It took 25 voters about 20 minutes to pass an article authorizing the Woolwich selectboard to move forward on a collaborative project with Maine Connectivity Authority and Consolidated Communications for the construction of a community-wide broadband fiber optic network. The special town meeting at the municipal building preceded a regular meeting of the selectboard, Wednesday, Sept. 18.

Selectman Tommy Davis explained voter approval of the project that was given in May 2023 had expired and a special town meeting was necessary to re-authorize the use of $225,000 from the town’s undesignated fund balance. The funds are a required matching contribution for Woolwich to participate in the project and will be disbursed over the next two years.

“Our first application for the grant in 2023 with Consolidated Communications was not awarded to our project. But in a second grant application, made earlier this year, Maine Connectivity Authority awarded a total of $6 million for a proposed multi-town project, to bring fiber broadband to Woolwich along with Wiscasset, Alna, Dresden, Boothbay, Edgecomb, Waldoboro, Whitefield and Nobleboro, in a public-private partnership with Consolidated Communications,” added Davis.

Every home in Woolwich will be provided with broadband access but it’s up to the homeowner whether they want to subscribe to the service which promises faster, more reliable internet connections. Consolidated Communications will be the network’s builder and internet provider. “They’ve told me they are committed to having the project completed before the end of 2025,” Davis said in response to a question.

“Is $225,000 all the money the town of Woolwich is going to have to put into this?” asked resident Tom Stoner. “Yes,” said Davis.

Mike Field served as moderator of the meeting. The article passed unanimously when he called for a voice vote. Along with Davis other members of the town’s Broadband/Communications Committee include Roger Baffer, Danny Evarts, Janine Lipfert, Caelie Smith and Selectman and District 49 State Rep. Allison Hepler.

During the regular meeting, Davis noted Woolwich contractor Jack Shaw & Sons had completed all but the landscaping in the installation of a new septic system at the municipal building. The planned move of a fire hydrant on Nequasset Road near the town office is scheduled for Oct. 16 and will require traffic to be detoured most of the day.

In other news for motorists, Selectman Jason Shaw had an update about Old Stage Road, which links Wiscasset and Woolwich and has been closed all summer while a small two-lane bridge is replaced, resulting in a seven-mile detour. Shaw said MaineDOT has informed him the contractor is on track to have the project completed soon.

Selectman Shaw called this year’s Community Picnic one of the best ever. “The weather was perfect and we had a lot more people attend,” he commented. “I hope we can continue doing it every year,” added Chairman David King Sr. “It fosters a sense of community and the cost to the town is really very low,” he said. The selectboard discussed continuing to hold the event in September rather than in mid-summer.

EMS Director Danny Evarts reported the ambulance department has begun using its $15,000 Maine EMS Sustainability Grant. Along with uniform T-shirts, additional gear is being purchased to facilitate adult and infant CPR training and first aid. “These will help us do better in-house training, which would not normally be within our budget,” he said. Woolwich Ambulance responded to 18 calls so far in September; 19 patients have been seen, 17 were transported. Evarts said he will be traveling to Nevada Oct. 6-11 for Radiological/Nuclear Response Training. He noted there were would be no cost to the town for his trip.  

Fire Chief Shaun Merrill said the fire department had responded to six calls this month including a home structural fire downtown. Merrill said the occupants of the residence escaped serious injury and were receiving assistance from the Red Cross. The cause of the fire was thought to be electrical in nature. The fire chief noted the department’s annual Fire Prevention Open House will be Wednesday, Oct. 9 from 5:30 to 7:30 at the fire station. Due to the extended dry weather, no burn permits were being issued by the fire department until further notice. 

The recently formed Climate Resilience Committee will host its first community workshop Monday, September 23 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the municipal building. The workshop will be an opportunity to discuss and share community values and goals in the eventual development of a climate action plan and other community resilience initiatives for the town.