The five candidates for two seats on the Wiscasset Select Board appeared at Wiscasset Newspaper’s candidates’ night Friday, March 19, and discussed a wide range of issues affecting the town. Appearing were Kim Andersson, Glen Craig, David Cherry, Katharine Martin-Savage and Bob Blagden. Moderating the event was Assistant Editor Susan Johns. Editor Kevin Burnham kept track of candidates’ time. Despite the beautiful weather, about 30 citizens came to the Wiscasset Elementary School cafeteria to hear the candidates’ views.

The first question involved economic growth. Andersson she thought the biggest problem was a lack of information between town departments and committees. “Get everyone to work together,” she said. “And we need to help facilitate conversations that don’t always happen. Almost everyone involved is a volunteer, and they’re busy.” She discussed Peregrine Turbine Technologies which recently moved to the former Point East buildings near Mason Station. “They’re an example of what we want, and we have to do what we can to help them stay in Wiscasset and bring more companies like them in.”

Craig said taxes are a burden of “misunderstanding how they are collected and allocated.” He said there is enough money to pay for town services, but Wiscasset has to reach out to companies that would like to stay in town but are drawn away to other towns by tax deferrals or other benefits.  Craig also said voters need to be informed and be very clear about what is on the ballot when they go to the polls.

Cherry said there are a number of challenges in Wiscasset, notably a lack of broadband. “It is something we are going to need, and there are businesses who can’t function without it.” He also referred to Peregrine, saying the company represented “revolutionary change” in a new product with forward-thinking capabilities. He said getting Peregrine’s manufacturing facility in Wiscasset would be a major focus. “It would support many kinds of workers. High-end management and white collar engineering, as well as blue collar manufacturing.” Cherry also said the town needs to bolster and reinforce schools and education.

Martin-Savage said the goal should be collaboration among the select board, the planning board, and the school committee. “Our town planner has done a good job, and we need more help from him to bring in more business,” she said.

Blagden said taxes are standing in the way of economic development. He referenced Mölnlycke, a medical supply manufacturer in Wiscasset and Brunswick that was able to stay in town through a tax increment financing arrangement voters approved. The company added about 30 people in Wiscasset with wages beginning at $17 per hour, but many more work at the Brunswick site, in part because of ongoing tax benefits to the company.

The next question asked candidates what, if anything, they would propose changing about the Maine Department of Transportation downtown improvement project.

Craig said Wiscasset had already voted and the town needed to quit dragging its feet. “We’ve been saying for a hundred years we needed a bypass. Now outside influences – a minority with no skin in the game – are creating a wave of dissent.”

Cherry said he had no problems with how MDOT is handling it at all, and that the department has been very receptive to citizens’ concerns. “But remember, they own Route One. They didn’t have to ask for our input, but they did, and they’ve made some changes because of citizens’ issues.”

Martin-Savage said her biggest concern was that Project Manager Ernie Martin said there would be a lot of room for negotiation and compromise. “Take the Haggett building,” she said. “We’ll get 24 parking spaces if we knock down the building, but 20 spaces if the building is left in place. I think we could save the building, which some people seem to want, and get along without four parking spaces.”

Blagden said he has misgivings, and that tearing down the Haggett building would rob the town of tax income. However, there were a lot of things he liked, including the Railroad Avenue and Main Street Pier parking decisions. “We need to make it as close to what we want as it can be,” he said.

Andersson said she really believed that the downtown area needed a public restroom. “The Haggett Garage will yield 30 parking spaces, and leave a space for a restroom,” she said. She also said parking is necessary on both sides of Route One to make the system work. She said MDOT has been very patient during the process. She is also concerned about the sidewalks, where it is currently difficult to negotiate a baby carriage or a wheelchair along the road. She also said there is an option to bring in parking revenue by allowing residents to have stickers and have visitors pay for parking.

In the second round, there was a great deal of agreement among the candidates on both questions.

