Edgecomb’s property tax rate is shrinking by 5 percent, to $13.14 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation. Last year's was $13.80. The Board of Selectmen approved the new rate August 13.

The board could have gone slightly lower, but chose instead to build in a bigger overlay, or cushion, than in recent years. There are so many big-ticket projects in the town's future, gathering some funds now will mean borrowing less money when the time comes for those projects, selectmen said.

The anticipated projects include a town-wide revaluation and long-discussed, extensive roadwork. Spending for any of the projects would take voter approval.

The selectmen are allowed to make the tax rate higher than what the budget requires. But they have kept overlays smaller in recent years to help keep the rate down. In 2011, the overlay was about $30,000, Selectman Stuart Smith said; in 2010 it was about $10,000.

Board members discussed possibly proposing voters put about $60,000 of this year's $129,600 overlay toward the revaluation. That would cover about two-thirds of the project's cost, they said.

Tax bills could be going out by the week of August 20. Payment will be due November 30, selectmen said.

The sooner the bills go out the better, “for people who do try to budget, which more and more families are going through due to the economy,” Board Chairwoman Jessica Chubbuck said.

Talks on fire station fence continue

A year after Edgecomb built its new fire station, the town is still trying to make a fence at the site satisfactory to a neighbor.

When the station was built on Route 27 in 2011, the town agreed to put up a fence to replace a natural buffer for abutter Brent Butler and block the station's lights from shining onto his property. Earlier this summer, selectmen approved paying for the $4,170, 6-foot-tall, 150-foot-long, hemlock fence.

But then Edgecomb Fire Chief Roy Potter returned to selectmen, telling them he had had boards put on the wrong side of the fence. Butler wanted the look improved, the chief said.

At the board's August 13 meeting, Potter proposed $1,400 in lattice work, as well as 10 rose bushes selectmen figured would come to another $300. Barter was happy with the proposal, Potter said. However, selectmen weren’t sure where they would get the money, and were not sure what material they want for the lattice work.

The finished fence should be low-maintenance, so that the town doesn't have to keep putting money into it every year or every other year, she said.

The officials planned to inform Barter they are still working on the matter.