Ever since we first started covering selectmen’s meetings early in our newspaper career, we had the greatest respect for those who serve our local communities. While they may occasionally hear, “You’re doing a great job,’’ or “Thanks for all your hard work,’’ most of the time, as taxpayers we take them for granted. We leave it to them to represent our interests and do whatever they feel is what voters want.

We’ve been especially mindful of the tremendous service they all do for their towns during the recent discussions on the proposed Route 27 changes at Boothbay Center. While it’s often called the roundabout project, it’s really a lot more than that, and has been the focus of a number of hearings dating back seven or eight months.Since the proposal was first introduced, Boothbay selectmen have been fielding questions and comments, some of which, in our opinion, have bordered on insults and accusations of being biased. The project to be funded by a three-way split between the State Department of Transportation, the town of Boothbay through tax increment financing (no direct cost of taxpayers) and private funding through Paul Coulombe has come under what one might term intense scrutiny, which is understandable.We’re sure officials have answered some of the same questions twenty times, but they’ve done so willingly and patiently. To us at least, it’s been apparent that all parties involved have bent over backwards to listen to comments and suggestions, with the latest, and what they hope are final, changes before the plan is finalized.

At the last public hearing, after talking with abutters, an updated plan was introduced which extends the bike path all the way to Adams Pond, adds a new section of sidewalk in front of the church (with their approval) all the way to Back River Road,  adds nine paved parking spaces to Bet’s Fish Fry, makes further improvements to the Baptist Church exit from the parking lot onto Chapel Street, makes changes in front of the post office to avoid temptations to cut across traffic,  enlarges the curb cut at the McEvoy property, and extends the bike lane. All of these improvements have been added at the suggestion of taxpayers and abutting land owners and should represent the last of the changes before the plan is finalized to come before voters.

Boothbay selectmen will very likely have at least one more hearing on the Route 27 project before the final votes are taken in November. It’s an all or nothing vote. If voters decide they don’t want it, there is no alternative plan to address the dangerous intersection at Back River Road, Corey Lane and Route 27.

Folks have very strong opinions on the issue but will have to make up their minds on election day.No matter the outcome, our hats are off to the Boothbay Selectmen, the DOT and the developer for laying all of the cards out on the table in an all-out effort to inform voters well in advance.In our opinion, they’ve all done a great job.