Special Town Meeting

Edgecomb wades through sewer issues

Tue, 10/08/2013 - 10:30am

Edgecomb voters will consider calling for a study selectmen say will lay the groundwork for the town's sewer decisions.

The board on October 7 planned a special town meeting vote for 7 p.m. November 18 at town hall. The meeting could be put off if engineers need more time to estimate a cost for the work, selectmen said.

Selectman Jessica Chubbuck concurred on the date but said she would rather the meeting not be held so close to Thanksgiving.

“I know there's a lot of strong opinions in this town so I want everybody to come,” she said.

The proposed study came up when town attorney William Dale met with the board about the town' remaining, unused sewer allowance of about 31,000 gallons a day it can send to Wiscasset.

Dale told the board he still recommends Edgecomb voters, not the selectmen, decide how to dole out that allowance, whether first-come, first-served, or some other means.

The decision could help shape where growth happens in town, Dale said.

“This is a fairly major issue for the town to decide,” he said.

To make that decision, the town will need more information on options for a pumping station, selectmen said. The engineering firm's work could come to $25,000 or more, Selectman Stuart Smith said.

Tower at fire station needs more land

Edgecomb could still host a company's cell phone tower at the fire station, if the town can get some adjoining land, Planning Board Chairman Jack French said.

Without more land, the tower wouldn't fit town rules, French told selectmen October 7.

The town was in talks years ago for a piece next to the station. Smith said it would have been a gift from the landowner, but it wasn't needed for the station and the piece has since changed hands.

Smith said he will try to contact the current owner. Possibilities could include the owner giving the land as a gift or partial gift, attorney Dale said.

Board Chairman Jack Sarmanian planned to tell an official for American Tower the town is still interested in renting space for the tower at the station.