Wiscasset’s Budget Committee wants a better idea from selectmen on a time frame for formulating the 2018-19 town budget. The committee met Dec. 13 in the hearing room.

During the 40-minute discussion, the committee noted it would also need to know if Town Manager Marian Anderson planned to hold a second meeting with department heads to discuss additional budget reductions.

Last month, Anderson shared a list of $431,107 in possible budget reductions; selectmen had asked her to find $500,000 to cut.

The list included cutting $67,800 from community organizations, but Budget Committee member Zach Gray said it was pretty clear from the selectmen’s Dec. 5 meeting, funding for Wiscasset Public Library wouldn’t be trimmed. By a large margin last June, voters approved a $62,250 library contribution.

Chairman Will Laliberte commented the final decision on next year’s warrant rests with voters.

Committee member Judy Flanagan pointed out the monetary amounts voters would consider in individual articles were what the select board chose to include. “What I heard from our joint meeting with them was that this list of reductions was simply a draft – a starting point from which to work from.”

It was decided Laliberte will ask Anderson the committee’s questions.

Before the meeting adjourned, Flanagan said she wished the town had continued LCTV funding so that select board and other meetings could be televised. “People have told me they miss watching these meetings,” she said. 

Committee member Fred Quivey said he’d watched some of the YouTube programming of select board meetings. He found it to be somewhat lacking. The town is not paying for the service.

The committee’s next regular meeting is at 6 p.m., Jan. 10.