For the second year in a row, Edgecomb residents will hold a referendum town meeting instead of the traditional in-person format. The school budget vote was set for May 2. Selectmen decided to hold a referendum vote in hopes of attracting more voters. State law requires school budgets be decided by a public vote.

Residents will have another chance to decide on the school budget. This year, residents will vote on a budget validation referendum (BVR) to either approve or reject the school budget. The BVR is separate from the 48 article-town warrant. 

Residents will have separate ballots for the warrant, BVR and municipal elections. Five of the six elected positions are uncontested. The lone contested race is for school committee. Incumbent Heather Sinclair is the board chairman. Maureen Heffernan is challenging her for the three-year term. 

Selectman Michael Maxim decided against seeking another three-year term. Former selectman Stuart Smith is the only candidate seeking election as selectman, overseer of the poor and assessor of taxes. Smith served three terms as selectman. He last served in 2015.

There is no candidate for a three-year term on the planning board. The fifth seat is vacant, and no one took out nomination papers, according to Town Clerk Claudia Coffin. 

Coffin is running for re-election to two municipal offices. She is seeking another one-year term for both town clerk and town treasurer. Jessica Mague is seeking re-election to a one-year term as tax collector. Scott Griffin is also seeking re-election for another one-year term as road commissioner.

This year's municipal budget is a proposed $2,595,148 which is an increase over last year's $2,288,578. Residents will be voting on the following proposed spending measures.

General government expenses are a proposed $271,443 which is a 9.07% decrease. Town salaries increased by a proposed 0.22% The selectboard chairman is slated to receive $6,500 and the other members each receive a proposed $5,250. Tax collector receives a proposed $30,316. The town clerk receives a proposed  $14,560. The town treasurer receives a proposed $14,560, and the registrar of voters receives a proposed $900 stipend.

Town expenses are down 21.65% to $110,000. Planning board and ordinance review committee expenses are up a proposed 37.35% to $8,900. Cemetery spending is up a proposed 6.98% to $9,200. 

Public safety has a proposed $396,174 budget which reflects a 4.53% increase. Emergency Management Agency receives a proposed $800 salary, up 14%. CLC Ambulance is in the third of a five-year contract. This year's payment is $86,685. The fire department budget is a proposed $125,558, a 1.01% increase.

The fire station loan is nearly complete, and has a lower payment each year. The tax increment fund payment is $39,471. The station has one year remaining on its term.

In the truck reserve account, selectmen spent nearly $75,000 this year. The town purchased a used truck earlier in the year for $60,000. Travel costs, repairs and other expenses brought the cost up to nearly $75,000. Town officials want to build the fund back-up starting with a proposed $25,000 contribution in May. 

Fire department salaries are up 10.16% to a proposed $105,449. Firefighter pay is $20 per hour. Training pay is also $20 per hour. The proposed training budget is $13,210, a 12.41% decrease. 

Highways and bridges spending is up a proposed 30.06% to $1,259,307. Selectmen proposed $300,000 for paving, and $404,793 for snow and ice removal.

The school committee chairman receives a proposed $1,040 stipend. The other members each receive a proposed $780 stipend. The planning board chairman receives a proposed $1,250 stipend. The other members receive a proposed $350 stipend each. 

The administrative assistant receives a proposed $22,500 salary. The code enforcement officer receives a proposed $14,000 salary.

In public safety, spending is up a proposed 4.53% to $396,174. CLC Ambulance receives the contractual rate of $86,885, a 4.7% increase.  The EMA director receives a proposed $780 stipend. The fire department budget has a slight increase. Proposed spending is $125,558, a 1.01% increase. The budget committee recommends raising fire truck fund contributions from $20,000 to $25,000. 

Fire department salaries are up a proposed 10.16% to $105,449. The full-time fire chief has a proposed $67,000 salary. The assistant captain receives a proposed $2,700 stipend; two captains, $1,200 stipend each, two lieutenants, $600 stipend each; wages for the remaining firefighters are a proposed $18,902. Firefighting training is a proposed $12,272. 

Selectmen are proposing changing how municipal employees are chosen. Three questions propose changing town clerk, tax collector and treasurer from a one-year elected position to an appointed one. 

Selectmen recommend appropriating $1,700 from the state park and veterans' reimbursements and appropriate $7,500 from cemetery maintenance surplus for cemetery care. Selectmen recommend supporting two libraries. The board recommends to raise and appropriate $2,000 and appropriate $2,900 from cable television franchise fees for Wiscasset Public Library. Selectmen recommend raising $500 and appropriating $2,000 from cable franchise fees for Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library. 

Selectmen also propose funds for repairing the salt shed and town hall repairs. Selectmen propose raising $4,000, and using $4,000 from surplus for facility repairs.

Other funding proposals include general assistance, $5,000; Schmid Preserve Advisory Board, $2,810; Midcoast Humane Society, $1,986; Lincoln County Animal Control Services, $7,500.

Selectmen propose appropriating $3,500 from the waterfront committee fund and taking $5,741 for the harbor master's budget. Proposed spending includes $2,000 for the harbor master stipend, $500 for the assistant harbor master stipend, and $6,500 for operational expenses. 

For snow plowing, selectmen recommend raising and appropriating $204,793, and appropriating $200,000 from surplus for the contract. 

Selectmen propose raising and appropriating $80,192 for repair and maintenance for town highways and bridges. 

For roads, selectmen recommend raising and appropriating $170,322, and appropriating another $29,000 from the state subsidy for road construction. Selectmen recommend raising and appropriating $300,000 for road repair and paving projects.

Residents have a couple non-financial warrant questions to decide. Residents are being asked to approve changing the elected town clerk, treasurer and tax collector from a one-year elected position to an appointed one. Residents will also have the opportunity to join Wiscasset Water District. An affirmative vote would provide Edgecomb a position on the board of trustees and increase potential water service projects within the town's borders. 

Residents will also vote on four social services requests: Spectrum Generations, $1,274; Healthy Kids, $2,000; New Hope Midcoast, $1,330; and Community Resource Council, $2,500.

Residents will vote from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the town hall on Saturday, May 16.