The first question, “A friend of yours is house-hunting in the area. They ask if they should look in Wiscasset. What do you advise them, and please elaborate,” met with unqualified agreement. Every candidate said they would encourage a friend to settle in Wiscasset, praising the town’s qualities and people. Several said they had already encouraged friends to settle in Wiscasset.

The second question, “What should Wiscasset do, if anything, to alter the Historic Preservation Ordinance,” also met with consensus. Several candidates said the ordinance needs a complete rewrite, or should be repealed altogether. If kept, all agreed the commission should be a part of the Planning Board with advisory capacity only. Martin-Savage said, “I feel badly that the commission gives people such a hard time. It seems like an unfriendly method of operation.”

In the third round, candidates were asked where, if anywhere, they would support consolidation in the municipal government. Blagden suggested the Roads Department and Public Works; Andersson said she would encourage combining public transportation – such as the airport and the harbor – into a single department. Craig said he is in favor of the school committee and select board remaining separate, but he didn’t have enough information on municipal departments to comment yet. Cherry said Roads and Public Works, and possibly EMS and Fire, with cross training going on between the two departments. Martin-Savage said Public Works, including the roads, transfer station, and sewage treatment plant, could all be a single department.

Candidates were also asked about the footbridges to White’s Island, and all were in favor of access, but had different opinions on how to finance the work, which is expected to be $400,000 to $600,000, according to Cherry. Andersson suggested MDOT might be appealed to to assist with some of the cost. Martin-Savage said that it should be a priority for fundraising and grant funding.

A third question asked if they would propose any changes to selectmen’s meetings. Craig said he would like to see greater public comment time; Cherry said he would like to have streaming internet or cable access recording, or possibly both; Andersson said documents should be available in limited quantities at the meetings so people could follow along with the agenda.

To the question of what is their favorite local, annual event, Cherry and Martin-Savage said the Fourth of July; Blagden said town meeting; Andersson said the tree lighting; and Craig said Halloween.

The newspaper also posed audience members’ submitted questions. Most candidates said that they would leave the issue of whether or not the town continued to need two schools to the school committee at some future time, but none thought it was necessary to close the elementary school yet. On the issue of raising revenue without increasing taxes, Blagden said charging for services tended to become another tax; Andersson said off-shoring costs – such as renting out boat slips in a town marina or upgrading the airport to include development near the airport – would charge mostly visitors, and she was in favor of that; Craig said it was necessary to enhance what the town already has; Cherry said business development was the key; and Martin-Savage said she would be in favor of doing more with the waterfront to attract visitors.

Each candidate then spoke about the skills that would assist them as a selectman. Cherry is a current selectman, and Martin-Savage and Blagden are former selectmen. Andersson said her background was in finance, and she would bring that skill to bear. Craig said he had been in business most of his life, and served on the school committee. Cherry is also a small business owner, and has a master’s degree in international affairs with a specialization in economic development; Martin-Savage said she had served on many boards, including the select board and Two Bridges Regional Jail Authority, but that her biggest skill was being a good listener; and Blagden said he had been a road commissioner and knew where to look for “hidden money.”

The candidates gave closing remarks. Craig said the difference between business and government is that business creates profits, and government collaboratively works with the profits of taxpayers. He said the budget needs to be reactive, not proactive. Cherry said being a selectman is a matter of public faith and trust. He said it is important to take a long term interest in the town, 10-20 years down the road.

Savage-Martin said she would do her very best to serve the people, listen to their concerns, and look at the big picture. She encouraged everyone to vote, regardless of whom they were voting for. Blagden said that in his opinion, the road to recovery is stable and lower taxes. He said, “If you want to pay higher taxes, I’m not your man.”

Andersson said she believes increasing revenue will lower the tax burden for everyone. She said that when she took out papers, she noted that selectmen are also “overseers of the poor,” and thought that was a great thing, because many people are struggling, and need someone to look out for their interests. She said planning and utilizing all the assets at the town’s disposal is the way to move forward.

The election is June 13. Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Wiscasset Community Center.