It's been 22 years since the Boothbay Board of Selectmen received a raise, but one may occur this spring. Town Manager Dan Bryer discussed a possible raise from the current $1,800 per year to $2,500. Bryer checked on what other selectmen are paid throughout Lincoln County and discovered Boothbay selectmen's pay as among the lowest. 

Selectmen decided to place a proposed pay hike on the May town warrant during the Jan. 22 board meeting. This adds one more article to a warrant now numbering 36. The select board didn't take a firm stance about a potential pay increase. "Let the voters decide," Chairman Chuck Cunningham said. Selectmen briefly discussed several warrant articles on the proposed $2,690,844 municipal budget which Bryer said will likely change as debate continues.

Besides the municipal budget, the warrant includes election for town officers, amendments to the 2024 zoning ordinances and seeking voter approval for $30,000 from the Commercial Development Omnibus Tax Increment Finance District and Development Program No. 3 Fund for landscaping and street maintenance. 

Selectmen are also still considering requests from outside organizations. The board wants to hear from groups seeking funding for the first-time and other legacy groups requesting more funding than the previous year's. Those requests would likely be heard during the two February select board meetings. 

In other action, newly elected County Commissioner Evan Goodkowsky presented selectmen with a new New England Flag. The banner has represented Maine counties since 1977. Goodkowsky also updated selectmen on the Consolidated Communications' (Fidium) broadband fiber expansion project. Last year, Boothbay and eight other Lincoln County towns and Woolwich joined Consolidated Communications (Fidium) in receiving a $6 million Maine Connectivity Authority grant to build out a broadband fiber network. The project would guarantee 100% access to local towns. Goodkowsky reported the expansion has begun in Wiscasset and would soon begin in Edgecomb. 

Selectmen approved a pole permit for Robert Hennessy on Samoset Road. 

Shri Verrill of Sunrise Ecologic is the town's service provider in their community resilience partnership with the state of Maine.