When it comes to Wiscasset's town planner and code enforcement officer, one thing became clear during a Thursday, May 1 workshop:

The two should remain intact, albeit separately.

The Wiscasset selectmen, meeting with the budget committee, advocated not to combine the two positions in the interest of saving money, due to the different nature of each job.

“She's an asset to the town and to our economic growth,” Vice Chairman Judy Colby said. “I don't think are enough hours in the day (to do both jobs).”

The town planner works 40 hours per week, while the code enforcement officer works 20.

While there was opposition to combining two positions, opinions were split about the addition of a school resource officer.

Judy Colby said the position would be worth the price tag if the officer helps even one student.

“There are definitely drug problems at the school,” she said. “If we put an officer in (the school) and they save one child, then it's worth it to me.”

But, the position would require a financial hit, which was one of the reasons members of the budget committee weren't wholly in favor of the proposal.

Budget committee member Bill Barnes said that in his interviews he's found that while something needs to change at the high school, the answer might not be a school resource officer.

“I've talked with teachers, with students and they all think (a resource officer) is not needed,” he said. “What they do need is someone who can come in and identify when someone is on something ... there's no need for a school resource officer.”