Two town officials and a resident expressed displeasure with Edgecomb Selectman Stuart Smith in the handling of discussions with Boothbay selectmen about the two town's possible sharing of code enforcement services.

At the Edgecomb Selectmen’s meeting Monday night, February 10, Town Clerk Claudia Coffin said that she felt a letter of apology from Edgecomb selectmen to the people of Edgecomb and the current code enforcement officer, Marian Anderson, was due, if Smith declined to send one personally.

The implication was that a code of ethics had been breached at a Boothbay selectmen’s meeting on January 22, when one Edgecomb selectman, Smith, apparently spoke for his fellow selectmen and residents in a discussion about combining the two code enforcement departments.

“I feel it was not courteous to the residents of Edgecomb, who put trust in their selectmen to do work for them,” Coffin said. “It's been embarrassing to those of us who have to deal with the residents and town officials.”

In a phone interview on February 11, Smith said that he had no problem offering a written apology to Anderson, but wasn't sure it was necessary. “She was taken a little by surprise about the Boothbay meeting and I apologized to her for that,” Smith said.

He said that he was going to call her and if he feels that an apology is in order, he will be happy to accommodate. “I have no problem with giving her a written apology,” he said.

According to an article in the Boothbay Register's January 24 edition, Smith said that he had talked with the other Edgecomb selectmen about the regional code enforcement idea, and they liked it. In an interview after the February 10 meeting, Selectman Jack Sarmanian said he did recall talking with Smith ahead of time about exploring idea and that he (Sarmanian) had had no problem with it.

Coffin said that a discourtesy had also been dealt Anderson, who was not present at the meeting in Boothbay on January 22 to speak for herself.

Anderson, who has served as Edgecomb's part-time code enforcement officer for four and a half years, had previously announced that she would be offering her resignation at a future date.

Edgecomb Selectman Jessica Chubbuck said she had spoken with Anderson and didn't see a problem. “She's a true professional and has done a great job and wants what's best for Edgecomb,” she said. “I don't think it was intentional to be discourteous in any way.”

Former Edgecomb Planning Board Chairman David Boucher also expressed his feeling that an apology to Edgecomb residents was in order. “My assumption was that we would discuss and move forward. I didn't know about that meeting until tonight,” he said.

According to Boucher, this isn't the first time an incident like this has happened. “There's protocol to follow and trust has been violated,” he said. “Some action should be taken.”

Selectmen Chubbuck and Sarmanian said that at this time no contracts have been signed and no decisions have been made. “It's all gathering information at this point,” Chubbuck said.

Anderson announced her resignation at the February 10 meeting. She said her resignation would take effect on March 1, but that she would be willing to stay longer if needed.

Smith wasn't present at the February 10 meeting. “I wish I was at the meeting so I could have spoken for myself,” he said.

The Boothbay and Edgecomb boards of selectmen will meet at the Boothbay town office on February 26 at 6 p.m. to discuss the possible merger of services. If the towns agree on a contract, there will be a public vote.