Sarah M. Whitfield, James V. Andretta, William J. Maloney (Charlotte Boynton photos)
Wiscasset voters approved all the articles on the annual town meeting warrant with the exception of the harbor expansion project at the polls on Tuesday, June 14.
Voters said no to using $174,500 from the capital reserve account for the harbor expansion project 347-312. It was the only question on the town meeting warrant the Wiscasset Select Board and the budget committee disagreed on. The selectmen recommended the article with a 4-1 vote, the budget committee voted 7-0 opposing the question.
Wiscasset voters overwhelmingly voted to send Sarah Whitfield back for another two-year on the select board with 465 votes. William Maloney and James Andretta each received 335 votes and will serve with Whitfield along with Selectmen Dusty Jones and Terry Heller.
When results were announced, Maloney, who has run for the office for the past three years, said, “It’s about time.”
Jodi Hardwick and Jason Putman were elected to three-year terms on the Wiscasset School Committee. Ryan Demeny was elected to a two-year term on the Wiscasset Water District Board of Trustees.
The municipal budget approved by the voters consists of the following administration, $198,940; airport, $90,521; animal control, $17,050; assessing, $7,244; boards and committees, $4,209; celebrations, $22,975; clerk, $98,739; code enforcement, $38,294; Wiscasset Public Library, $63,000; other community organizations, $8,737; contingency, $50,000; contractual services, $248,250; county tax, $704,459; debt services, $231,868; elections, $21,839; EMS, $759,533; fire department, $155,708, finance, $275,932; general assistance, $25,171; municipal building, $129,009; municipal insurance, $129,009; parks and recreation, $977,545; planning, $50,000; police, $674,035; school resource officer, $86,253; public utilities, $673,870; selectmen, $27,829; senior center, $13,183; shellfish, $4,186; transfer station, $724,084; and waterfront, $64,564.
The capital improvements approved by the voters include: public works plow truck, not to exceed $125,000; ambulance, $235,000; public works maintenance truck, $40,000; fire tanker truck, $400,000; capital roofing project for the community center, $80,000; capital roofing project for the sand and salt shed, $50,000; capital improvements to the municipal building, $313,500; municipal paving projects, $200,000; capital improvements and repairs to the wastewater plant, $209,000; and capital improvements and repairs to the municipally owned Sunken Garden, $15,000.
The wastewater treatment plant operating budget of $846,942 was appropriated with the entire amount to come from departmental revenues and surplus. This approval would indicate the voters agree with a 46% increase in the sewer rates beginning July 1 in order for the town to reach the revenue goal for the entire operating budget. In past years the revenues have not met the total budget with deficits up to $200,000.
The question to raise and appropriate $86,253 for the school resource position was approved by a 493-163 vote. The appropriation will be partially offset by a $60,000 grant from the Wiscasset School Department.
