Wiscasset voters on September 10 rejected the assessing department budget again, leaving selectmen to figure out next steps.

Because voters also chose not to fund rejected budgets for another three months, the selectmen will have to meet to discuss how to come up with longtime assessors' agent Sue Varney's severance pay, Selectmen's Chairman Ed Polewarczyk said.

“We didn't budget for her severance pay so we have no authorization to pay it,” Polewarczyk said.

The severance pay also bears on the total taxes needed this year, so the board will have to consider how to proceed with the tax commitment, Polewarczyk said.

“I'm particularly disappointed with the assessing (budget) vote,” Polewarczyk said. In results provided by Wiscasset Town Clerk Christine Wolfe, 307 voters said “yes” to the assessing department budget; 389 said “no.”

The loss of Varney’s position and of Varney in that job will impact the town in a very dramatic way, Board Vice Chairman Judy Colby said. In addition to the contract issues and the question of how to commit taxes without Varney, Varney has dedication and skills that have long served the town well and have even “kept the town out of hot water” it has faced, Colby said.

“I hate to see Sue go .... We are in a very hard spot right now. I was very surprised and disappointed, but the people have spoken and if this is what they want, we are going to have to do our best to make it all better,” Colby said.

Polewarczyk said he was also disappointed that the planning department budget only passed by one vote, 353-352. Town Planner Misty Parker has done a lot of good work for the town and he had hoped the budget would pass by a wider margin, he said.

Both the planning and assessing departments' budgets had lost in June, prompting a revote on those and other rejected items.

The budget committee had opposed the planning and assessing budgets in June and opposed them again on Tuesday's ballot.

Voters gave the nod September 10 to the revised transfer station budget (532-182) and most of the proposed capital spending. Repairs to roads, sidewalks, wastewater pumps, and the municipal building roof all passed, along with purchases of a pickup truck for the fire department and a special machine to clean turnout gear.

Residents voted against buying a public works truck and a generator for the municipal building.

A proposed budget of $30,000 for contingency passed, 537-173. Code enforcement passed, 437-271.

In a small sampling of voters interviewed after they exited the Wiscasset Community Center, no single item piqued their interest to come vote.

“I vote all the time,” Daniel Ezzell said. “People say one vote doesn't count, but I do it anyway.”

Robin Lewis said she tries to stay aware of the goings-on in the community, and that everyone should. “If we don't, then what?” she said.

Wiscasset Fire Chief T.J. Merry said the budget included items that the department needs, but he would have voted, even if nothing on Tuesday's ballot involved the department.

“It's important,” he said.