Woolwich’s May town meeting still on, but ...

Thu, 04/02/2020 - 11:15am

    The Woolwich Select Board will meet Monday, April 20 to decide whether or not to postpone the annual town meeting in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Town meeting is tentatively planned for 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 20 in the Woolwich Central School gymnasium.

    “I wish I could say more but at this point we don’t know,” Chairman David King Sr. told Wiscasset Newspaper Wednesday morning, April 1.

    King said the board might choose to postpone the town meeting again, or continue running on last year’s budget if the COVID-19 emergency measures extend into July when the new fiscal year begins.

    “The state has notified us what our options are and (Selectman and State District 53 Rep. Allison Hepler) has a good understanding of the legislation that was passed,” added King.

    “I see no harm in keeping the town meeting on the calendar for now but yes, I can imagine making a decision similar to what Wiscasset has done,” Hepler wrote in an email to Wiscasset Newspaper.

    Wiscasset officials will operate on their current town budget through the duration of the pandemic. They have postponed the town meeting and elections that were set for June.

    “If that’s what we end up doing, our mill rate and school budget would stay the same as it is now,” explained King. He said the board won’t meet again until April 20 having cancelled its regularly scheduled April 6 meeting. In keeping with the governor’s social distancing recommendations, the board and town administrator are looking into a number of different options. “We may wind up meeting remotely,” King said.

    In the meantime, the town office and fire station on Nequasset Road will remain closed to the general public until further notice.

    People can call the town office for help or information at 442-7094 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, when the office is staffed. Residents can re-register their vehicles, ATVs or boats online, where they can also buy hunting and fishing licenses.

    April property tax payments made be mailed to the town office, or placed in a drop box at the front entrance of the municipal building.

    “We’ll continue to post updates on the town’s website,” added King. For more information visit https://www.woolwich.us/