Edgecomb selectmen signed the annual town meeting warrant May 6. Among the 66 articles to be decided May 17-18 are three on marijuana sales, cultivation and testing.

The first portion of the annual town meeting will be a secret ballot vote on Friday, May 17 beginning at 1 p.m. at the town hall. Article 1 asks voters to choose a moderator for Saturday’s meeting. Article 2 will decide eight other seats: Selectman, currently held by Ted Hugger; two planning board seats currently held by Barry Hathorne and Gretchen Burleigh-Johnson; and the school board seat currently held by Mark Graham. All are three-year terms.  Those seeking election for one-year terms are town clerk, Claudia Coffin; treasurer, Claudia Coffin; tax collector, Deb Boucher and road commissioner, Scott Griffin. Polls will close at 7 p.m. Friday.

When the meeting reconvenes at 10 a.m. Saturday, residents will decide a proposed $4.1 million budget for the coming fiscal year, including $3.187 million for education.

Articles 18 and 23 seek approval of tax increment financing (TIF) funds for fire department equipment and for a payment on the new fire truck. Both articles state the vote is subject to approval from the State Department of Economic and Community Development. Selectmen said the town has received the approval from DECD.

Article 38 results from a petition and asks if the boat excise tax collected should be added to the Woodend account. This would be used to acquire property for public access to the water.

Voters will consider appropriating $1,500 for signs for the town and for a membership in Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce.  The membership fee allows the town to place brochures in the new visitor information center on Route 1. Selectmen also announced at Monday’s meeting that the requested ASK grant of $2,000 had been approved by the Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission. The grant will be used to create and print the brochures.

Article 49 proposes the ordinance concerning mooring locations be changed to allow owners of “riparian” properties to apply for a mooring location adjacent to their property for themselves or another, providing abutters consent to the application. This changes the existing ordinance wording which only allows the owner to have a non-transferable mooring.   

At their meeting Monday, selectmen also received an update from Maine Department of Transportation on work on Eddy Road. Rob Betz, region engineer and Luther Yonce, senior property office, told the board the Curtis property retaining wall is within the state’s right-of-way.

Although legislation has been passed giving MDOT an easement that allows work on properties within the right-of-way, an exception to the law prevents this on properties dating before 1949. Yonce believes the Curtis property was and so is protected from the state’s easement. Complicating this is the concern that removal of the wall may cause damage to the house. The property owner has been contacted and asked to hold the MDOT contractor harmless when the wall is removed but the owner has refused.

Yonce said he would like to ask the owner for permission to enter the house to take photos of the inside and outside to document the structure’s condition before work starts. He asked the town’s code enforcement officer, Ken Vinal to serve as an independent third party for the inspection. Vinal agreed to accompany them.

Luther cautioned the selectmen that costs for contractor insurance to address the retaining wall and possible structural damage to the home may become so high that “We may have to shut this thing off.”

The men were asked to obtain more information and return for an update later.

Fire Chief Roy Potter advised selectmen that Engine 3, acquired in 2010 for $250. failed inspection and the cost to repair the truck would exceed its worth. Potter asked for approval to look into acquiring another used fire engine. Selectmen tabled the vote for two weeks, pending more information.

The fire department reported 22 calls in April: 15 for medical assistance,three motor vehicle accidents and responses to two fire alarms, a carbon monoxide alarm and a tree on electrical wires.