The Woolwich selectboard lent its support Wednesday, Jan. 17 to the planned expansion of a small oyster farm operating in Montsweag Bay. It was the selectboard’s first meeting at its new 5 p.m. start time.

Luke Saindon’s oyster farm is off Oak Island south of Wiscasset’s Chewonki Neck. He told the board, before he can increase the size of his oyster production he needs to apply for an additional Limited Purpose Aquaculture (LPA) permit with Maine Department of Marine Resources. Saindon said his current working area is 400 square feet with an 8-foot x 50-foot raft. The new LPA permit would allow for a second 8-foot x 50-foot raft and double his working area. He said he was aware of this area’s importance to the marine worm industry, adding his work doesn’t interfere with worm digging.

“We harvested our first oysters this past summer, about 8,000,” Saindon said, adding he’d sold part of his harvest in Maine and marketed part of it in New York City where he has a business partner. Saindon, a Maine native, resides in Wiscasset where he also moors his boat.

“He’s well off-shore but not in the way of boaters. His takes up a lot less space than some of the other aquaculture operations,” commented David King Sr., selectboard chairman. The board voted unanimously to endorse Saindon’s LPA application.

Selectman Tommy Davis said Woolwich and its partner towns, Dresden and Wiscasset, won’t be receiving any grant monies from Maine Connectivity Authority for the construction of broadband internet service. This means the town won’t be needing the $225,000 pledged by voters at last year’s annual town meeting. Davis said there may be other, future grant opportunities to fund the project.

Danny Evarts, EMS director, said the ambulance department responded to 370 calls in the 2023 calendar year, 20 more than what had been estimated. Evarts said projected revenues for the 2023-24 fiscal year were between $110,000 and $120,000. He said the ambulance department responded to 18 calls so far in January and averages about 18 calls a month. Evarts received the board’s permission to spend up to $2,500 to purchase an additional radio and two pagers for new members.

Fire Chief Shaun Merrill said the fire department received a $9,647 state matching grant; the town’s share is $4,823. Monies will be used to purchase fire equipment.

The selectboard will meet at 2:30 Monday afternoon to begin work on the 2024-25 municipal budget. Another budget meeting will be held Tuesday afternoon.

Maine Department of Transportation notified the town office that beginning 7 a.m. Monday, Jan. 22 the Max L. Wilder Memorial Bridge linking Woolwich to Arrowsic would be reduced to alternating vehicular one-lane traffic to accommodate construction work. A minimum lane width of 11 feet will be in effect through May 31.