A citizens group of Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor residents are meeting with New England Aqua Ventus officials discussing a community “benefits package.” NEAV is considering installing a 654-foot turbine atop a University of Maine Composites-designed concrete hull about two miles south of Monhegan Island. The turbine will be connected to the Central Maine Power Company  power grid with a 20-mile sub-seafloor cable landing on the Bigelow Laboratory campus where an underground cable will run to the Boothbay Harbor substation at the Routes 96 and 27 intersection.

NEAV wants to include a health- or safety-themed community benefit as part of the project. East Boothbay resident Nell Tharpe is a member of the community group discussing possible benefits with the company. Tharpe spoke to Boothbay selectmen Aug. 24 about the group’s progress over the past four months. She reported meetings occur on the first and third Thursdays at Boothbay Region YMCA from 5 to 6 p.m.

The next meeting is Sept. 1, and she encouraged all interested citizens to attend. Tharpe also requested Boothbay send a municipal representative.  “(Selectman) Trish Warren of Boothbay Harbor is a member so we’re hoping you would send either a selectman or Dan (Bryer),” she said. Selectmen didn’t act on the request and may appoint a representative at a later time. 

In other action, selectmen held four public hearings. Six local residents spoke in favor of removing fluoride from the public water supply. Voters in Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor and Southport will decide on Election Day whether Boothbay Region Water District will continue adding fluoride into the drinking water. Boothbay residents Julie Roberts, Eve Jamieson, Jon Lewis, Stevie Hale and Skip McPhee were joined by Boothbay Harbor resident Anna Christina Rogers who all supported a “No” on the Nov. 8 local ballot question, “Shall fluoride be added to the public water supply for the intended purpose of reducing tooth decay?”

All opponents stated health concerns regarding ingesting fluoride. They believed applying fluoride “topically,” as in toothpaste, is a safer means of preventing tooth decay. Rogers described sodium fluoride as the only chemical added to the drinking water as a medical treatment. “All others are added to improve water quality or safety,” she said. “Sodium fluoride is the most corrosive chemical the water district uses. Its handling takes extreme safety precautions, personal protective equipment and its own sealed room for storage and infusion.”

This is the only local question on Boothbay’s ballot. This was the first of two public hearings on the fluoride ballot question.

The other three public hearings were for liquor and restaurant license renewals. Selectmen approved all three applications. Carriage House Restaurant received a liquor license and restaurant license Class I, II, III and IV renewals. The business is owned by Kelly Farrin and located at 388 Ocean Point Road. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens received a liquor license and restaurant Class I, II, III and IV renewals. Decks LLC., doing business as Lobsterman’s Wharf, received a restaurant liquor Class I, II, III and IV license renewal.

Selectmen meet next at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14 in the conference room.