Seventy-five residents of Edgecomb spent three and a half hours on Saturday, May 11, in lively but civil debate on 58 warrant articles, ranging from Lincoln County Television's franchise fees to zoning changes.

After confirming Chip Griffin as moderator, participants lined up for the secret ballot, “To see if the Town will vote to support the maintenance of a Critical Access Hospital at St. Andrews Hospital in Boothbay Harbor.” The results were overwhelmingly in favor.

One budgetary issue was a reconstruction and paving loan the town proposed ($2,020,000, plus an additional $352,300 for paving certain of the dirt roads). This enterprise encountered no opposition. Everyone agreed on the need to bring roads up to standard and to institute a 10-year maintenance schedule.

The voluminous list of state-required school articles met little resistance, but much need for Superintendent Eileen King to untangle the elaborate language, to reassure the town the state was merely confirming the acceptance, by written ballot, of a number of budget items.

One might have expected fireworks over Edgecomb's fireworks ordinance, but it was passed with little debate, except for a few clarification of terms. Passage of the ordinance put the town in compliance with state regulations.

The hottest debate was a change in Edgecomb's land use ordinance, merging the two Marine Zones into one, 1,000 feet inland from the centers of the Damariscotta River Road and the combined lengths of Cross Point and Mill Roads along the Sheepscot River.  

In so merging, lot size requirements have been increased from one acre to two acres. Some feared this represented a taking of their property. Amanda Russell, a former Planning Board member, reviewed the history behind the original zoning map, while Barry Hathorne, currently on the board, defended the thinking behind this change, both advocating the greater protection of the town's rural values. The article was eventually approved.

Funding for the two libraries serving Edgecomb has long been an emotional issue, and so it proved at this town meeting. However, since the warrant article was worded “to see what sum,” it was amended to increase each contribution to $4,000, a total of $8,000.

The final article, the funding of social services, included the franchise fees for Lincoln County Television, for which the Budget Committee had recommended $0.

When LCTV Station Manager Mary Ellen Crowley came from behind her camera to make a passionate appeal, emphasizing the recent availability of Channel 7 on the Internet and therefore available to the whole town, it was acknowledged that the town must rethink its policy about the fees. However, the warrant article was cast in stone, and so approved.

The mood of the meeting was saddened by the news of David Boucher's death, and a prayer in his memory was observed.

Results of the town election confirm Jessica Chubbuck as selectman, Deb Boucher as tax collector, Claudia Coffin as town clerk and treasurer, Scott Griffin as road commissioner, Gretchen Burleigh-Johnson and Hathorne as planning board members and Stephanie Clifford as school board member.

Retiring Harbormaster Corning Townsend announced that Russell Sirois had accepted the harbormaster position.

Chip Griffin complimented the town on staying the course for three-plus hours without losing its collective temper, and recommended an essay by E. B. White on the subject of New England town meetings.

The Fire Department Auxiliary and the Edgecomb Eddy School students provided coffee and refreshments.