One of Woolwich's longest traditions is its annual selectboard meeting at the 1837 Town House on the corner of Old Stage and Dana Mills roads.

“I really love this old building and having our annual meeting here is one of the pleasures of this job,” Chairman David King Sr. told Wiscasset Newspaper before calling the meeting to order June 18. For 25 years or more, the board has held at least one meeting a year in the historical meeting house, usually during the second week of June.

Business this time included waiving a public hearing and renewing of a liquor license for Montsweag Restaurant. The board approved the application 4-0 without comment; Selectman Allison Hepler was unable to attend.

Selectmen had hoped to meet with Jason Libby, principal of Woolwich Central School. At the selectboard’s June 4 meeting, Road Commissioner Jack Shaw brought up a traffic issue on Nequasset Road caused by parents driving their children to and from school. Shaw worried this could result in emergency vehicles being delayed. The selectboard wants to work with school officials to relieve the bottleneck that occurs at the start and conclusion of the school day.

Town Administrator Kim Dalton said she had reached out to Libby and was told he was unable to meet with selectmen until August. Selectmen feel the problem needs addressing before school resumes in September. “The issue is motorists waiting in long lines trying to get into, and out of the school,” commented Selectman Jason Shaw.

Selectman Tommy Davis said the town office added a part-time intern for the summer. Japhet Els, a University of Southern Maine student at Muskie School of Public Service will assist in improving the town’s website, newsletter and outreach efforts by the newly formed Climate Resilience Committee. Davis said grant monies would be used to compensate Els. “We’re very happy to have him working with us,” he said.

The board agreed 4-0 to hire Dirigo Assessing Group of Sidney for $38,750 to serve as the town’s new assessing agent. King noted this was the same company that did the recent town-wide revaluation.

EMS Director Danny Everts said Woolwich ambulance had responded to 24 calls in June; 14 were transported, MC1 was called four times and Bath Fire & Rescue was needed once. “Ten of these calls came within a 48-hour period with many of these overlapping.” Everts added the department had received another $15,000 grant from Maine EMS; no matching funds were required. The monies will be put towards a new monitor estimated to cost $40,000 to $45,000. Deputy EMS Director Zach Miller recently earned his paramedic license.

Fire Chief Shaun Merrill said the fire department had been busy this month responding to multiple motor vehicle accidents, mostly on Route One. One accident occurred in a construction zone. Merrill recommended contacting the state highway department about trimming trees on Route One to improve visibility by the Arrowsic exit at Sagadahoc Bridge.

The board will meet at 4 p.m. Monday, June 23 at the town office to review town accounts for the end of the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

King said the old meeting house had served the town for 113 years. Town meetings and voting took place here until 1951. When the building could no longer accommodate the community’s growing population, it was closed. Voting and the annual town meeting are now held at the elementary school.

“The building doesn’t have power or plumbing but we take care of that by providing a generator and porta potty,” commented Selectman Dale Chadbourne. “What surprises me is how many residents tell me they’ve driven by it hundreds of times and never been inside. I always thought it would be a good place to have a wedding,” he added.  

The Town House was built with monies the community received from the federal government as the result of the liquidation of the National Debt by President Andrew Jackson. Woolwich chose to use its $800 share to buy land and hire carpenter William D. Leonard to build the town hall, which has always been painted its distinctive mustard yellow color. The location was chosen because geographically it’s the center of town. It was listed on the National Register of Historic places in 1978.