Woolwich selectmen reopened the 1837 Town House Wednesday evening, June 17, with an eye on the June 24 special town meeting to reconsider funding for Patten Free Library. The meeting will be held at Woolwich Central School on Nequasset Road at 6 p.m. 

Mike Field will serve as moderator.

Voters will decide between two articles. The first is to reconsider raising $80,108 requested by library officials and rejected at the April 29 annual town meeting. The other article would raise and appropriate $8,500 to purchase Patten Free library cards for residents unable to afford one. This option, passed by voters at the annual town meeting, was the result of a motion made by Selectboard Chairman David King Sr.  The decision to hold a special town meeting was in response to legal advice the board received from the town attorney and Maine Municipal Association.

The selectboard is asking voters to exercise decorum during discussion of the articles and has made arrangements to have a deputy from Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Department present. Voters wanting to comment will have two minutes, and voting will be by written ballot. A representative from Patten Free Library will be at the meeting to respond to questions. Selectman Allison Hepler told Wiscasset Newspaper she’d recently resigned as a Patten Free board of trustees member. Woolwich has been a financial supporter of the library at 33 Summer St. in Bath since 1971.  

The Special Events Committee provided a cake to mark the 26th annual reopening of the 1837 town house and celebrate America’s 250th birthday. “We began doing this in the year 2000 and have carried on the tradition by setting aside our second meeting in June to meet here,” said King. Before beginning the selectboard’s regular business, King shared some historical facts about the building that is on the corner of Old Stage and Dana Mills roads.  Woolwich held its annual town meetings here from 1838 until 1951.

In his bi-weekly report, EMS Director Danny Evarts said Natalie Wagurak recently received her Advanced EMT (emergency medical technician) license.  Evarts told selectmen June has started off as a busy month for first responders. The ambulance department has made 16 calls so far with 15 patients seen and 11 transported. “MC1 was called twice and we responded for mutual aid to Richmond once,” added Evarts.

Beginning July 1, Bath Fire & Rescue will be charging Woolwich 2.6% more for mutual aid calls. In a letter to the selectboard, Bath Fire Chief Lawrence Renaud stated the rate will increase from $476 to $488 when emergency services are rendered.  If Bath EMS is dispatched and no emergency services are rendered, the rate charged will increase from $238 to $244 per call.

Woolwich Fire Chief Shaun Merrill said the fire department has responded to nine calls so far this month; three new firefighters have completed their structural fire training.

Selectman Tommy Davis said he was still awaiting word from Maine Department of Transportation officials concerning a safety audit of town roads. One area of concern is the intersection of Route One and Mountain Road alongside Montsweag Flea Market. Although the junction has a blinking, yellow caution light, this hasn’t prevented a number of traffic accidents over the years.

The selectboard approved a request from Road Commissioner Jack Shaw to use $25,000 from the Local Road Assistance Program for road repairs.

Debbie Locke said “Woolwich Day,” the town’s annual picnic, is Saturday, Aug. 8 beginning at 11:30 a.m. and concluding around 2. The event is held on the lawn between the municipal building and Woolwich Historical Society’s 19th century Farmhouse Museum. It features live music by the Montsweagers, free grilled hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, soft drinks, ice cream, cotton candy baked goods and more.