Selectmen have received Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission's housing study, Chair Mike Tomko said May 9. The town hired LCRPC in May 2021 to examine town codes, regionwide housing and resource trends, and housing inventory. LCRPC will also provide a written report on the relevance of the 2018 Economic Development Master Plan.

LCRPC's Mary Ellen Barnes and Emily Rabbe are seeking a joint meeting with selectmen and the planning board to go over the study's findings, said Tomko. The meeting date has not been decided yet. Barnes, Rabbe, selectmen and planning board members will be polled on dates and times during the week of May 23.

“I know there's a ton of data that Emily did not include in the report that I know she's going to like to display … I'd like us to get rolling and going through the analysis of what the housing study said.”

Selectmen voted unanimously to set a $2 flat hourly rate for summer parking as a new e-parking meter system goes online for the upcoming season. Town Manager Julia Latter said she and Police Chief Bob Hasch recommended the new rate to keep consistent fees, make it easier to program the new e-parking meters and to generate more revenue which will offset some of the costs of the new system. Parking will still run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“We felt as though with a new system and everything, we didn't want to really come at people with a (large increase) especially with the cost of gas.”

Latter said she asked the board to approve the new costs now rather than waiting for the June fee schedule approvals so visitors and residents would not be hit with a sudden change and because signage would also have to be updated.

Asked if parking by-the-day would be a better structure, Latter said it would be too hard for parking staff to routinely enforce. It will be much easier to control the system and software by using this new fee structure, she said. The $2/hr cost will also include credit and debit charges to keep in mind the many business employees who have no access to parking at their places of work and need to use paid parking.

The state primary elections will be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 14 at Boothbay Harbor Fire Station. Absentee ballots will be available May 13 and ballot requests can be found on the state website and town website. Requests can be submitted to the town clerk via mail, hand delivery, or drop box at the 11 Howard St. town office. Requests can also be faxed to 1-207-633-7712.

Tomko and Vice Chair Tricia Warren were reelected to their positions for the next year.