Members of the Westport Island Budget Committee attended the weekly selectmen's meeting March 18 to discuss two of their recommendations with the selectmen.

The topics they came to discuss included the potential sale of the Wright house, and the purchasing policy they had presented to the selectmen a few months ago.

First Selectman George Richardson told the committee the selectmen would be meeting with the budget committee around the middle of April to discuss the potential sale of the non-easement property at the Wright Landing, and the meeting would include the Wright Committee and any other interested parties.

Budget committee member Mort Mendes told the board by having a meeting around April 15, it would not allow enough time for a referendum question for a June 11 vote, and he would be forced to circulate a petition to have the question put before the voters. According to information provided to the town by the Budget Committee, if the house was sold, the savings to the town's municipal appropriations would be about $20,000. In addition, the town would gain tax revenue of about $2,450, assuming an assessed value of $350,000.

Selectmen authorized a letter be sent to the renter of the Wright House informing her that an appraiser would be coming to do an appraisal on the home. When asked by the Budget Committee if the board of selectmen would share what their plans are, Richardson said, “We have not made any decisions yet.”

Mendes told the selectmen he would go forward with the petition and presented a copy of the petition to the board. The petition reads, “Shall the town authorize $5,000 for the board of selectmen to (1) establish an easement, in accordance with requirements of the Land for Maine Future (LMF) grant Management Plan for the Wright Landing, permanently protect public access to the municipal boat launch and parking area; (2) To obtain an independent professional appraisal of the easement encumbered land and house site; and (3) to authorize the board of selectmen to put the house site and easement protected land on the market."

The purchasing policy recommend by the Budget Committee was not discussed at the meeting. Richardson said selectmen will be meeting with the budget committee in May to discuss warrant articles and other points for the June 22 town meeting.

Budget Committee member Dennis Dunbar told the board the purchasing policy would be a document controlled and managed by the board of selectmen. “It would be a legacy passed on to the next generation,” Dunbar said.

Budget Committee member Curt Downer, told the selectmen, “We are working for the common good of the town. This policy in no way is a reflection on the board of selectmen.”

Richardson reminded the members of the Budget Committee; their duty was not to set policy; “It is the selectmen who set policy,” he said.

Other business

After several weeks of working on the Mobile Home Park Ordinance and the Mobile Home Ordinance, Planning Board Chairman Ruth Nelson reported neither ordinance will be put on the town warrant this year. The Mobile Home ordinance will be included in town's Building Code Ordinance, on the recommendation of the Westport Island's Code Enforcement Officer Gary Richardson. The Mobile Home Park Ordinance requires more work and will not be ready for the June vote.

The selectmen appointed Gary Webber to serve on the Town Hall Committee as regular member.

Charlotte Boynton can be reached at 207-844-4632 or cboynton@wiscassetnewspaper.com/.