Pay-as-you-throw is a no-go in Wiscasset. Residents on June 11 rejected the measure at the polls 221-146.

The change would have had the Wiscasset Transfer Station’s users in Wiscasset, Alna and Westport Island buy trash bags from Wiscasset. It was aimed at generating revenue, increasing recycling and, over time, cutting the property taxes that go into funding the station.

Voters also elected Timothy Merry and incumbent Pam Dunning to the Board of Selectmen. Merry got the most votes, with 319; Dunning received 200; a third candidate on the ballot, David R. Nichols, received 154 votes.

In uncontested races, Rowena Flynn won a seat on the Regional School Unit 12 board; and Edward Kavanagh and Dean Shea were re-elected as water district trustees.

Voters rejected several pieces of the next year’s budget for the town, including most of the capital improvements and the following departments’ proposed budgets: transfer station, 181 yes votes, 206 no; assessment and human resources 127 yes, 266 no; code enforcement, 158 yes, 231 no; and planning, 157 yes, 231 no. Selectmen had supported the items; the Budget Committee had opposed them.

Voters also followed the Budget Committee’s recommendation to reject raising $40,000 in contingency funds.

An item voters passed 264-128 gives the green light for up to three months of funding for departments whose budgets failed.

During the time that the measure affords each department, selectmen could take a new proposal to the polls or to an open town meeting; or the board could choose to close the department, Town Manager Laurie Smith has said.

A narrow vote  (189 yes and 198 no) defeated a proposal to tap the capital reserve fund for $312,884 to make several repairs, including fixing the municipal building’s roof, and buy a public works truck and a generator for the municipal building.

The pay-as-you-throw proposal was the only proposed ordinance change that failed. Voters agreed to lower the amount of time clam diggers have to put into conservation work each year, from 20 hours down to 12.

Also passed were an amended port and harbor ordinance and a proposal to switch Castle Tucker and several other properties from the shoreland resource protection district to the less restrictive shoreland residential district.

In another vote, residents opposed providing ambulance service to Woolwich. Passage wouldn’t have had that result, anyway. Woolwich opted last month to renew its contract with North East Mobile Health. Among Woolwich’s concerns was the possibility that Wiscasset would reject the proposal.

Susan Johns can be reached at 207-844-4633 or sjohns@wiscassetnewspaper.com.