Wiscasset selectman will borrow $2 million from The First of Damariscotta to pay back the cost of withdrawing from Regional School Unit 12. The First was the lowest of three bidders offering a fixed 2.56 percent interest rate for 10 years. The bids opened by selectmen Tuesday night also included financing for 15 and 20 years but at a higher interest rate, 2.89 and 3.07, respectively. Selectmen will pay back the loan in quarterly payments.

Ben Rines Jr. told the Wiscasset Newspaper afterward he was relieved to have the loan settled. “When we first took this up a month ago we were looking at an interest rate of 3.5 percent. By putting it out to bid and getting a lower interest rate we’ve saved the town about $18,800 in interest over the term of the loan.” Rines added a special town meeting will still be needed to cover the first quarterly payment since the monies needed for the loan payment weren’t included in this year’s budget.

“We’re following through on the actions the town has taken as far as leaving the RSU. Within the next month we’ll meet with the budget committee and then hold the special town meeting,” he said.

Hesper relic spurs donation

Selectmen have accepted an offer by a Westport Island man to pay for the cost of restoring the bow section of the Hesper. E. Davies Allan notified the town manager he’d donate the funds needed for the restoration.

Selectmen recently agreed to offer Tech ed. students at Wiscasset Middle High School an opportunity to restore pieces of the former schooners, Hesper and Luther Little. This includes a length of bow section and other relics from the old ships that turned up at the landfill including a section of mast, iron fittings and bollards.

Allan, a marine contractor, has operated Chesterfield Associates on Westport Island’s upper West Shore Road since the mid-1980s. He told the newspaper Tuesday morning he made the offer because like a lot of other people he’d like to see Hesper’s bow section and other pieces of the old schooners restored and put on display.  Along with monies for the restoration, Allan said he’d also donate whatever equipment was needed to move the ships’ remains wherever the town wanted them.

School Spirit Challenge

Selectmen will lend their support to WMHS students in their “School Spirit Challenge,” a community-wide effort sponsored by Channel 13 to raise money for the Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine. WMHS is inviting everyone in the community to attend a pep rally on Jan. 22 from 6 to 8 a.m. to show their support for the cause.

“It brings us together as a community and gives us common cause,” Deb Pooler a WMHS staff member told selectmen. Pooler said area residents could drop off food or monetary donations for the School Spirit Challenge at the school. The challenge runs until Feb. 26.

Ambulance service update

Joe McCole gave selectmen his final report as interim ambulance director. McCole said  Wiscasset Ambulance Service continues to face some staffing challenges but the addition of per diem staff has helped. He added payments for ambulance services have improved since the billing system was streamlined. McCole said he’s enjoyed his tenure as interim director. “There’s still a lot to be done but I feel like the service is headed in the right direction.”

Selectman Judy Flanagan felt one area of concern was a letter sent to the Alna Board of Selectmen regarding residents there not paying for ambulance services. Flanagan said she understood and recognized the department’s concern but felt the way in which it was communicated could have been handled better.   

Fire truck and furnace needed

Fire Chief T.J. Merry asked selectmen if they’d consider purchasing a four-wheel drive 2002 Ford F-350 pickup from Alna Fire Department; cost, $7,500. Merry said the truck would replace the department’s brush truck that was taken out of service due to mechanical failure. He said the fire department doesn’t have enough money in its budget to purchase the truck.

Selectmen expressed unanimity in purchasing the truck but a motion by Selectman Jeff Slack to take monies from contingency to buy it failed 3-2. Selectmen Judy Colby, Flanagan and Rines were opposed, Selectman David Cherry supported the motion. At issue was whether the truck purchase would draw too much money from the contingency account. The concern was raised after the town manager told selectmen they needed to replace the furnace in the airport’s operations building. The airport budget couldn’t cover the expense, she said. In the end the board asked Merry to wait on the truck purchase until the town manager received an estimate on the furnace.

The town is currently advertising to fill four positions: a town planner, EMS director, town mechanic and harbormaster. The town manager noted the police chief was assembling a team to interview candidates for police sergeant.

The school committee provided selectmen with a list of tentative dates for discussion of the 2016-17 school budget. The first will be 5 p.m., Feb. 25 for an administrative budget presentation.

 Committee appointments

Selectmen made the following committee appointments: waterfront committee, Susan Robson; waterfront committee, planning board, Peter McRae; and H. Karl Olson, planning board and ordinance review committee. Openings are available on a number of other town committees including the budget committee. Residents interested in volunteering should contact the town office for details.