Dear Editor:

Selectmen are elected to represent the voters. In June, Wiscasset voters rejected the purchase of another new police cruiser and funding for a school resource officer. I was shocked and outraged at the selectmens’ recent decision to allow a second chance revote on a new police cruiser and a school resource officer. This sets a horrible precedent that if a department is unhappy with the outcome of a vote, all they need to do is go to the selectmen for a revote. Even more outrageous is that instead of a ballot vote where all residents have an equal opportunity to vote, it will be a special in-person town meeting in August. Over 400 residents voted in the June election;  special in-person town meetings are unlikely to draw more than 50 voters. This takes away equal voting opportunity for the elderly, families with young children, working people, families on vacation and those concerned about the delta variant of the coronavirus who may not be available or able to attend such a meeting. However, the departments advocating for the revote can ensure employees and residents associated with the police department and school will attend in large numbers to stack the revote in their favor.

Cities across America and Maine are foregoing school resource officers to allocate funds to increased guidance and mental health counselors. Wiscasset should be doing the same. If you are unsure whether the police department needs another new vehicle, take a drive up Route 27 and see how many police vehicles are sitting idle.

I encourage all Wiscasset voters to make attending this special town meeting a priority. Let’s send a strong message to the selectmen and departments that didn’t get what they wanted, that they must respect election results and move on.

Karen Wilson

Wiscasset