By Abigail W. Adams
Wiscasset selectmen present retired assessor’s agent Sue Varney with a copy of the 2014 town report at the selectmen’s meeting Tuesday, May 19. Selectmen dedicated the report to Varney (second from left) for her 37 years of service. Also pictured are selectmen Jeff Slack, Pam Dunning, Bill Barnes, and Ben Rines (left to right). |
Sue Varney was summoned from retirement to the Wiscasset Board of Selectmen meeting Tuesday, May 19, in addition to the wife and family of former Selectman William J. Curtis, to hear the dedication of the 2014 town report. Curtis, recognized in memoriam, and Varney were honored in the report for their dedication and service to Wiscasset.
Chair Pam Dunning read the dedications, with a quivering voice when Curtis’ service was remembered. Curtis served as a selectman, volunteer firefighter, and former director of the Wiscasset Ambulance Service.
“It was a real privilege to serve on the board with Bill,” Dunning said.
Varney was recognized for her 37 years of service to Wiscasset in positions that included acting town manager, deputy town clerk, E-911 addressing officer, assessors’ agent, and human resources director before her recent retirement.
“That dedication was with true sincerity,” Dunning said. “I can’t believe how much you’ve done for the town.”
In other business, selectmen approved the ratio declaration and homestead reimbursement application, a tax exemption application to Maine Revenue Services, which, selectmen joked, was the reason Varney was summoned to the meeting.
Selectmen signed the Wiscasset School Department warrant to be voted on by residents at the school’s budget meeting Wednesday, May 27 at 6 p.m. in the Wiscasset High School library.
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Dorothy Curtis (second from left), William J. Curtis’s wife, is presented with a copy of Wiscasset’s 2014 town report, which was dedicated to William J. Curtis in memoriam. |
Selectmen denied two temporary
business license requests for the town common. Juanita Greenleaf submitted an application to sell hot dogs, soda, chips, and candy on the common. Lisa Fourre submitted an application to conduct Tarot readings on the common.
“The town common is a special place,” Selectman Ben Rines said. “I don’t think it should be a place for people to hawk their wares.” Selectmen agreed and cited their decision at the previous selectmen’s meeting to deny a rotary club’s application for a sign advertising the e-waste collection in Damariscotta.
Selectmen said they would be in support of the temporary businesses’ licenses if they were located near the pier.
Waste hauler permits were approved for Giles Rubbish and Pine Tree Waste. Bids on replacing the aluminum ramp at Ferry Landing were also opened. Kevin Verney, of Damariscotta, submitted the only bid for the work for $14,058.
Wiscasset Harbor Master Dan Bradford was on hand to hear the bid, but it was uncertain if the harbor master’s budget would cover the cost of the work, which must be completed or the ramp will need to be taken out of service, Bradford said.
The town manager and the harbor master will review the budget and make a recommendation to selectmen on the bid.
Selectmen heard a recap of the Maine Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss Mason Station’s appeal of an order for the company to pay
approximately $850,000 in back taxes to Wiscasset. According to Anderson, the town’s council plans to meet with selectmen to determine if the town will move forward with litigation to collect the unpaid property taxes.
Wiscasset department heads will be meeting with three vendors to discuss upgrading the town website. Anderson instructed department heads to come up with a list of improvements they would like to see to their respective pages on the town’s website, such as scheduling appointments and filing applications online.
Wiscasset is also moving forward with live streaming its government meetings on its website. Town
Manager Marian Anderson said software known as Virtual Town Hall will enable Wiscasset to live-stream government meetings with amenities that include remotely controlling the recording schedule.
The selectmen considered a proposal from the Lincoln County Historical Association to display the Boston Post Cane at the old county jail museum on Federal Street. Selectmen were in favor of the proposal, but wanted to ensure insurance coverage on the cane before removing it from the town office.
Selectmen also discussed resurrecting the tradition of presenting the Boston Post Cane to the oldest resident in Wiscasset.
