A slight drop in Woolwich’s tax rate means most homeowners will see a reduction in this year’s property taxes.

Tax bills will be in the mail by the end of the week.

Lynette Eastman, town administrator, said the rate fell from 14.30 to 14.20 per thousand. This means someone with a home, or property valued at $100,000 that paid $1,430 in property taxes last year, will pay $1,420 this year.

The lower rate was the result of several factors. Woolwich received a little more in state revenue sharing and education reimbursement, and the municipal budget was also little lower.

Selectmen said the drop in town spending was due mostly to savings anticipated in waste disposal costs resulting from the new pay-as-you-throw refuse program, which began in September. Selectmen had reduced that line of their budget by over $30,000. This year’s tax commitment is $4.91 million.

There will be a public hearing at 5:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 19 for discussion of the PAYT/WasteZero referendum question.

Selectmen approved the question that will appear at the polls Nov. 3. It reads: “Shall the Town repeal the “Pay as you throw” (PAYT) contract between the town of Woolwich, Maine and “WasteZero” – Waste trash metering service? (Yes/No)”

The referendum’s wording only differs slightly from the one petitioned by Don Adams and accepted by selectmen at a special meeting on Friday afternoon. (A story of that meeting appears at www.wiscassetnewspaper.com.) For the PAYT referendum to be held at the Nov. 3 General Election, selectmen needed to act on it 45 days prior to the election.

Herb Kahrl brought up several points concerning the referendum.

“It’s clear that a ‘Yes’ vote will void the contract with WasteZero, but that doesn’t mean an end to pay-as-you-throw,” he said. “The Solid Waste and Recycling Committee could do all the work of WasteZero with volunteers from town.”

Kahrl leads the town’s solid waste and recycling committee as chairman.

Selectmen had little to say in response. They hope to get additional clarification on the referendum’s meaning from their attorney. In the meantime, the town’s PAYT program is continuing. The orange WasteZero plastic bags for non-recyclable trash are being sold at the town office and a number of retail locations.

Earlier, Kahrl commended Chairman David King Jr. for his “thoughtful apology” to the townspeople after losing his temper at the Sept. 8 meeting during a heated discussion of the first PAYT petition rejected by selectmen.

Kahrl asked if selectmen might seriously consider implementing a policy that would require people who address the board to begin by first introducing themselves. At the very least they should give their name and address before speaking, he said. He urged selectmen to consider adopting such a policy.

Road Commissioner Jack Shaw said he’d like to look into having centerlines painted on George Wright Road and also Nequasset Road in the area of Woolwich Central School. The selectmen will leave this to the road commissioner’s discretion.

Three fire chief candidates were interviewed, but no finalist has been picked by the search committee. Background checks are in process.

Julia Gillespie, acting EMS director, said the new town’s ambulance has arrived (see related story in this edition or online). Gillespie said she hopes to have the new vehicle ready for service by the first part of October. The ambulance, a 2004 Ford TraumaHawk, was purchased for $27,000 from Harpswell Neck Fire and Rescue. Woolwich ambulance drivers Jennifer and Donny Munsey accompanied Gillespie Saturday to pick up the vehicle.

Gillespie thanked the town administrator for assisting with the necessary paperwork needed to finalize the purchase. Selectmen will bid out the current ambulance once the new one is ready for service.

Mike Sinton of Middle Road was reappointed as the town trustee to the Bath Water District. Sinton updated the board on the forest project and selective cutting around Nequasset Lake. This project and others are summarized in this year’s Woolwich Town Report.

The next regular meeting of the board of selectmen is 6 p.m., Oct. 5. The meetings are held in the hearing room of the municipal building on Nequasset Road.