Edgecomb is ready for the annual town meeting.

Selectman Jack Sarmanian began the May 5 Edgecomb Selectmen’s meeting with a discussion about the Cunningham Road issue.

Sarmanian said that the town has resolved to purchase an easement at the corner of Cunningham and Parsons Mill roads for the sum of $10,000, plus legal and closing costs of approximately $500. “It's a bad corner, so to we're buying an easement so we can do construction there. Everyone has agreed it's a dangerous issue.”

According to Sarmanian, the town has acquired a purchase and sale agreement, but because any changes to roads have to be approved by the town, it will be up for approval at the town meeting on May 17. Sarmanian said he doesn't foresee a problem. “It's what the town needs. Everything is in place, we just need to set a date for closing,” he said.

The project will be funded from the road reconstruction and paving loan.

The Edgecomb town warrant was approved by selectmen Sarmanian and Stuart Smith at the meeting. Selectman Jessica Chubbuck was not present due to illness.

Edgecomb residents will be asked to vote at the Edgecomb Town Hall on Friday, May 16, from 1 to 7 p.m., on Articles 1 and 2 on the warrant.

Article 1 asks voters to choose a moderator, by secret ballot, to preside at the town meeting on Saturday, May 17.

Article 2 is the election of town officials, mostly incumbents, by secret ballot. Up for election are incumbents Jack Sarmanian for selectman, assessor and overseer of the poor (3 years); Claudia Coffin for treasurer and town clerk (1 year); Deb Boucher for tax collector (1 year); Casandra Fabiano for school committee member (3 years); and Scott Griffin for road commissioner (1 year).

Also up for vote will be one member of the planning board (3 years). David Nutt, who had originally opted not to run again, has agreed to serve as a write-in candidate.

Warrant Articles 3 through 54 will be voted on at the town meeting at the Edgecomb Town Hall, beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Warrant Article 12 was left open-ended. Selectmen are looking into purchasing new software for tax billing and collecting. Smith said the issue of raising and appropriating funds for the software will be voted on at town meeting.

“We didn't know how much it was going to be, and we needed to print the warrant. We were put into the position where we need to have tax billing software,” he said.

There will an additional cost for training for the Town Clerk/Treasurer Coffin and Tax Collector Boucher. The initial cost will total somewhere around $4,500 for the first year.

Another issue that will be up for discussion at the town meeting is Article 10, to decide if the town will vote to appropriate $234,755 from surplus to cover the shortfall from the under-assessment of the 2013-2014 tax commitment.

Sarmanian took a moment during the meeting to say that the town report has been mailed, and praised Jennifer Elkins for her part in helping get it together. “I'd like to give Jen a vote for doing a lot of hard work. She did a terrific job.” He also sent a shout out to Edgecomb post office's Peg Richards. “Peg was very accommodating and helpful in getting the town report out. I want to thank her,” he said.