The Edgecomb selectmen have a two-pronged plan to pay the town’s short term municipal bills.

The first part of the plan was to send out the tax bills 2 to 3 weeks earlier than usual in hopes property owners would make prompt payments. 

The tax bill were sent out on July 23. Selectman Jack Sarmanian said the property owners received the bill as soon as the next day.

The second part of the plan calls for the selectmen to use a tax anticipation note to cover expenses. If tax revenues don’t come quickly, the selectmen may use a $500,000 tax anticipation note. On July 28, the selectmen voted 2-0 to accept to accept The First Bank’s 1.44 percent bid on the TAN. The town will pay interest only on the portion used.

The selectmen are unable to cover short term expenses with surplus funds. The town used over $435,000 of surplus in the previous two years to offset its tax commitment. Sarmanian said the town would likely only use a portion of the TAN.

“We may not even need it,” Sarmanian said. “But if the tax receipts are slow coming in then we’ll have enough to cover our bills until they do.”

Edgecomb will pay interest only on the amount used. The town must also pay the note back by July 31, 2015.

In other action, Sarmanian and Selectman Jessica Chubbock discussed hiring a new recording secretary. The selectmen met with Sherry Tibbetts who works 20 hours per week as a Southport administrative assistant. She also keeps the minutes for the town of Boothbay selectmen’s meetings, according to Sarmanian.

The board will make a decision on whether to hire her after consulting with Selectman Stuart Smith, who was absent.

Sarmanian said if all goes to plan Tibbetts would start working as the town’s recording secondary this fall.

“We had a good conversation with her. It looks like if everything goes right she’ll start in September,” he said. “We still have to talk to Stuart, but  I think she’ll be a pretty good fit for us.”

The selectmen ended the meeting by going into an executive session. Sarmanian said the session was requested by Fire Chief Roy Potter to discuss a personnel issue.

The next selectmen’s meeting will be at 6 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 11 in the municipal building. The public is welcome.