Wiscasset selectmen voted 3-1 to have their attorney forward a letter to school officials expressing their unease about a recent decision to approve an estimated $1.75 million energy conservation project. Selectman Jefferson Slack cast the dissenting vote.

The action Tuesday night followed a 25-minute executive session with Attorney Shana Mueller of Bernstein Shur.

Although not on the agenda, the matter was taken up under unfinished business. At a Dec. 6 selectmen’s meeting, Superintendent of Schools Heather Wilmot outlined the proposed financing of the project, which the Wiscasset School Committee unanimously approved Dec. 15.

Two members of the school committee, Chairman Michael Dunn and Vice Chairman Glenn Craig, were present for Tuesday night’s meeting. Wilmot was not in attendance.

At 6:55 p.m., selectmen entered executive session with Mueller to discuss the school committee’s recent decision approving the energy conservation project. After the board returned to the hearing room at 7:20 p.m., Mueller began the discussion by explaining the lease/purchase agreement school officials plan to use to finance the project. The work, under the direction of Siemans of Scarborough, includes installing better lighting, replacing windows and making other modifications to improve energy efficiency.

Mueller said lease/purchase agreements aren’t unusual but are more commonly associated with financing vehicles or heavy equipment for public works. The lender takes the risk of financing the project, she explained.

Slack said he didn’t dispute the need for doing the work but felt it should be put to the townspeople for a vote. He suggested a separate article on the June warrant for voters to consider.

Mueller then suggested selectmen communicate their concerns to the school committee including perhaps offering other means of financing the project. “The sooner you do this the better,” she said.

“As things presently stand, if voters turn down the project in June, the school committee would simply take monies from other areas of the school budget to cover the contract,” Selectman Ben Rines Jr. commented.

“My concern is an expenditure of this size should go before the townspeople for a vote of approval,” Chairman Judy Colby commented. “We had a 14 percent property tax increase this year. I don’t want that to happen again next year.”

Selectman David Cherry then motioned to instruct Mueller to forward letters to the school committee, contractor, all lenders and vendors making them aware of the board of selectmen’s concerns.

Before proceeding with the vote, Colby opened the floor to discussion. Dunn argued voters would have their say in June adding he took exception with selectmen implying school officials were doing something, “underhanded or shady.”

Dunn continued the school superintendent wasn’t met with the level of professionalism she should have been accorded at the Dec. 6 meeting with selectmen. He further pointed out, the school department’s attorney informed them they had followed the process legally in accordance with state statutes in approving the project.

Colby used her gavel sparingly as the discussion continued and at times grew heated.

“How is it you feel that the June vote is legitimate if you’ve already entered into a contract six months before people have had a chance to vote on this at the polls,” Cherry asked.

“If the voters choose not to pass this part of your budget then you’ll be forced to take the money from somewhere else,” Colby added. “Where? Transportation? Food services? You can’t take it from Special Ed. That means you’ll be forced to take it from the instruction line.”

Craig said he was “totally confident the school committee was doing the right thing.” He reminded selectmen the townspeople wanted out of Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit 12 in part because the school buildings weren’t being maintained the way they should be.

“It may be an awesome project but all I’m saying is, I want the people to have the opportunity to vote on it,” Slack repeated.

Colby suggested including a referendum at the Jan. 31 special election but Mueller noted the legal deadline for doing so had passed.

“It’s been discussed now for over a year,” Dunn added. “No one from the board of selectmen ever contacted me for any information about the project.”

“We were elected to facilitate the maintenance of the buildings,” commented Craig, adding there was “zero obligation” on the contract. “The school department can pull out anytime. We’ve gone through every process we can think of to make this work for the community.”

“You have not done your due diligence, if you haven’t put it before the townspeople for a vote,” Rines responded, calling the school committee’s action “underhanded.”

Dunn and Craig took exception to Rines’ comment.

Colby then brought the gavel down ending the 40-minute discussion.

Todd Souza said he felt, as a whole the energy conservation project would be a good investment adding he wished both boards could work together to find common ground. He said the Dec. 6 discussion unfortunately didn’t allow for a lot of good information to be shared.