The proposed FY27 municipal budget is intended to maintain Wiscasset's core services while limiting the impact on taxpayers. It funds public safety, public works, the transfer station, recreation, code enforcement, administration, and other municipal services. The municipal budget is up 2.1% over last year, largely to preserve current service levels, meet contractual obligations, and address unavoidable cost increases.

The budget also uses estimated non-property tax revenues to reduce the amount raised from property taxes. These revenues include excise tax, state revenue, EMS revenue, recreation fees, transfer station revenue, airport revenue, waterfront revenue, charges for services, and other miscellaneous revenue. In total, $4,145,044 in estimated revenues is applied to offset the tax commitment. Revenues generated by departments are used to offset the cost of operating those departments, as noted on the ballot.

The school budget was recently adopted at a Special Town Meeting. As part of the two-step process, it comes before the voters again at the Annual Town Meeting for final approval of the total amount. While the municipal budget is up 2.1%, the additional 8% local share of the school budget brings the combined total town budget increase to 5.7%.

Voters will also see separate capital articles for equipment, road maintenance, police and EMS equipment, and waterfront improvements. These are funded through existing capital reserves or undesignated fund balance, rather than being placed directly into the operating budget. The overall goal is to maintain necessary services, address needed capital items, and balance community needs with minimal taxpayer impact.

"Housekeeping" authorizations 

Article 54 is a housekeeping article that gives the Town routine authority needed to conduct normal business during the fiscal year. These provisions appear on the warrant each year, and they allow the Town to handle routine matters such as tax refunds, abatements, prepayment of taxes, grants, donations, TIF funds, and other administrative functions without returning to voters for each individual action, which would result in multiple Special Town Meetings each year. There are two additions to the housekeeping authorization.

When a lien is placed on a property for unpaid taxes, it creates a tax lien mortgage. If the lien is not paid within 18 months, the mortgage automatically forecloses, and the Town becomes the owner of the property. Section E authorizes the Town Treasurer to waive foreclosure on tax-acquired properties when the Select Board determines that acquiring the property is not in the Town's best interest. This is necessary because automatic foreclosure is not always beneficial. Some properties may have environmental concerns, unsafe structures, limited to no value, or other liabilities that could cost the Town more than the unpaid taxes are worth. This authority gives the Town a legal way to avoid taking ownership of properties with significant liabilities. Waiving foreclosure does not forgive or cancel the taxes owed.

Second, Section K of the article authorizes the Select Board to enter into multi-year contracts for equipment or services when the Board determines it is in the Town's best interest. This is necessary because some municipal needs, such as service contracts, trash hauling arrangements, software, or other operational agreements, are often more cost-effective or practical when structured over multiple years. Without this authority, the Town may be limited to shorter-term arrangements, which can increase costs, reduce flexibility, or make it harder to secure favorable terms.

Ordinance change 

This ordinance change addresses ambiguity in Article VIII (7)(b) Site Plan Review Ordinance regarding the requirement for boundary surveys when reviewing an application. The current ordinance requires a "recent boundary survey," but does not define the word "recent." In practice, the Planning Board had been treating "recent" to mean a survey completed within 6 months of the application. That interpretation led some applicants to question whether a new survey was necessary in every case, particularly where reliable boundary information already existed, and raised concerns about cost, delay, and burden.

Those concerns prompted broader public discussion. Residents, applicants, and Town officials raised questions about whether a strict six-month standard was reasonable, especially given surveyor availability, the cost of full boundary surveys, and the potential impact on property owners and small businesses. At the same time, the Planning Board's need for accurate property line information remains important for reviewing setbacks, easements, access, lot coverage, and other ordinance requirements.

Town legal counsel advised that the Planning Board could not define the term "recent" by policy because doing so would create a substantive ordinance standard rather than a procedural rule. If the Town wants to clarify the survey requirement, that clarification needs to be made through the ordinance process and adopted by the voters.

The proposed amendment removes the ambiguous "recent" language and creates a more flexible standard. Applicants must still provide property line information and identify the source of that information. The Planning Board may still require a boundary survey when necessary to determine compliance with Town ordinances, but it may waive that requirement when reliable information is already available or when a new survey is not needed for the proposed project.

The intent is to ensure the Planning Board has accurate information while avoiding unnecessary expense and delay for applicants, property owners, and businesses. Copies of the amendment are on file at the Town Office.

Article 58 asks voters whether to rescind the November 5, 2024, vote that authorized relocating the Wastewater Treatment Plant (Sewer) from Cow Island to the current Public Works site, and relocating Public Works to the Transfer Station property. That vote passed 1,416 to 832. The June 9 question asks whether voters want to remove that prior authorization.

The issue is back before voters because residents submitted a petition asking the Town to reconsider the decision. Residents seeking reconsideration have raised concerns about the proposed Public Works site, including impacts on neighborhoods, property values, and the environment. Although the petition did not contain enough certified signatures to require a ballot question, the Select Board voted to place the matter on the warrant.

A "yes" vote rescinds the prior authorization. A "no" vote leaves the November 2024 authorization in place. Regardless of the outcome, the Town will still need to address the long-term vulnerability of the existing wastewater plant.

Article 59 changes the Town's MainePERS retirement plan for eligible public safety personnel. MainePERS Special Plan 3C is an optional retirement plan available only for qualifying public safety employees, not for all municipal employees. The Town approved this change for police officers in 2024, and Article 59 would extend the same retirement option to eligible EMS employees going forward.

The current 2-c plan allows an employee to retire at 50% of their average final compensation after 25 years of service. The 3-C increases the retirement benefit to 66.6%. It requires the Town to contribute an additional 1%, an increase of $3,454 this year.

Authorization for a School Revolving Renovation Fund loan

Article 60 authorizes the Town to issue bonds or other debt, up to $793,311, through the State of Maine's School Revolving Renovation Fund program for security improvements at Wiscasset Elementary School and Wiscasset Middle High School. This program provides state-approved financing at zero interest and includes loan forgiveness of $277,183, meaning the full amount is not to be borne locally. Because Wiscasset has a municipal school department, the Town Treasurer and Select Board Chair must be authorized by voters to issue the debt, even though the project is for school facilities and will be funded through the school's annual budget. Approval of this article allows the Town to move forward with the approved school security work using the state financing program.