An energy project of up to $1.75 million got the Wiscasset School Committee’s unanimous approval Dec. 15. And selectmen’s handling of a Dec. 6 discussion on the project got a strong rebuke from one committee member.

“(Superintendent of Schools Heather Wilmot) was subjected to unfair allegations, untrue statements and frankly some bad political theater ... It was embarrassing. It really was,” committee member Jason Putnam said. He commended Wilmot, saying she showed professionalism and strength in leadership at the meeting with selectmen.

Selectmen’s Chairman Judy Colby attended the Dec. 15 committee meeting. She declined comment afterward. Also there was Judy Flanagan, who recently resigned as a selectman. In a brief interview following the vote, Flanagan said she hoped the comments from both panels do not build a wall between them. “We all know they both care a lot about the community,” she said.

Flanagan, who left her board seat before selectmen met with Wilmot, said in her opinion it is a project that should have gone to a town-wide vote due to the large amount of money involved. Selectmen on Dec 6 spoke against plans for the school committee to decide the contract.

The committee took the vote on a motion from Chairman Michael Dunn. The 5-0 vote passed a resolution authorizing both the project and its financing through a tax-exempt lease-purchase deal with a principal of up to $1.75 million.

Wilmot said she is still negotiating with banks, but has gotten a 3.35 percent interest rate from one and 3.67 from another. Both rates are good through the second week of January, Wilmot said. She is asking for a quarterly payment schedule, to align with the school department’s cash flow, she said.

During a public comment period near the end of the meeting, Wiscasset resident Dan Sortwell asked the length of the loan, which Wilmot said was 16 years; and whether she had looked at funding the energy work through the Maine Department of Education’s school revolving renovation fund. Wilmot said the fund was being explored as a possible source for funding other work, but not the project the committee had just approved.

Department officials have said the project would replace aging equipment, improve students’ learning environment and save on energy, partially offsetting project costs.

Pre-k expands with all-day option

On Jan. 3, Wiscasset Elementary School's pre-kindergarten expands to a full day, for families who choose it, Wilmot and WES Principal Mona Schlein said.

Most of the dozen students who now attend either the morning or afternoon class will be making the switch to attending all day, Schlein said in an interview. Wilmot, in the meeting, and Schlein afterward, said the all-day option will further help prepare students for school. The program's first students who entered kindergarten this year had both learning and social skills that surpassed those seen in kindergarteners before pre-k was added, Schlein said.

The all-day option will not add to the school’s expenses, Schlein said. No new staff were needed, she said.

The expansion has the required approval from the Maine Department of Education, Wilmot said. Asked if the school department encountered any difficulties during the approval process, Schlein said: “No. It was seamless.”

Also regarding pre-k, Wilmot and Schlein said Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit 12 is interested in talking with Wiscasset about the possibility of Alna and Westport Island children attending pre-k in Wiscasset.

SVRSU 12 Superintendent of Schools Howie Tuttle on Friday described the matter as very preliminary. Wiscasset reached out and he is interested in having a discussion on it, but the district board has not discussed it yet; and the district board has met with the Edgecomb School Committee and discussed the possibility of Alna and Westport Island students attending pre-k at Edgecomb Eddy School, Tuttle said.

“All options will be explored,” he said.

An arrangement with Wiscasset, Edgecomb or another school department would face a hurdle with the district’s re-organization plan, he said. It does not include school choice for pre-k for Alna or Westport Island, so there would be a lot of work ahead if the district pursues the idea, Tuttle said.