The Wiscasset Budget Committee and selectmen were generally supportive of the budgets for wastewater, EMS and police Feb. 13, acknowledging a need to increase taxpayer support to the wastewater treatment plant as the department works to correct problems that could lead to Department of Environmental Protection fines and sanctions.  

Wastewater treatment is supposed to pay for itself through an enterprise budget funded by sewer bills, but despite large sewer rate increases, last year and this year the plant has needed taxpayer or finance account dollars to meet some of its most critical needs. Among them are infrastructure improvements, engineering studies the DEP required, climate change adaptations needed at the aging plant, and costs incurred due to the Department of Transportation work. Many of the infrastructure improvements have been deferred for years, so much so that user fees cannot keep up with them, according to Chair Judy Colby. “We have to bite the bullet and take care of it now, or we’ll have to figure out how to build a new plant soon,” she said.

Last year, the sewer fees for users rose 30%;a 56% increase would have been needed to zero out the shortfall in last year’s budget. Some funding was provided by from the finance accounts and the taxpayer-funded annual budget. Starting in FY 2021-2022, sewer bills will slowly rise again until the treatment plant can operate by user fees again.

This year’s $717,023 budget for wastewater treatment includes a $100,000 engineering study; a $150,000 study DEP is requiring and will partly reimburse; and a $20,000 climate adaptation study. Wastewater treatment asked for $61,600 in capital reserves to buy generators for several of its pumping stations.

Emergency Medical Services/Ambulance requested a 3% increase to its full and part-time salaries, to attract and keep employees. The department is asking for another ambulance and stretcher as part of capital reserve. The total budget, excluding any receivables, is $589,111, up 8.9% over last year. Most of the increase comes from the hiring of a second full-time employee, the assistant director, to assure 24-hour coverage. Some of that will be offset by not requiring so much mutual aid, Director Dennis Simmons said. The budget looked more expansive to the joint committee, but Simmons said line items, such as supplies and maintenance were just more fully explained. Revenues may be higher than last year, Simmons said.

The proposed police department budget is $518,901, up 19.1%, with a third officer and more hours for the administrative assistant. The department is requesting another cruiser from capital reserves. The budget had included a request for an increase of 5% for Police Chief Larry Hesseltine’s salary; however, Hesseltine said he did not request the increase and would be happy with the 2%, across-the-board wage increase planned for town employees, as long as the administrative assistant’s hours were increased.

The joint committee meets next at 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20.