A gift of $3,000 from organizers of a Wiscasset GoFundMe campaign will go in the town’s general assistance account. The select board accepted the donation from Friends of Wiscasset Village in the board’s teleconference meeting Tuesday afternoon, May 12.

The group started the online fundraising campaign in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents Terry Heller, Sarah Emery, Gab David and Mary Ellen Barnes organized the effort, “COVID-19 and A Coastal Village with a Big Heart.”

Over the past seven weeks, they’ve received 40 pledges, according to their GoFundMe website. One Wiscasset couple gave $1,000 while two other donations were for $500 each. In a letter to the select board sent earlier this month, Heller said the group wanted to pledge most of its donations to the general assistance fund with remaining monies to go to local community organizations or charities.

Since the select board’s last meeting, Police Chief Larry Hesseltine reached out for clarification on social distancing rules for restaurants and eating establishments. In a letter to the board Hesseltine stated he’d been in touch with Vanessa Knipping, Maine Center for Disease Control health inspector for this district. The police chief noted Wiscasset PD had received “a few complaints” of some local eating establishments serving customers in violation of the Governor’s executive order prohibiting indoor and outdoor dining, which changes May 18, with required precautions.

The board voted unanimously to ratify a new collective bargaining contract with its support staff; one of three bargaining units represented by IAMAW.  Terms of the new agreement were not disclosed. 

Wiscasset Municipal Airport will host Morse High School’s graduation. Town Manager John O’Connell said he and airport manager Rick Tetrev approved the request after meeting with Bath school officials. “They’ll be responsible for ensuring the required social distancing measures are followed,” said O’Connell. 

This was the sixth time the selectmen have met remotely since COVID-19 social distancing measures went into effect. They plan to meet again by teleconference on May 19. The agenda will include a plan for re-opening the town office and establishing a timeframe for resuming work on the 2020-2021 budget. Also to be determined is when to hold the annual town and election. A decision might also be made on whether or not to cancel this year’s Fourth of July parade.

The board plans to continue meeting remotely until June.