Phase 4 of the Route 27 Corridor Improvement project began April 30 and ends June 29. Project contractor Sargent Construction of Stillwater provided town officials with a construction plan for the next 45 days. During the May 23 board meeting, selectmen directed Town Manager Dan Bryer to post the schedule on the municipal website: www.townofboothbay.org.

Bryer indicated the schedule will be placed in three-week increments until the project’s completion. Currently, Sargent is completing intermediate paving. Once the contractor begins surface paving, Bryer expects longer traffic delays. “They’re almost done intermediate paving, and I expect a bit more pain when surface paving begins,” he said.

As the construction project continues, the board has one ongoing issue resolved. A Maine Superior Court justice has dismissed Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens' lawsuit against the town. In December, CMBG filed suits — one in federal, the other in superior court – based on a Nov.9, 2017 board of appeals decision. In the lawsuits, CMBG claimed the Board of Appeals violated the Gardens' Constitutional right to due process and challenged the decision characterizing a botanical gardens as “more like” a museum, than an educational facility.

On April 25, U.S. District Court Judge Jon D. Levy approved a consent decree which settled two federal lawsuits CMBG filed against Boothbay. CMBG filed separate suits in federal and superior courts based on a Nov.9, 2017 board of appeals decision. The board voted 3-2 to deny a building permit for CMBG’s expansion project. The final lawsuit — Superior Court —- was dismissed last week, effectively freeing the town from any further legal litigation resulting from the appeals board decision.

Boothbay still has one lawsuit pending. The Anthony family also filed a lawsuit  against Boothbay in Superior Court resulting from the Nov. 9 appeals board decision. But the decree includes an indemnity clause which means CMBG will defend any current or future lawsuits against Boothbay resulting from the Nov. 9 decision.

In other action, selectmen accepted Board of Appeals member Scott Adams's resignation. Adams has served for several years on the board and prior to that on the port committee. Adams informed Board of Appeals Chairman Dick Perkins of his resignation prior to the May 21 hearing.

Selectmen will send Adams a thank you card and a $50 certificate to the Carriage House Restaurant for his many years of public service.

The selectmen unanimously approved a Class I, II, III, and IV liquor license renewal for the Carriage House Restaurant, a renewal for a Class I, II, III, and IV restaurant liquor license renewal and seasonal special amusement permit for Cabbage Island Clambake, and an innkeepers license renewal for White Anchor Inn.

Selectmen also received a  memo from Maine Aqua Ventus on its proposed experimental off-shore wind project. The memo indicated Maine Aqua Ventus is still in the process of collecting core samples from ocean waters in East Boothbay. The project would connect buried cables from wind turbines located near Monhegan Island to East Boothbay. Resarchers are concerned disturbing the ocean floor may stir up chemicals accumulated over two centuries of boat building at Hodgdon Yachts. If core samples show substantial contamination, Maine Aqua Ventus would seek another location. 

Maine Aqua Ventus representative Josh Plourde attended the meeting, but selectmen asked him no questions about the project.

Selectmen will meet next at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 13 in the municipal building.