In recent years’ annual town meeetings, Edgecomb selectmen have recognized residents who epitomized community service. But the May 2020 annual meeting was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in selectmen seeking another venue to present the award. So they presented the Spirit of America Award to Joe and Lisa McSwain during the Aug. 10 board meeting.

Selectman Mike Smith described the married couple as “people who are ready to serve the town at all times.” Lisa McSwain is a former planning and economic development committee member. She serves as a Schmid Preserve Committee trustee and Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Committee member. Joe McSwain serves on the budget committee and is a former school committee member. “This award goes to people who are there all the time when something needs to be done, and you know if Lisa is involved in something then Joe is too,” Smith said. Selectmen presented the McSwains with green “Town of Edgecomb” t-shirts and a $25 gift certificate to Windsong Market.

In other action, selectmen finalized plans for the Aug. 29 town meeting with setting the public hearing for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19. Selectmen and school officials plan on reading all 66 articles on the Zoom conference call. Town officials opted for a conference call due to Gov. Janet Mills’ state of emergency restrictions for public meetings of 50 or more. Residents may submit questions prior to the hearing by mail or email. Selectmen and school officials will answer presubmitted questions during the hearing only. 

“There won’t be much discussion if any,” Smith said. “We can clarify the wording of a question, but we can’t make any changes.”

Directions for participating in the Zoom public hearing will be on the town website and in the local newspapers. Selectmen also granted recording secretary Barbara Brennan’s request to place an advertisement in the local newspapers explaining election details. “I still think there is a lot of confusion out there and the public should know they can come to the town hall and vote in a booth or by absentee ballot,” she said. 

Selectmen also finished some leftover business from last month. The town received letters from two Race property abutters seeking to buy the tax-acquired property. Selectmen directed Martha Potter and Steve Gagnon to submit sealed minimum bids of $4,400. Selectmen reviewed both bids and accepted Potter’s $8,585.85 bid; Gagnon bid $6,025. Potter bought the 30-plus acre vacant lot on U.S. Route 1. Her father previously owned the tract which once included 75 acres as part of his farm. 

Boothbay Region Refuse Disposal District Manager Steve Lewis and Curt Crosby discussed how Fiberight’s closure impacts local solid waste disposal. The closure forced BRRDD to transport its solid waste to a Norridgewock landfill operated by Waste Management. Lewis explained he believed the situation to be temporary as there are four potential buyers for the Hampden facility. “Fiberight is now in a receivership which puts the plans of MRC’s (Municipal Review Committee) on hold. We are one of 150 MRC members. Some are now taking their refuse to PERC, but since we’re closer to Norridgewock, we’re required by contract to send it to the landfill,” he said.

Lewis added Fiberight may be operational as soon as October or November. “But I really don’t know, it’s just a guess,” he said. 

Selectmen received a request to help an Edgecomb high school student pay to attend the Maine School of Science and Mathematics in Limestone this fall. Dana Lehoullier requested the town pay $6,000 in lieu of paying tuition to a local high school. His daughter, Emma Lehoullier, attended Boothbay Region High School for the past two years. She was accepted into the prestigious Limestone high school, ranked the No. 2 high school in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. “Instead of paying tuition to Boothbay or Lincoln Academy, we are asking for assistance in covering her costs. The state pays the tuition cost of $35,000 per year. Room and board is $10,000; we’ve raised most of it, but are still short,” Lehoullier said. 

Smith directed him to contact the school committee, but Lehoullier told him he spoke with the superintendent’s office who recommended discussing his request with the selectmen. Smith provided him with School Committee Chairman Tom Abello’s phone number to further discuss the student’s options. 

Selectmen ended the meeting with an executive discussion with local realtor Clayton Pottle for buying either the entire Lallis property or a section. Selectmen meet next at 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24 in the town hall’s upstairs.

This article has been updated from its original posting.