Wiscasset voters rejected the Wiscasset Board of Selectmen’s proposal to repeal the historic preservation ordinance, 536-437, on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 7.
The voters also overwhelmingly approved a proposal, the result of a citizen’s petition, to use the balance of the 2017-2018 planning department budget to reduce taxes. The vote is the latest reversal regarding the position of town planner.
Historic Preservation Commissioner Susan Blagdon said she “couldn’t be more pleased” regarding the decision to keep the ordinance. She said the wording of the article was not clear, and she is glad voters were able to “see through the confusion.”
The article to repeal the ordinance read as follows: Shall the Town enact an ordinance entitled “An Ordinance Repealing Section 10, the Historic Preservation Ordinance and the Historic Overlay Map, of the town of Wiscasset’s Zoning Ordinance” thereby ratifying the procedures used for such repeal?”
In other matters, the voters approved the transfer of up to $96,690.75 from the Capital Equipment Reserve Account to buy a 2013 Ford ambulance, 676-330.
Voters approved an amendment to the shellfish conservation ordinance 766-223. The amendment to the ordinance authorizes the selectmen to set license fees and eliminates the current fee schedule from the ordinance.
