Selectmen reiterated their support for the code enforcement officer position, Lincoln County Television, and a contingency fund during an August 21 public hearing regarding an upcoming special town meeting in Wiscasset. 

The special town meeting, which is essentially a referendum vote on four articles relating to these matters, will take place at the town office on Tuesday, Sept. 11 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

Residents will vote on the following four articles, in addition to electing a moderator:

Article 2: “Shall any of the following departmental budgets fail to pass, shall the town authorize the selectmen to expend 3/12 of the previous year's budget, this being additional to the 3/12 approved at the June 12 annual town meeting?”

Article 3: “Shall the town vote to raise and appropriate for code enforcement the sum of $48,674?”

Article 4: “Shall the town vote to raise and appropriate for contingency the sum of $50,000?”

Article 5: “Shall the town vote to raise and appropriate for Lincoln County Television the sum of $5000?”

The Wiscasset Budget Committee recommend voters oppose all of the four articles while selectmen recommend all articles be approved.

Pamela Dunning and Ed Polewarczyk, chairman and vice chairman of the Wiscasset Board of Selectmen respectively, clarified some of the articles. While one resident addressed his concerns over the polarized opinions of board and committee members, no one in the audience asked any questions about the warrant.

Code enforcement

The code enforcement funding will cover the cost of a code enforcement officer to work 25 hours per week. Dunning said this is a change from the last proposal to fund an officer position for 30 hours per week.

Polewarcyzk said that if the article does not pass at the referendum, the town would not be able to perform code enforcement functions, such as issuing building permits, carry out plumbing inspections and other tasks. 

Resident George Green said he had hoped committee and board members would have worked out their differences before putting the questions to voters.

Referring to the polar opposition of each group represented on the warrant Green said, “that's got to be a misprint.” 

After attending one Budget Committee meeting as an observer, Green learned committee members were concerned over the code enforcement officer's jurisdiction. Some code enforcement officers work for several towns. 

Dunning reiterated a statement she has made at meetings and in print: the code enforcement officer position is a union position and can not be outsourced, nor can it be attributed to another employee. 

“I think being able to have a discussion and respectfully disagreeing is not necessarily a bad thing,” Dunning added. She said the number of those in favor and against each warrant article show that while the two groups are diametrically opposed, people are thinking about the issues.

Contingency

The requested amount represents less than one percent of the total budget, according to Polewarcyzk. Dunning said there also has been some confusion as to how selectmen use contingency funds. She said the funds are not used toward employee raises, but instead go toward unexpected expenses, such as a town boiler repair or attorney fees.

“This concerns me,” Polewarcyzk said. “The contingency fund allows some flexibility to meet some unknowns. I feel it is very necessary to support the number here.”

Lincoln County Television

Mary Ellen Crowley, station manager at LCTV, responded to selectmen's invitation to speak after the public had been given the opportunity to ask questions or make comments. 

She said the board of directors at the station would have to decide whether or not to continue providing services to towns if they do not get the funding they need.

“If the citizens of Wiscasset aren't interested in having public access television that's fine, but we really don't know if the service will be available,” she said. Crowley said there are two other Lincoln County towns that have opted not to support the station, however she encourages Wiscasset to support it for all of the coverage of the town it provides. 

In addition to filming regular government meetings in Wiscasset, the station covers shows and other events around town. Crowley said this gives those who are unable to make it to events in person to still have access to the information, giving people the opportunity to participate in community discussions.