Woolwich’s pay-per-bag program will start in September, but could be finished by Election Day. A petition is circulating to reconsider the town’s membership in the program in an up-or-down vote.

At Monday night’s board of selectmen meeting, Don Adams said he’d collected 197 signatures to place the question on the ballot of the general election. Adams said he’d gathered signatures from all over town from residents who, like himself, were against pay-per-bag.

Adams asked if selectmen would honor the petition and hold the vote at the general election. The selectmen acknowledged they would if it was worded appropriately and contained the correct number of signatures.

Adams said the selectmen hadn’t honored a similar petition regarding proposed $49,203 in funding for the Patten Free Library.

The library funding was taken up at the May town meeting and passed, in spite of Adams’ pleas that it be held off until the November General Election. His argument was that more residents would have the opportunity to vote on the question.

The town’s lack of a charter created some confusion for holding a vote at the general election. Instead, voters were given two options to consider at town meeting as outlined in this year’s town report. Funding for the library eventually passed.

The pay-per-bag proposal was taken up and passed at the same town meeting by a written vote, 114 to 105. Following the outcome, Adams questioned the town meeting’s proceedings and brought his concerns to selectmen.

At Monday night’s meeting, he said he began circulating his petition at the suggestion of the chairman.

A brief but heated exchange followed between Adams and David King Sr., selectmen’s chairman. King took exception with Adam’s claims that the town meeting proceedings were in any way conducted inappropriately.

Because there was some question as to how many voter signatures were needed, Adams held off turning in his petition. The required number is based on a percentage of the voter turnout from the last gubernatorial election. After the signatures are verified, the question will become a ballot measure. It must be certified 45 days prior to the general election, Tuesday, Nov. 3.

King said he’d prefer to see the town give pay-per-bag a try for at least a year. Voting to end the program in November means the town would have to incur the cost of the bags and what’s been spent to promote the program. The selectmen have also reduced the board’s waste disposal account by $36,000, the amount anticipated in savings in tipping fees for disposal of non-recyclable trash. Ending pay-per-bag means those monies would need to be returned for waste disposal.

On Tuesday, Aug. 18, the town office confirmed that Adams had turned in his nomination papers to run for an open selectmen’s seat.

Pay-per-bag, also known as “pay-per-throw,” is administered by WasteZero. WasteZero works with 41 other Maine communities including the city of Bath. The program encourages people to separate their disposables more carefully, recycling more and cutting down on what’s they’re thrown away. The town pays “tipping fees” for curbside pickup and disposal of non-recyclable trash. WasteZero estimated Woolwich would realize a 40 percent reduction in its trash disposal costs by initiating pay-per-bag.

As previously reported, WasteZero receives about 30-cents for the cost of each bag sold. They also charge the town for costs associated for promotional materials. The town is paying $440 for a direct mailing to residents. The mailing provides details of the program including its starting date, where to purchase disposable bags, what’s recyclable, etc.

Critiques of pay-per-bag fear it will encourage illegal dumping and won’t save the town as much as has been predicted.

Other business

The meeting opened with a moment of silence for Herbert Wright of River Road who recently died at age 89. Wright was a third generation mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in Woolwich. Both his father and his grandfather were Woolwich mail carriers as well.

EMS Director William Longley Jr. gave his final report to the board. Longley said he’s enjoyed serving the community. He told the board he’d often gone above and beyond what the position required. Longley, who took issue with the board’s new purchasing policy, tendered his resignation on Aug. 3. His final day as EMS director is Aug. 31.

“Your policy will benefit the town in no way, shape or form,” he told the board. His comment was received with some applause from the audience.

Selectman Jason Shaw said the Fire Chief Search Committee met last Thursday. Herb Kahrl was elected chairman and Bill Potter vice chairman. The committee will meet at the town office every Thursday until a new fire chief is hired.

The town began advertising the position last week; the deadline to apply is Aug. 31 at 5 p.m.

Acting Fire Chief Dominic Maccio said the fire department responded to five calls over the last two weeks. Two were motor vehicle accidents, one involving multiple vehicles. The fire department also responded to two mutual aid calls to the Wiscasset Fire Dept.

Monday, Aug. 24, is a recycling day for Woolwich residents. Pay-per-bag bags are also now available for purchase.

The next meeting of the board will be at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 8. A workshop with department heads is scheduled for 5 p.m. that same day.

The board will meet with the town’s auditor at 4:30 p.m., Sept. 21, in order to set the tax commitment.