Westport Island selectmen covered a range of topics Monday, Dec. 11, including a fund that helps area residents and plans for work on the comprehensive plan.

A letter from The Community Energy Fund of Lincoln County thanking the town for its support was read. The fund has been in place for 12 years and has helped 3,072 households with $1,245,000 in fuel assistance to date.  It started in Damariscotta when a group of friends wanted to help neighbors who were having difficulty during the harsh winter.

According to communityenergyfund.com, the fund is applied throughout the county’s 18 towns. Towns identify residents who need assistance with fuel and the fund contacts the energy provider and arranges for delivery and a payment.  Although primarily used for fuel, the fund may also be used to assist families facing an unexpected emergency. The fund is a non-profit organization; tax-deductible donations can be made to: The Community Energy Fund, P.O. Box 40, Bristol, ME 04539.

Jeffery Tarbox, chair of the town’s history committee, informed selectmen that Bill Cooney resigned. Cooney told the Wiscasset Newspaper he “absolutely enjoyed” his time on the committee.

The town has received the 2017 State Of Maine Comprehensive Planning Resource Package. The large document contains raw and analyzed data and other materials to help with planning.  Selectmen will appoint a committee of citizens to work on the town’s comprehensive plan. While there is no deadline, the state encourages towns to update their plans at least every 10 years.

After approval by selectmen, the plan will be submitted to the state for review.

According to Lincoln County Planner Robert Faunce, there are a number of good reasons for towns to complete a comprehensive plan. Having a current one can mean preferred status for a town’s application for state grant or loan programs, and help towns analyze the current and future needs of their residents and may help identify the need for access to certain services.

In the planning package other benefits are listed as:  legitimate zoning, impact fee, and rate of growth ordinances; requiring state agencies to comply with local zoning standards; guiding state growth-related capital investment into locally chosen growth areas; offering relaxed Maine Department of Transportation traffic permit standards for certain growth-area developments; and qualifying for authority to issue Natural Resources Protection Act (NRPA) permits.

“I think it’s a terrific idea that Westport is looking to update their plan,” Faunce told the Wiscasset Newspaper.

Selectmen expect to appoint the committee after Christmas.