Fewer than a dozen voters turned out for a public hearing on Wiscasset’s combined municipal and school budgets of just under $12 million Aug. 18. Selectmen held the hearing before their meeting in the Wiscasset Community Center auditorium.

The board agreed to dispense with reading the 73 warrant articles. Chairman Judy Colby asked if anyone had any questions. There were none and the hearing closed. Colby noted this was a flat budget which will keep property taxes at or close to their 2019 level.

In-person voting on the warrant is Tuesday, Sept. 8 at the community center from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Absentee ballots are available. To download an application to request an absentee ballot, visit www. wiscasset.org/departments/town-clerk-and-elections. Requests must be received by the town clerk by the close of the business day Thursday, Sept. 3. The deadline to return them is 8 p.m. the day of the election.

Articles on the proposed school budget appear at the top of the town warrant. Article 3 asks for an operational budget of $9.99 million, which includes raising $5.99 million as the local share.

Big ticket items for voters to consider include using capital reserve funds to buy an ambulance, police cruiser and used ladder fire truck. Also to be considered is buying a new GMC dump truck for the public works department, four generators for the sewage treatment plant, and $80,000 for roofing work at the community center. These too are to be paid for from capital reserves.

Wiscasset’s capital reserve investments gained $436,189 over the last month, increasing to $12.26 million. At the close of the stock market July 31, the town’s endowment funds stood at $3.8 million, a gain of $147,380 from June.

Proposed department budgets for 2020-2021 include: ambulance and EMA, $583,606; police, $469,752; fire, $147,959; public works, $628,972; transfer station, $560,217 and administration, $193,625. 

The proposed parks and recreation budget is $829,889, while $91,616 is sought for operation of Wiscasset Municipal Airport and $46,305 for the waterfront. A separate article requests $46,305 to fund a school resource officer.

The warrant includes an article inserted by petition for repeal of the town’s historical preservation ordinance. The referendum question appears as article 68, with an addendum stating it was “inserted by petition.” Voting yes repeals the ordinance. 

Former selectman and current budget committee member Judy Flanagan led the petition effort. The question’s wording is the same as in a failed repeal effort in November 2017. Should the no votes prevail, article 69 asks voters to replace the ordinance with an amended one, a copy of which is on file with the town clerk.

The select board seats are the only contested ones on the ballot. Six candidates are running for three seats on the board.

This year’s town report includes a dedication to Cheryl Rust and a memorium to Kerry Leeman. Rust was the longtime owner of Le Garage restaurant on Water Street and has been active in many community organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Boothbay and United Way of Midcoast Maine. Leeman was a former selectman, budget and airport committee member. A U.S. Army veteran, he worked as a security guard at Maine Yankee and also for the community center and transfer station. He died Nov. 18, 2019.

During their regular meeting, selectmen revised the pier policy. Waterfront Committee Chair Susan Robson noted the revisions addressed electrical services provided to vendors. The policy appears in the select board’s supporting documents for the meeting, available on the town website.

Town Manager Dennis Simmons said on behalf of the town he had applied for and received $55,478 in COVID-19 grant monies offered through the Keep Maine Healthy program.

The board approved a new business license to Joey Brown, dba Coastal Automotive and Welding at 488 Gardiner Road.

The select board plans to return to the municipal building hearing room for its next regular meeting on Sept. 1. Seating for the public will be limited; face masks and social distancing protocols will be followed.