The Wiscasset Ordinance Review Committee will be getting notes from selectmen on its draft marijuana ordinances. Selectman Dusty Jones said the very detailed draft language poses a few questions on restrictions like operating requirements, locations, growing cannabis plants, security, lighting and aroma.

Jones gave the ORC’s suggestion for restricting loitering around cannabis facilities as an example. State restrictions already prevent public consumption of cannabis, so an ordinance would be redundant, he said.

“And why are we limiting the number of businesses that can do this kind of work?” said Jones. “I would maybe let the market (decide).”

Selectman James Andretta said ordinances should follow the state's restrictions and minimum requirements where it would be necessary and more stringent language adopted where Wiscasset voters feel it necessary. Town Manager Dennis Simmons pointed out despite feelings some of the language is too strict, there are areas in the ORC’s draft that fall in line with state restrictions.

Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission Planner Emily Rabbe introduced Sunrise Ecologic’s Shri Verrill, a service provider who has been helping towns navigate Maine’s Community Resilience Partnership. Verrill is currently assisting Boothbay and Southport for the program and Boothbay Harbor and Edgecomb are still deliberating.

The program helps individual towns or regions fulfill climate and green energy goals through grants. Some of the approved projects for other towns include LED upgrades, purchase of an electric school bus, waterfront infrastructure, storm-water management and municipal building upgrades. The program has a pre-approved list featuring 72 types of projects to choose from, but some projects outside of that list might qualify though with different funding implications, said Verrill.

“The community resilience partnership service provider takes on the responsibility of walking the community through the criteria steps in order to become eligible so that you can apply for the community action grant. Those steps are ... identify an individual or committee to be the contact for this process, to conduct a self-evaluation ... and to host a robust and equitable community engagement process so that the community members can weigh in on what is important to them.”

Verrill’s involvement would be of no cost to the town as she would be paid through the program, she said. However, the application deadline is at the end of August and responses to the last cycle of grants was robust, said Rabbe. Verrill asked for a letter of support from selectmen; however, the board agreed to revisit the subject in their next meeting.

Selectmen also mulled over potential projects to be funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. Simmons said Wiscasset currently has $209,223 in funds available until 2026 for projects deemed “normal government functions.” Jones suggested road repair and Heller waterfront and Points Island footbridge repair. Simmons said the town already has public funds for the roads and the footbridge and waterfront repair might be a stretch as a normal government function. He posed LED streetlight conversion, a $133,000 venture, and heating, ventilation and cooling for the town office building as possibilities. Such projects are common ones for towns spending ARPA funds, he said.

Simmons said after a week of back and forth with Walpole, Massachusetts’ Allegiance Fire & Rescue, the company agreed to rework the terms of agreement for a new firetruck: a $10,000 cap on increased costs due to chassis repair. The cost of the truck per the agreement was $392,592, so the price “could go as far as $402,500,” said Simmons.