Woolwich selectmen will get an opinion from Maine Municipal Association before including an article at the annual town meeting seeking the return of pay-per-bag. The article inserted by petition would require voters to pay for trash removal by curbside pickup.

Selectmen convened on Tuesday night after a snowstorm forced the postponement of Monday’s meeting. After agreeing to accept the petition, they held off putting the article on the warrant because the petition fails to state that returning to pay-per-bag means rejoining WasteZero of North Andover, Massachusetts. The contract selectmen agreed to last summer included a provision requiring WasteZero be the town’s pay-per-bag provider for five years — even if the town opted to end its membership. Residents overwhelmingly voted to end Pay As You Throw and membership in WasteZero at last November’s general election.

Selectman David King Sr. said the petition’s intent is clear enough but that running it by MMA was a good idea. “It’s very specific what it’s asking us to do,” he said.

Don Adams objected to bringing the question back so soon after residents had voted overwhelmingly to end PAYT. At one point he suggested members of the board had helped write the petition for PAYT’s return.

King responded that the select board took no part in writing the petition and from a legal standpoint had no choice but to do what the petition stated. “It asks for a vote at the May town meeting,” he explained, adding it contained enough valid signatures.

Adams also questioned the cost of the trash bags and whether the town was really saving money through PAYT. “We could go direct to a company that makes bags and buy them for a lot less then what people had to spend for the ones (WasteZero) sold us,” he said.

The town was left with thousands of orange plastic trash bags following PAYT’s end on Jan. 27 and by contract had to buy the unsold bags back from WasteZero.

Ben Tipton filed the petition at the town office March 16. Tipton was unable to attend Tuesday night’s meeting. With the help of several other residents he collected 178 signatures, eight more then the number required to put the article on the warrant. The town clerk validated the petition that afternoon.

The petition reads, “To see if the Town will vote to adopt a pay-per-bag plan for non-recyclable trash charging $2 per 30-gallon bag and $1 per 15-gallon bag and to authorize the Selectboard to enter into a one year contract (extendable to three if both parties agree) with the lowest bidder to administer the program.

“In addition,” it continues, “any money raised with this program will go directly to lower the tax rate of the citizens of Woolwich and shall not be used for any other program than garbage cost reduction.” The petition asks selectmen to include an article on the warrant of May’s annual town meeting.

It was after Town Administrator Lynette Eastman read the proposed article, selectmen realized it made no mention that returning to PAYT meant rejoining WasteZero.

“We’ll run this by the MMA attorneys. If they say it doesn’t fly then it doesn’t fly,” King commented.

Other business

Selectmen will notify the Maine Department of Transportation that for safety reasons they would like a rumble strip added in the center of Route 1 when the highway is repaved next fall. The board agreed to make the recommendation at the urging of the town’s fire and EMS departments. The repaving will run from the Taste of Maine Restaurant to Montsweag Roadhouse.

Boston Cane holder passes away

Selectman Allison Hepler sadly announced the passing of Clinton Roscoe Hilliker, the town’s oldest resident. Hilliker died on March 5 at the age of 98. The board had presented him with the ceremonial Boston Post Cane last summer.