Westport Island selectman Gerald Bodmer’s fellow board members on April 25 welcomed him back from his recent surgery.

A lengthy agenda represented a range of items from computers to cleaning up the town office parking lot. Richard DeVries, chairman of the committee for the Wright House property,  requested up to $900 to install a light, game camera, hydrants and pressure tanks at the property. The selectmen approved the expenditure, which will activate the old well so that the horticulture committee does not have to rely on water from the house.

The town was notified that the island’s share of Lincoln County taxes is $286,908.64, which represents an increase of 2.5 percent over the previous year.

A check for $10,000 was sent to the town from the Doggett Trust. According to David Soule Jr., the trust was established years ago by Brewster Doggett who hoped that others would add to it. The purpose of the trust was to make improvements that would make the town a better place to live. The trust amount has now decreased and the trustees felt it wasn’t serving the purpose that Doggett had intended. As a result, they have terminated the trust and returned $10,000 to the town.

The island’s volunteer fire department requested approval for two policies: one concerning operation of the department’s vehicles when responding to and returning from calls, and the other concerning use of the department’s computers. Both policies were approved. In other fire department news, a contribution of 48 house signs, valued at $720, was donated by E. Davies Allan.

Selectmen approved the list of 23 election officials submitted by Town Clerk Gaye Wagner prior to the appointment deadline of May 1.

The Maine Bureau of Labor Standards notified the town that previously noted violations at the town office and fire department had been resolved. The Workplace Safety and Health Division reduced the amount owed by the town to $165 and acknowledged that officials had responded with “expeditious attention,” which had reduced the penalty amount.   

Selectmen voted to sweep sand from the town office parking lot rather than hose the sand left from the previous winter.

Agenda items concerning computer technology were tabled for later discussion. These included the cost to correct errors in the CAI mapping program and the operation of the town’s website. 

Selectmen also voted not to hold their regular meeting on Monday, May 30, so that participants could spend Memorial Day with families and friends.

Notification was received by the board from the superior court that the plaintiff’s motion for a default judgement in the lawsuit brought by Leslie Lilly et al was denied by Justice Billings on April 9.

Selectmen signed the warrant for the RSU 12 school budget which was $1,552,238.33. All residents of Westport Island are encouraged to attend the May 19 meeting to vote on the school budget. The meeting will be held in Chelsea at 6:30 p.m. at the Chelsea Elementary School.  

Town Clerk and Registrar of Voters Gaye Wagner will attend training in Waldoboro for the state’s new express voting system. The voting unit is described on the Maine Secretary of State’s website as “A single unit with a video display screen and built-in ballot printer, with a controller attached.”

The unit assists voters “By offering both an audio and visual ballot, allowing a voter to make ballot selections by touching the screen or by using a controller that has uniquely shaped and colored buttons, with Braille labels. It also has the capability to accommodate various other assistive devices. When the voter is finished making the selections, the system prints a ballot marked with the voter’s choices.” The new unit will be used during the June primary election.