An Edgecomb resident wants to increase the number of selectmen. David Nutt, who serves on the planning board and website committee, believes the three-person select board is too small.

He proposed increasing the number from three to a five-person board during the Nov. 23 selectmen’s meeting. Nutt believes the three-person board makes governing a small town difficult.

“All you need is two members in agreement and they can run amok of the agenda,” Nutt said. “It also restricts what selectmen can talk about outside of a meeting. You two (Selectmen Jack Sarmanian and Mike Smith) can’t talk about any town business outside of a meeting. I think that’s wrong. I believe plenty of good business can be done off campus.”

This is not the first time Edgecomb has considered expanding the number of selectmen. Voters defeated a similar proposal several years ago, according to Smith. The first-year selectman supported the measure in the past.

“I agree with you, but I think the change should be initiated by the public, not the selectmen,” Smith said.

Changing the number of selectmen requires a town vote. The measure can be placed on the town warrant by the selectmen. It can also qualify for the warrant through a citizens’ petition. A petitioner needs signatures from 10 percent of voters at the last municipal election.

The 2015 municipal election had 223 voters. Nutt indicated he’d circulate the petition calling for a five-member board of selectmen.

“I got four people at home all ready to sign it,” he said.

In other action, the selectmen voted to invite two guests to their next meeting. The board will invite the town’s representative to Boothbay Region Refuse Disposal District Curt Crosby and State Representative Stephanie Hawke (R-Boothbay Harbor).

Crosby was nominated to the district’s board of directors this summer. The selectmen want to discuss the district’s upcoming budget.

“This is Curt’s first budget and we want to let him know what to expect,” Smith said.

The selectmen invited Hawke to ask questions about the next legislative session, which begins in January. Smith is concerned about the state’s long-term plan for regulating traffic along U.S. Route 1 and state Route 27. He plans on asking about the state Department of Transportation plans for handling future additional traffic in the Boothbay region.

“The (Coastal Maine) Botanical Gardens plan to attract 100,000 more visitors in the next 12 years. That means there will be 250,000 visitors a year down this road,” Smith said. “This road can’t handle that much traffic. I wonder what the state is doing about it?”

The selectmen will meet next at 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 7 in the municipal building.