Over and over Dec. 1, Alna selectmen faced more of the same criticism, and some new, for their handling of town business. This time, Second Selectman Linda Kristan also faced past selectman Doug Baston’s call for her to step down.

Kristan responded to Baston’s claim she was “from day one” in on the petition effort that led to the Dec. 14 ballot question on selectmen’s terms and pay. Baston cited Kristan’s Aug. 31 email to Maine Municipal Association seeking “any suggestions on the proposed Citizens Petition.” MMA responded, it does not review proposed voter petitions. 

Kristan said she did not remember who gave her the draft petition. That email to MMA was an attempt to do her duty as a selectman, she said. That duty does not apply to a petition yet to be submitted, resident Ralph Hilton said. Baston told Kristan the past denials of involvement were a lie uncovered by Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) requests by former first selectman Melissa Spinney with eventual backup from Maine Attorney General’s Office’s FOAA officer.

After Baston said Kristan “need(s) to resign,” Third Selectman Charles Culbertson said he wholeheartedly disagreed, but Baston was entitled to say it.

The morning after the meeting at the town office and on Zoom, Wiscasset Newspaper asked the petition’s filers for any comment on Baston’s claim about Kristan. “I am not aware that Linda has been involved with the petition effort in any way,” Katy Papagiannis said in an email response. “We have never consulted her about it. We have neither asked for or received advice about it, either before or after its submission. The first time that we engaged with anyone from the town about it was the day we turned in the completed signatures.”

Fellow petitioner Tom Aldrich said the same. “I have absolutely no recollection of any discussions or communications with either Linda Kristan or Charlie Culbertson regarding the petition before its certification,” Aldrich wrote.

Also Dec. 1, Mike Trask called out the board for $6,100 being paid to the town’s snowplow contractor Holbrook Excavation of Woolwich for work on the private Sand Building Road that leads to the salt and sand shed. Because it is a private road the town has a right of way on, the selectmen, not the town, should personally pay that bill, Trask said. The road was impassable, Culbertson said.

Road Commissioner Jeff Verney said Kristan called him and he told her Holbrook could do it for free, but not for town money because it is not a town road. Kristan did not recall calling Verney about it. As Trask and some other attendees yelled off and on for selectmen to do their job and decide spending in public, Kristan at one point said she was “leaving public comment” and that Culbertson was coming with her; he continued fielding comments.

Past selectman Les Fossel asked the crowd for order, including hand-raising and not interrupting people. Wife Merry Fossel later pleaded with the room. “I hate to see everyone yelling at each other. Please don’t say awful things about people who are trying their best. Please don’t spend all the time attacking, instead of helping.”

When past selectman Melissa Spinney asked for answers on budget overages she said were off in a public hearing ahead of the Dec. 14 ballot question to tap surplus for $25,000 for contingency, Culbertson said the town’s response to her FOAA request would explain it. He said the budget is in fine shape and she is the only one concerned, to which some attendees called out, that was not true.

The board said it was going with Sam Snow Construction’s $47,252 bid for ditching on Cross Road; this, too, sparked comments over selectmen’s handling. 

Nov. 30, one night before this meeting, Wiscasset officials touched on Alna’s issues. Talking budgets, they noted Alna in recent years has taken issue with the transfer station’s funding formula that is based on population. “But Alna does have a different selectboard over there now, and they’ve got their own issues they’re dealing with,” Town Manager Dennis Simmons said, drawing some smiles and muffled laughter around the Zoom meeting.

“No comment,” budget committee member Sharon Jacques said, smiling.

“We all have them,” Simmons said, smiling and shaking his head. “I’m not picking on them.”