It's been the budget season without an end. And it's not over yet, Wiscasset.

An October 8 town meeting is now planned to settle issues surrounding the failed assessing budget. Those include paying laid-off assessors' agent Sue Varney $67,339 in severance; and funding software and other costs for assessing work that will fall to selectmen, as the town's assessors.

The duties will amount to about 10 hours' work a week for each selectman, board members said. Board Vice Chairman Judy Colby and Chairman Ed Polewarczyk planned to meet with Varney on Thursday, Sept. 19, for guidance. Varney's last day is Friday, Sept. 20, Town Clerk Laurie Smith said.

Selectmen said a phone message will inform callers the assessing position is gone as a result of a town vote, and provide an email address for assessing questions.

The board voted to pay Varney $8,282 of her severance now from contingency money, as a show of good faith; board members discussed restoring that money to contingency after town meeting, set for 7 p.m. October 8, at Wiscasset Middle School.

Selectmen also discussed possibly asking voters to fund a partial year for Varney to work. Colby opposed the idea, saying the two losing votes in June and September show voters don't want to fund the position this year.

“They said no twice. The people have spoken,” Colby said.

The board will draft the money questions at its 5 p.m., September 24 meeting at the municipal building. Budget committee members said they could meet September 26 to make their recommendations; the board would sign the town meeting warrant September 27.

In another development Tuesday, a pair of residents turned in a petition for a recount of the September 10 vote for the planning budget that passed by a single vote.

Town Clerk Christine Wolfe planned to hold the recount Wednesday, Sept. 18. A democrat and a republican would be there as she hand-counted each ballot, she said.

A machine did the original count; the biggest chance for any votes to change would probably be if any had the circles filled in very faintly, Wolfe said. The machine could have read those as blanks.

Budget Committee Chairman Bob Blagden said he and committee member Bill Barnes submitted the petition as residents, not on behalf of the committee. The panel had opposed the planning budget.

Town Planner Misty Parker declined comment on the recount petition. The planning budget includes her job.

Board recommends bonding school district withdrawal

Selectmen voted to recommend residents fund the school district withdrawal by taking out a bond. They opposed the option that got onto the ballot by citizens' petition, to fund withdrawal from the town's reserve money.

Resident and former Wiscasset school board vice chairman Doug Smith was involved in the petition. He told selectmen Tuesday, the proposal’s intent is to offer voters a way to exit the Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit without it taking a tax hike to do it.

Voters will decide the funding questions on November 5, the same day they choose whether or not to go through with the withdrawal.

Art walk to go on in 2014

The popular Wiscasset Art Walk that wraps up later this month will be back next year. On Tuesday, selectmen gave the Wiscasset Art Walk Committee permission to use town properties for the 2014 season. This year's final installment is Thursday, Sept. 26, from 5 to 8 p.m.

Susan Johns can be reached at 207-844-4633 or susanjohns@wiscassetnewspaper.com