Town of Boothbay

Selectmen rethinking Ulmer Scholarship funds dispersal

Mon, 04/27/2015 - 4:45pm

    The Boothbay selectmen want to reexamine how Ulmer Scholarship funds are dispersed. The selectmen tabled an April 22 request made by a high school student requesting $850 for airfare. Boothbay Region High School freshman Kaitlyn Daku requested the scholarship to pay for a trip to Germany next year.

    The scholarship was established in 1994. Madelyn Ulmer donated $50,000, upon her death, to further the town’s high school students’ education.

    Last month, the selectmen voted 4-0 approving a similar request for BRHS junior Daniel Drummond. Like Daku, Drummond requested $850 for an airline ticket. The students are participating in the German American Partnership Program, which matches youths with a foreign family.

    Several Boothbay Region High School students are planning to visit Germany for next spring as part of the German American Partnership Program. The local youths will spend three weeks with a German host family.

    The selectmen were hesitant to grant the request for a trip that won’t take place until April 2016. The selectmen approved Drummond’s request because they thought his trip was this spring. The scholarship was the second one he’s received. In 2013, the selectmen granted him a scholarship for his first German trip.

    “I didn’t realize that his trip was next year,” said Selectman Steven Lewis. “I just think the best thing to do now is table it. It won’t hurt anything to wait a couple of weeks. We need to ask more questions like how many Boothbay students are going and what kind of fundraising they’re doing?”

    The students also ask local civic organizations like the Rotary and Lions clubs for donations. Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club President Dwight Swisher suggested the organizations and town officials share information about requests.

    “Maybe we should coordinate so we know how much is being donated,” Swisher said. “The Rotary and Lions get the same requests each year, but I didn’t know the town received them too. Better communication may make funding more equitable.”

    The selectman plan on discussing Daku’s request at the next meeting.

    In other action, the board directed Town Manager Daniel Bryer and Selectman Charles Cunningham to meet with Mark Eyerman prior to the Comprehensive Planning Committee’s next meeting on May 5. The committee began work on the updated plan in May 2013.

    Eyerman’s contract lapsed after one year. He was paid $30,000. However, the updated comprehensive plan is not complete. The selectmen want Bryer and Cunningham to discuss the situation with Eyerman.

    “He’s past his contract date and worked beyond the man hours in the contract,” Lewis said. “It was brought to our attention by a committee member that maybe something should be done about it. Dan and Chuck should meet with him and see what his thoughts are.”

    Bryer said Eyerman hadn’t mentioned his contract status until he was asked about it.

    Cunningham added that Eyerman has been a tremendous asset to the committee.

    “At first, I wasn’t sold on hiring a consultant,” he said. “But my view has changed in the light of what Mark has done for us. He has helped the committee along. And we wouldn’t be as far in the process without him.”

    The selectmen gave the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club permission to hold its annual raffle for five years, from 2015-2019. The club sells 500 raffle tickets to benefit local educational causes. Last year, club netted over $4,000, according to Swisher.

    The club will draw a winner on Saturday, Aug. 1 on the Boothbay Commons. The drawing is held annually at the conclusion of club’s fundraising auction. The winner receives $500 in Maine lottery $10 and $20 scratch tickets.

    The selectmen will meet next at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 13 in the municipal building.