A strange smell emanating from the pre-kindergarten room led to an early break March 17 for Edgecomb students. An emergency call resulted in Edgecomb Fire and three other departments responding to a smell of "burnt electrical wire." Fire officials discovered an aging ballast was the cause.

School officials called for an early lunch, while firefighters investigated. "A malfunctioning ballast primarily due to age overheated. We evacuated the school, and called for an early lunch from 11:50 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. We put the kids on buses and they really handled the situation well," said Principal Tom Landberg during the March 17 Edgecomb School Committee meeting.

Landberg added had the ballast caught fire "there was little chance it would have burned down the building." An electrician would inspect the ballast system March 19. Committee Chairman Heather Sinclair suggested she, Landberg and Edgecomb Fire Chief Roy Potter meet to discuss how to handle similar future emergencies.

In other action, the Edgecomb Town Meeting is changing this year. Residents will vote in public, at the school, at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 17 on the education budget. Later, a second vote will be held at the town hall on the remaining town meeting warrant as part of a referendum.

Another change may occur next year to the town meeting format. Sinclair reported selectmen are considering adding a BVR (budget validation referendum) to the school budget vote. She explained residents would gather in May to vote on the school budget which would be followed a few days later by the BVR. The 2025 town warrant may include an article regarding adoption of the BVR, said Sinclair.

If approved, the BVR would continue for three years. "I'm not sure what happens if voters reject the budget in a BVR, but we will find out more details tomorrow," she said.

Selectmen planned to review proposed school and municipal warrant articles March 18. Sinclair said the town will hold two public hearings on the 2025 warrant. She added the public can ask about school and municipal budget questions at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 12 and at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 14. Both sessions are in the town hall.

The committee tabled two proposed policy amendments, Family and Medical Leave and Earned Paid Leave. The committee entered into executive session to discuss negotiations with the Edgecomb Education Association.

The committee meets next at 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 15 at Edgecomb Eddy School.