A  town meeting brought out a dozen citizens to vote on the Secondary School and Adult Education warrant on May 4 at Damariscotta Town Hall.

The 13 participants unanimously supported all 17 articles, which included adult education, regular 9-12 instruction, special education, career and technical education, student and staff support, administration, and transportation and buses.

In addition to the Essential Programs and Services budget of $989,502.55, part of which is offset by a state match of $50,381.40, the town also agreed to additional funds that are above and beyond the EPS basic funding requirement in the amount of $669,161.33. This was largely because special education needs and transportation exceeded the state’s required or allowed secondary tuition formula.

In total, the school budget request for secondary and adult education was $1,773,045.28. The sum was approved unanimously.

The expected amount for Great Salt Bay School is an increase of 1.71 percent for Damariscotta.  This is still an estimate. It will be finalized at a meeting at Great Salt Bay School on May 17 at 6 p.m., and then will be validated at town meeting on June 14.  The estimated amount is below the two-percent increase target the school was attempting to meet.

Selectmen also held a public hearing on the annual town warrant as well as liquor and entertainment license renewals for Schooner Landing and King Eider’s Pub. All three items then passed in unanimous votes.

Selectman Robin Mayer announced that she had received a letter from Greg Latimer, announcing that owing to a lack of volunteers, his group would not be holding the Pirate Rendezvous this year, but would plan for a bigger event in 2017.

There will be a final public hearing on the proposed sign ordinance on May 18 at 6 p.m. It was included in the town warrant with the caveat that if issues arose during this public hearing, it might be pulled from the warrant, but that was not expected. 

Town Manager Matt Lutkus announced that the volunteer reception, which had been tentatively scheduled for June 15 before town meeting, would be postponed until later in the summer.

He also said that he had attended some meetings with a group of businesses in the northern end of Damariscotta to discuss economic development. Several are in need of Phase III power, and others need town water service, all of which carry a heavy price tag. Lutkus suggested considering a tax increment financing district (TIF) to help the businesses finance their utility needs. TIF funds could also be used to improve other facilities and programs, and would shelter some town revenues from being considered for revenue sharing and school matching funds.

Lutkus said the town had received an ASK grant to help create a Business Improvement District for the downtown area. He is also applying for a Coastal Communities Grant of up to $30,000 to identify the town’s flood resiliency, with an eye toward getting Army Corps of Engineers funding or Federal Emergency Management Agency funding to help with known flooding issues on the waterfront.