Selectmen on Tuesday approved Wiscasset EMS Director Toby Martin’s request to hire an additional staff member. By a 4-1 vote, Selectman Jeff Slack dissenting, the board approved taking $30,000 from ambulance revenues to fund the position.

Martin said the new staff member would start Jan. 1 and would enable the department to respond to calls now being covered by Bath Rescue. He estimated the cost would be offset in savings from what Bath charges and what Wiscasset is losing in missed calls. Martin added, a third staff member would also better meet the needs of the Wiscasset area.

Martin noted the department had earned 47 percent of its projected $325,000 in revenues for the fiscal year.

Police Chief Jeff Lange said the state needs a letter from selectmen if they plan to re-evaluate the Federal Street weigh limit. He said that under the ordinance, the weight limit applies to all vehicles, when the intent was only for commercial ones passing through town. Selectmen will ask the Ordinance Review Committee to draft an amendment to the ordinance. Selectmen also discussed placing a weight limit on Churchill Street.

The ORC will also look into amending the wording of the winter parking ban which is lacking dates and hours for when the ban applies.

Selectmen approved Lange’s request to trade in surplus rifles to purchase new firearms; and agreed to allow one police officer to attend a three-day harbormaster training certification class in Castine in March. Lange hopes to obtain a grant to fund the position.

Marge L. Kilkelly, senior policy advisor for U.S. Sen. Angus King, I - Maine, briefed selectmen on the proposed formation of an Energy Community Alliance. The committee would address the issue of nuclear waste stored at the Maine Yankee plants and 12 other former nuclear power plants. “We don’t know where the waste is going but we do know where it is now,” Kilkelly said. “If there was a site identified for it tomorrow, it would take years to move it because of the improvements needed in the infrastructure to safely relocate it.”

Treasurer Shari Fredette noted in her monthly report the tax anticipation note balance is $271,992 for the remainder of the 2016-2017 fiscal year. She stated this balance may or may not be sufficient. “I will be updating my cash flow when time allows to see how it looks in regard to our second (property) tax due date in April,” Fredette added. As of the end of October the town office has received $3.43 million in property tax payments and $48,429 in personal property taxes.

Selectmen set $50 fees for blasting permits and shoreland zone applications; put off until spring a visit to the Wiscasset Academy building; approved Phaelon O’Donnell’s business license application for Perch Pilates at 102 Main Street; and approved a request from The Friends of Castle Tucker to weed and prune a small area along the shoreline near the corner of Fore and Bradbury streets that was included as part of the recent White’s Island acquisition. The work will be done under the supervision of the code enforcement officer.

Selectmen accepted with regret the resignation of Les Wentworth from the Transfer Station. Wentworth worked there for 15 years.