Wiscasset selectmen held their first goal setting workshop Tuesday evening and came up with some potential goals for 2013. One goal was the development of a fund balance policy, which was recommended by auditor Ron Smith during the 2012 audit presentation, also Tuesday evening following the workshop.

Smith told the board he would recommend that a fund balance policy be developed before the next budget year. He said the town’s unassigned fund balance had fallen to a level insufficient to sustain government operations or a period of approximately three months. He pointed out that unassigned general fund balance decreased to $603,170 for the year ending June 30, 2012, from $669,290 for the same period in 2011.

Smith said for a town like Wiscasset, with approximately a budget of $10 million they should have about $800,000 in their unassigned fund balance.

Smith said the town should work at getting funds to sustain the town for six months, which would be 1.6 million in the unassigned fund balance. “It could take you three years to get there,” Smith said.

In concluding his presentation he said, “Wiscasset is running a pretty tight ship.”

Other suggested goals that received approval from the selectmen include: liquidating town property; developing Montsweag Brook parcel of land; actively market commercial property; keeping taxes down, and reduce accounts receivable to name a few on the list to consider.

The selectmen will continue to work on setting their goals and objectives for the next few weeks before deciding the priorities for 2013.

Committee review

Selectmen Ed Polewarczyk and Pam Dunning have reviewed the town’s committee had suggested deauthorizing the cemetery committee and having an ad-hoc committee to perform specific task, and deauthorizing the Transportation Committee as well.

The selectmen voted to deauthorize the Transportation Committee following comments from Donald Jones, Chairman of the Transportation Committee.

Jones told the board, “If you have nothing for us to do, I certainly would have no objections to it being disbanded.”

Selectman Pam Dunning told Jones that she would hope if the need should come up for him to share his expertise in the future he would be there. Jones assured the board he would always be willing to serve.

Dunning also expressed the appreciation of the town for the dedication of Jones, and Transportation Committee members. She asked that a letter of appreciation be sent to the members

The selectmen decided to postpone making a decision to appoint an ad-hoc cemetery committee after public comments by David Sutter.

Sutter asked that the selectmen postpone making a decision because in his opinion the town is obligated to have a cemetery committee because of written trusts related to the town’s cemeteries.

Polewarczyk made a motion to postpone appointing an ad-hoc committee until the town researches what its obligations are. The motion carried 4-0. Selectman William Curtis was absent from the meeting.

No more pay phone on Main Street

The town received a notice from Pacific Telemanagement Services, the company that acquired the payphone assets from Fairpoint Communications in the Wiscasset area, informing them the payphone on Main Street is not financially viable to them.

However, they would be willing to continue the service for a cost of $75 per month from the town.

The selectmen voted to have the pay phone removed since it is rarely used.

Other business

The selectmen appointed Christine Wolfe as the Registrar of Voters, with a term to expire December 31, 2015. They also appointed Neal Larrabee to the Conservation Commission with a term to expire December 31, 2015.

The selectmen will send a letter to Maine Senator Chris Johnson and Representative Les Fossel expressing their concerns with Governor Paul LePage and the Legislature considering a raid on revenue sharing to balance the state budget.