feet of Willow Lane, 10,800 feet of Foye Road, and 3,200 feet of Old Bath Road from Beechnut Road to Old Stage Road, according to Wiscasset Road Commissioner Doug Fowler.
Fourth of July
Wiscasset’s Fourth of July celebration theme for 2014 is “You’re a Grand Old Flag.” The town is seeking organizations and businesses to enter floats and antique vehicles in the parade, Gerrish said.
Holiday plans include a parade at 10 a.m., a flag-raising ceremony at the waterfront, music by the Dyer Neck Gang from 8-10 p.m., and fireworks around 9 p.m.
Other business
Rines suggested that the board hold more meetings. “It will give the public an opportunity to get to know us, and for us to get to know each other,” Rines said.
Selectman Tim Merry said he had no objections to meeting every week if town business dictated it.
Gerrish suggested the selectmen hold a workshop to discuss their goals and other issues to determine how often the board needs to meet.
The selectmen currently meet the first and third Tuesday of each month. If the board met every week, the meetings might not be as long, Rines said.
The selectmen discussed the Airport master plan. The board will request another presentation of the master plan and the environmental assessment before taking a second vote on the plan.
The board deadlocked on the plan in a June 3 vote, 2-2, with one selectman absent.
Public comments
Wiscasset Budget Committee member Robert Blagden said an article on the town warrant allows the selectmen to spend much more money than should be allowed without voter approval.
Article 53 reads, “Shall the town authorize the transfer of all unexpended balances to fund balance and to authorize the overdrafts that may occur in the town operations in the budget to be taken from the fund balance and to authorize the selectmen to carry any unexpended balance as they deem advisable.”
Blagden asked the selectmen to remove the portion that authorizes them to “carry any unexpended balance as they deem advisable.” The selectmen agreed with Blagden’s suggestion.
Budget committee member Norman Guidoboni suggested to the selectmen that they should take a proactive approach in the development of the Mason Station property.
Next meeting
The selectmen will hold their next meeting at 7 p.m., Tuesday, July 1.
