Wiscasset selectmen received a mid-year summary of the 2016-17 town budget revealing all of the accounts are about where they should be at the start of the new year. Most departments have spent roughly half of what voters approved last June. An exception was the fire department, which as of Dec. 31 had spent 66 percent of its $137,173 budget leaving a balance of $46,542, according to the one-page financial summary compiled by the town office.

In her monthly report to selectmen, Treasurer Shari Fredette reported the town office collected $399,126 in real estate property taxes for the month of December. The town has collected $4.29 million, about half of the 2016 tax commitment, according to Fredette. The town has $4.3 million remaining to collect.

The treasurer cited $5.57 million in long-term debt excluding the proposed school department’s $1.7 million energy conservation project.

The summary showed the ambulance department has spent 49.8 percent of its $478,250 budget. The service responded to 73 calls last month, 43 of those in town and 16 in Edgecomb, wrote EMS Director Toby Martin in his monthly report. Martin added he’d recently hired two EMTs, one of those advanced.

As of Dec. 31, the Wiscasset Police Department had spent a little over half of its $425,603 budget. The department responded to 368 calls in December; 253 were for property checks, according to Chief Jeffrey Lange. Police made 29 motor vehicle stops and received four 911 calls.

In his December report, Fire Chief T.J. Merry stated the fire department responded to 14 calls. They included three motor vehicle accidents, two structure fires and one chimney fire. Merry noted the department has a roster of 22.

Public Works Director Doug Fowler said he’s gone through about half of the department’s winter sand supply. Fowler blamed icy weather that made hazardous driving conditions. Fowler said residents were welcome to take sand for their own use but were limited to two, five-gallon buckets at a time.

William Rines, treatment plant supervisor, noted the town had received $33,996 in sewer fees last month. This puts his department at 49 percent of its anticipated revenues for the year, he stated. The treatment plant has spent about 39 percent of its $458,695 budget.

On Jan. 17, selectmenvoted unanimously to continue the $3,000 fixed rate the town charges Westport Island’s and Edgecomb for ambulance services. Martin had recommended selectmen consider raising the amount. “The service they’re getting now is very cheap,” he said.

Chairman Judy Colby said by raising the ambulance rate the town would run the risk of losing those two towns’ business.

Selectman also voted to sell five tax-acquired properties; authorized the town manager to sign a consent agreement regarding the treatment plant with the Department of Environmental Protection; appointed Marty Fox of Hidden Pasture Lane to the Conservation Commission; and appointed Cynthia Spurgin of Bradford Road to the Cemetery Committee.