Boothbay will decide six local referendum articles on Nov. 8, but none mention the one word on everybody’s mind this election: Roundabout. The six articles include three about the proposed construction and financing of the Route 27 redevelopment plan, but the proposal is referred to as the project in articles 2, 3, and 4. During a Sept. 28 public hearing, Marcia Soler of East Boothbay asked why roundabout wasn’t used to describe the proposal in any of the three articles.

“Roundabout is not found anywhere on the referendum. It’s referred to as street improvements or other improvements. I asked three months ago about the wording, and was told it was premature to discuss the language. But roundabout is what people know and it should’ve been included,” said Soler.

Soler was one of several residents who spoke during the last public hearing held prior to the referendum. Town Manager Dan Bryer explained articles 2, 3, and 4 are all intertwined. A “No” vote on any one kills the entire roundabout proposal, and the wording was taken directly from Maine Department of Transportation’s Traffic Study completed 15 years ago.

“The verbiage was taken from the 2002 report which didn’t mention a roundabout. It was about traffic problems in Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor and Edgecomb. But I think everybody knows the three questions are all about the roundabout,” Bryer said.

He explained details regarding each of the six local ballot articles. The first asks voters to select a moderator. Article 2 requests voters authorize general obligation bonds or notes in the amount of $1.15 million to finance the town’s share of the redevelopment project. Article 3 seeks voter authorization for the selectmen to enter into a Business Partnership Initiative Agreement with the state, through the Department of Transportation, and PGC5 LLC, the entity which owns the Boothbay Harbor Country Club. The agreement provides $3.3 million for the project’s costs.

Article 4 seeks voter approval to include the municipal office building, parking lot and adjacent properties in the tax increment finance zone. This would allow TIF monies to be used to enhance these properties.

Article 5 seeks voter approval to authorize the selectmen to enter into a credit enhancement agreement with C & L Forestry Wood Pellets Inc. The new business opened in the industrial park this year and produces wood pellets.

The authorization would allow C & L to participate in the Boothbay Commercial Development District Program. The agreement would require the town to return 75 percent of the tax increment increase arising from the property’s valuation increase for 20 years.

Article 6 seeks voter approval authorizing the selectmen to enter into an agreement with the state allowing the MDOT to use town-owned property at 911 Wiscasset Road as a Park and Ride lot. The agreement would last up to 10 years.

During the question period, residents only asked about the three articles about the roundabout. Bryer explained the town would finance its share with a 20-year bond paid with TIF funds. The three-year old TIF district generates approximately $107,000 in tax revenue per year. Town officials expect those revenues to grow due to the recent golf course enhancement along with more economic growth within the district.

“The bond payments range roughly between $67,000 to $72,000 a year. So we can easily make those payments,” Bryer said.

His presentation was followed by statements from Steve Sawyer, an engineer with Sebago Technics, a design firm hired by The Knickerbocker Group to consult on the project’s construction preparation. Sawyer informed residents about six changes made to the proposal since the last presentation on Aug. 10. Sawyer has met with several property owners in the past month attempting to accommodate their concerns.

The changes include extending the proposed bike path by 400 feet. The extension begins at Hall’s Funeral Home and extends 400 feet to the Adams Pond Road. This will enable bikers to cross Route 27 and bike around the pond.

The updated plan also adds nine paved parking spaces to Bet’s Fish Fry. The parking spaces alleviates Department of Transportation concerns about Bet’s customers backing onto Route 27 traffic. The parking space is located six feet from the road and each space is 9 feet X 18 feet.

The third change provides better access to Boothbay Baptist Church’s upper parking lot on Chapel Street. The lot will be located 25 to 30 feet away from the new intersection. Church officials also granted an easement for improving the sidewalk on Back River Road and Chapel Street.

The fourth change is making Common Drive traffic partially two-way — from the proposed roundabout to the proposed village . Sawyer said the state would provide signage and striping indicating the new two-way flow of traffic.

Another change addresses parking in front of the post office and traffic flow along Corey Lane. A bollard will serve as a barrier to prevent traffic from using the municipal parking lot in gaining access to Corey Lane and Back River Road. In case of an emergency, the barrier can be removed for public safety vehicles.

The sixth change includes constructing a larger curb cut than originally planned for Boothbay Harbor’s George McEvoy, who owns property near the Industrial Park.

The public hearing lasted two hours and forty minutes. Boothbay residents defeated a Route 27 redevelopment referendum in 2012. The previous plan proposed building the roundabout around the Civil War monument. The new plan calls for the roundabout to be constructed near the municipal building and Boothbay Common.