Wiscasset selectmen revisited the issue of non-residents serving on town committees, specifically the airport committee when they met Tuesday night. Selectman Judy Flanagan asked to have the issue included on the board’s agenda.

A Feb. 13 letter to selectmen from Wiscasset resident John “Sean” Rafter asked the provision barring non-residents from serving on the airport committee be rescinded. “Limiting committee members to Wiscasset residents passes over a qualified pool of candidates,” he wrote.

Town ordinances require all five members of the airport committee to be Wiscasset residents, although that hasn’t prevented Steve Williams of Georgetown from serving. According to the town office, selectmen appointed Williams to the Airport Committee in 2010. He was reappointed at least one other time. Williams owns two aircraft hangars at the airport and an abutting property. In a Feb. 24 Wiscasset Newspaper article Williams said he pays Wiscasset more in property taxes than he does in Georgetown, where he lives.

“The investment made by Wiscasset’s aircraft and hanger owners should be recognized and respected,” Rafter’s letter continued. “Their initial investment as well as their yearly tax contributions deserves some form of representation. At a time when the town struggles to fill committee seats– why deny itself access to a qualified pools of candidates?”

Flanagan, who recently attended an airport committee meeting, suggested amending the ordinance allowing one non-resident to serve on the committee. Feelings on the board were mixed.

Chairman Ben Rines Jr. felt very strongly that non-residents shouldn’t be taking part in the budget process. “I wouldn’t change it,” he said. Selectman Judy Colby said she too didn’t like the idea of a non-resident having influence over the town’s tax dollars. Colby added, however she could support a non-resident committee appointment, provided they were a non-voting member serving in an advisory capacity.

Both selectmen David Cherry and Jeff Slack were content to see the ordinance amended and allow the townspeople to decide whether or not to approve the change.

Cliff Hendricks, chairman of the budget committee weighed in as well, telling selectmen, adding one non-resident seemed “reasonable” to him. “It doesn’t allow them to take over the committee,” he said.

Flanagan’s motion was later amended to include the waterfront committee. The board ultimately voted 3-2 to have the ordinance review committee draft amendments to the waterfront and airport ordinances to allow for the appointment of one (voting) non-resident to each committee. Selectmen Flanagan, Cherry and Slack voted in favor of the motion, Rines and Colby were opposed.

Rines added the board would review what the ordinance review committee comes up with and could decide to make changes of its own. Voters will have the final say.