Board zeroes out planning budget, then puts it back
Ben Averill, Wiscasset town planner. File photo
Ben Averill, Wiscasset town planner. File photo
The Wiscasset Board of Selectmen voted 3-2 to eliminate the planning department, then, after a lengthy discussion, voted, by the same margin to restore it.
The change would have eliminated Town Planner Ben Averill’s position, and done away with many of the administrative, economic development and grant work associated with his office. Last year, Averill brought in more than $100,000 in grant funds for economic development, and soils, water, and air testing at the land surrounding the former Mason Station.
The total cost for the planning department is $66,766.
During a look at the police budget, Selectman Larry Gordon wanted to know why the School Resource Officer is in the police budget instead of the school budget. Gordon was told that because the SRO is not a school employee, but a police employee, he needed police credentials rather than school credentials, and would be available to work for the police when school was not in session. The school rebates back to the town’s budget 10 months of the SRO’s salary, which appears in a line item in revenue.
“I don’t know why we need an SRO, anyway,” he said. “There should be people at the school who can deal with these problems.”
Selectmen’s Chair Judy Colby said the SRO is often someone students can talk to when they need help with issues such as bullying or problems at home.
“Back in the day, when there were men principals, we didn’t need this position,” Gordon replied. The rest of the board went silent.
“Moving on,” Colby said, “I move that we approve the budget for the police as is. The SRO is a separate line item and always has been.”
The board cut some funding for Wiscasset Municipal Airport, eliminated funds for LCTV, Maine public radio, and LifeFlight, and cut $300 from the grant to Midcoast Community Action, which operates Head Start, WIC nutrition programs and other programs designed to assist low-income residents, including heating assistance, emergency services for food, housing, and holiday programs, and parenting classes. The selectmen cut the budget for Winterfest’s fireworks, cut much of the contingency budget, trimmed funding to the EMS and fire departments, cut much of the Director of Public Works’ raise, held the transfer station funds at last year’s level, and cut shellfish funds with an expectation that licenses will cover the remaining funds.
Town Clerk Linda Perry explained the school budget validation timeline, and said the schools were following state rules. “The schools are not allowed to hold their meeting until 30 days after the April 14 deadline,” she said. “May 15 is actually the earliest date they could do it.” Perry said she would send absentee ballots, but that many of the school budget absentee ballots are never returned.
“I can make the ballots up now,” she said. “There won’t be any numbers on the ballots, so we can’t accept the ballots back until the validation meetings, when people will get a chance to see what the figures are.”
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