If the state takes over maintaining the stream crossing at Wiscasset’s Old Ferry Road, will the state cover hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs ahead of the handoff? No, Town Manager Dennis Simmons explained March 2. In a budget workshop over Zoom and a written report to selectmen, Simmons said he is looking at whether or not turning over the stretch’s maintenance makes sense.

“I’ve got to do a little more digging into this to find out whether it’s worth it or not.”

Because Old Ferry Road is a town way, he did not realize that was possible, Simmons said. He has gotten word of a conditional award of a $125,000 grant toward the work Simmons said was first pegged at $630,000. He said the grant would pull the cost down to $505,000; and he has proposed budgeting $525,000 in capital funds; the other $20,000 is in case costs run over: “Construction costs are pretty high right now, so who knows (if) all this pent up demand happens – look at lumber prices and trying to get anything – so I put a little extra in there to give us a little bit of leeway.”

He is awaiting final word from the state procurement review committee about the grant.

The 2021-22 $40,464 waterfront pier payment is the final one, Simmons said. “Yay,” Chair Pam Dunning said. Maine Department of Transportation’s utility deals will cost the town $65,000, according to materials the board reviewed. 

Selectmen mulled how much else to tap in capital funds. Jeff Slack said, given how well investments have done, “I would feel comfortable taking $2 million out of there.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t,” Dunning said. “With investments, you don’t take everything that you made and spend it. You can’t trust that every year you’re going to gain like we have been in the last year.”

Selectman Kim Andersson suggested creating an endowment to set up parks and recreation as an enterprise account in a plan over years, easing taxpayers’ burden and “not just spend (the funds), invest it.” Dunning said rather than “dump a lot of money aside for just one department,” spread it across departments, via a plan of what to do and when, to address the town’s infrastructure. It is not in good condition, she said.

“And it’s not going to get any better, and piecemealing it here and there is only going to get more expensive,” Simmons said.

Andersson said she liked Dunning’s idea. Andersson added, at $17 million, there is enough money for a lot of ideas and setting up endowments for multiple departments. Dunning said there is not time for a new capital plan by this year’s town budget vote. Simmons can work on it for next year’s, she said.

Besides the work on Old Ferry Road, Simmons has proposed tapping capital funds for $90,000 for a Bobcat for public works; $55,000 for a cruiser and equipment for the police department; $10,000 in technology upgrades for emergency medical services; $10,000 for overhead door openers for the fire department; $20,000 for a rescue boat Simmons said the fire department and harbor master would use; $60,000 for parks and recreation, including hot water tanks, Senior Center carpeting, and rooftop air conditioning units; and $220,000 for wastewater, including pumps, pump station generators and a dump-utility truck.

Requesting the cruiser, Police Chief Larry Hesseltine noted he has been responding to night emergencies in his personal vehicle, and the department’s cruisers are getting high in mileage. In a high-speed chase, the officers’ lives are in those cruisers, he said.

Andersson praised Simmons’ budget work and departments’ handling of a hard year.

The board made no decisions. More budget sessions were set to follow the March 9 and 16 selectmen’s meetings.