Woolwich voters April 30 opted to make a statement to address the area’s growing problem of food insecurity. They increased their contribution to Bath Area Food Bank, raising this year's donation from $1,250 to $10,000. This article, and another seeking a $71,506 contribution to Patten Free Library, were part of town meeting. 

Although all of the other warrant articles are worded not to be increased by voters, an exception was article 40 requesting monies for non-profit and community organizations. When the article was moved, Kimberly Becker, a board member with Bath Area Food Bank, asked if this year’s $1,250 donation might be increased to $2,000. Becker said the need for food assistance was growing in the region at the same time funding sources are becoming increasingly strained.  

Among those voicing support was Heidi Kirkpatrick, who suggested raising this year's donation to $10,000. After 25 minutes of discussion, Moderator Mike Field called for a voice vote and Kirkpatrick’s motion passed by a significant majority. All of the other non-profit donations were passed at the amounts recommended by selectmen; amending the food bank's donation raised the total amount given to nonprofits from $20,391 to $29,141. A complete list of the 2025-26 recipients appears in the Town Report.  

"Pretty amazing turn of events,” Selectman Allison Hepler commented to Wiscasset Newspaper afterwards. "This is what I love about town meetings." 

Chairman David King Sr. and Selectman Jason Shaw had both cautioned against amending the amount, although acknowledged the article’s wording allowed voters to do so. Shaw said the board had held the line on donation amounts for a number of years, although made an exception last year when an additional $7,500 donation was made to Tedford Shelter in Brunswick. “We wrangle with these amounts every year and bring them to the townspeople to decide … It's your money,” commented Shaw. 

Monies sought to help support Patten Free Library in Bath were considered as a separate article. The library had asked for $71,506, an increase of $5,114 to help support rising operational costs and services. Following close to 30 minutes of discussion, the “ayes” outnumbered the nays and the article passed. Among those speaking in favor of the library funding was Mary Ellen Kasimer, a former library board member and trustee. Kasimer explained the library’s funding needs, summarizing the many services it provides to the community. Along with Bath and Woolwich, Arrowsic, Georgetown and West Bath are Patten Free contributors. 

Between 150 and 200 residents were on hand at the elementary school for the start of the meeting, which was delayed 15 minutes while ballot clerks checked in voters lined up to enter the gymnasium. Without comment, voters breezed through a third of 42 warrant articles in 20 minutes. The first question came on article 16, a voter questioning why no monies were listed among town accounts for General Assistance. Town Administrator Kim Dalton said $12,000 for this purpose had been carried forward from last year.

In a near unanimous consensus, voters agreed to buy a storage building for winter salt and sand from general contractor Jack Shaw, the town’s longtime road commissioner. Last month, Shaw offered to sell the town his 60-foot by 100-foot building and two acres of land on Walker Road for $400,000. King explained the agreement calls for $80,000 installments over the next five years at no interest to the town. By having the town's own salt and sand supply, the selectboard hopes to encourage intown contractors to bid on the snowplowing contracts. A special town meeting for this purpose will be held in June. Shaw's offer came when he notified the selectboard he was no longer interested in bidding on the town’s snowplowing contract. His company has handled the bulk of the town’s winter road maintenance for the past 40 years. 

Voters agreed to increase the EMS/ambulance budget from $389,880 to $390,586. In response to a question, it was said, as stated in the Town Report, the department has the potential to take in an estimated $120,000 in revenues in the forthcoming year to help offset operational costs. The town administrator said the ambulance department had earned $125,000 in revenues last year.  

Without discussion, voters approved a fire department budget of $194,448 and highway and bridges budget of $315,000, although still to be determined is how much in additional monies will be needed for winter road maintenance.   

Voters raised $263,061 to contract for weekly curbside trash pickup and bi-weekly recycling collection, an increase of $7,820 over last year. Jonathan Appleyard, chair of the Solid Waste and Recycling Committee, told voters the success of Woolwich's program has become the envy of many communities.  

The 2025-26 budget represents about a 3% increase over last year but doesn’t include monies needed for operation of the schools; next year’s Regional School Unit 1 budget will be voted on in June. At the start of the meeting, Jennifer Ritch-Smith, Woolwich’s RSU 1 representative, said Woolwich’s share of the 2025-26 school budget is anticipated to be $5.5 million, an increase of $392,000 from last year. 

EMS Director Danny Evarts and fellow Woolwich Ambulance Department members Advanced EMT Zach Miller, EMT Robert Nibarger and ambulance driver Donny Munsey were recognized as recipients of a Maine EMS "Phoenix Award." The award is presented to first responders called to use their skills in the successful resuscitation of a patient experiencing an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Evarts noted the call the department had been recognized for had taken place this past November. “Many of our calls result in lives saved," said Evarts. He added, "recognition with a Phoenix Award (is) rare.”