Westport Island selectmen met Monday, Oct. 31 to discuss agenda items including a new generator for the fire department and recent notices regarding emergency management.

Maine’s Emergency Management Agency sent the town a notice for area farm operators, small businesses and nonprofits that concerns dry wells “as a result of the drought conditions Maine is experiencing.”

According to the notice dated Oct. 24, measurement of ground water levels as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey show that “nearly the entire state is in some sort of hydrologic drought” and Maine’s groundwater levels are “at the lowest 15 percent” of all data gathered since 1981.

The notice advises those involved in agriculture and businesses whose wells are dry to contact 211 to report the problem. Well owners are also reminded that they may call the national wellcare hotline for the Water Systems Council at 1-888-395-1033. The Lincoln County Executive Director for the USDA farm service agency is Maria Granger, who can be reached at 1-207-622-7847, ext. 2 or at maria.granger@me.usda.gov.

Lincoln County EMA distributed a notice from Assistant Director Casey Stevens to town managers that the agency has received the support of the county commissioners in providing backup generators in “key facilities.” These facilities are identified as “town offices, fire stations and facilities that may be used as a community shelter.” 

Selectmen indicated they will not need a generator because the town’s volunteer fire department has obtained a grant to purchase and install a 50 KW generator. The new generator replaces one that required constant load monitoring due to its size.

The grant was received through the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and is for 75 percent of the $44,413 project. The island’s fire department will provide the remaining amount. The fire department applied for the grant in 2015.

The project includes purchase of the generator, purchase of a 1,000-gallon propane tank (approximately $5,000) and services to complete the project. These services are delivery of the generator, electrical and fuel technicians to provide electrical work, laying and testing the line for the propane fuel, draining the generator, installing and activating heat blocks and testing the equipment.

In a series of emails to Fire Chief Bob Mooney and State Hazard Mitigation Officer JoAnn Mooney (no relation), resident Davies Allan questioned the cost of the project.  Allan had requested an estimate for the same generator and had been given an estimate of $18,510. His emails expressed his concern that the fire department had purchased the generator “without performing due diligence.”

 Responding to the email, JoAnn Mooney said that “The application and award process has been ongoing since January 2015 and has involved a lot of meetings and site visits during that time. The cost estimates were revised several times so that all the anticipated costs could be met...”

In a discussion of the correspondence at Monday evening’s selectmen meeting, George Richardson Jr. explained that Allan “Did not know what the contract said. It’s an apples to oranges comparison.”

Chief Bob Mooney later told the Wiscasset Newspaper,  the goal is to provide a facility where residents can “Come in, get warm, get water and charge cell phones. It’s not a shelter,” he explained, “but they can get warm here.”

Mooney said the fire department is “Very grateful for the grant.” He said the department could not take on the project without assistance and the department was pleased to be able to help residents. The generator is expected to be functional by Thanksgiving.