Edgecomb voters easily approved all 54 articles during the May 21 town meeting. Over 70 residents approved the $3,871,156 combined municipal and school budgets during the three-hour-plus meeting.

The approved budget rises by $144,609 or 3.88 percent, according to the Edgecomb Budget Committee. School spending garnered the lion’s share of the new budget. Voters approved $2,664,336, which accounts for 68.17 percent of spending. The school budget increases by $125,154 or by 4.7 percent. According to Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS) 98 Superintendent Eileen King, special education costs account for 94 percent of increased school spending.

Voters approved a $441,465 special education budget, which is up $117,632 from this year. Fiscal Year 2017 special education spending includes $25,917 for a new, one-on-one educational technician, $66,320 for six students’ tuition, and $18,247 for increased contractual services such as occupational and physical therapy.

The other 31.87 percent of municipal spending comes from general government, $157,465; public safety, $109,682; highways and bridges, $523,179; health and sanitation, $112,649; county taxes, $275,045; other, $14,781; and unclassified, $14,019.

The only article receiving any substantial opposition was the proposed contribution to the Wiscasset and Boothbay Harbor Memorial public libraries. A minority of residents proposed making the full requested contribution to each institution. Wiscasset requested $8,200 and Boothbay Harbor Memorial requested $5,000. The budget committee recommended $4,000 for Wiscasset Public and $2,000 for Boothbay Harbor Memorial.

The proposal to provide $13,200 to the two libraries lost by a 2-1 margin, according to moderator Chip Griffin.

In other action, residents sided with Fire Chief Roy Potter over the budget committee for funding the fire department’s operation. Voters approved Potter’s $89,439 request. The budget committee proposed $75,509. Voters approved the higher amount with only a handful of dissenting votes.

The two amounts differed by $13,930 or the cost of seven sets of turnout gear. Potter requested 15 new sets. The budget committee proposed purchasing eight this year and seven next year.

Potter explained the department received a discounted price for 15 sets and couldn’t purchase eight sets this year with the budget committee’s recommendation.

“The price is $1,990 per set if we purchase 15. I understand what the budget committee is doing, but we can’t buy eight at that price,” he said. “We’ve been fortunate over the years by having turnout gear donated, but it’s old and doesn’t fit so that’s why we need new gear.”

Twelve of the sets are for current firefighters. Three are for the department’s junior firefighters, according to Potter.

Voters also approved raising and appropriating $8,425 to purchase a TRIO program and provide training for online motor vehicle registration. The funds will purchase the necessary software, training and licensing fees. Town officials expect online motor vehicle registration to begin either in January or February. Once online registration is set, the town would pay annual $1,520 maintenance fee, according to municipal officials.

On May 20, Edgecomb held its municipal elections. Seventy-eight voters cast ballots. The following residents were elected to three-year terms:  Ted Hugger, selectman, 76 votes; Mark Graham, school committee, 74; Gretchen Burleigh-Johnson, planning board,  74; and Barry Hathorne, planning board, 12 votes. Residents re-elected to one-year terms: Claudia Coffin, treasurer and town clerk, 78 votes for each; Scott Griffin, road commissioner, 76; Sarah Clifford, school board, 75; and Deb Boucher, tax collector, 55.

Resident Rebecca Graham received five write-in votes for planning board. She and Hathorne ran for the same position as write-in candidates.