Edgecomb selectmen are looking for a third member to join the newly formed website committee. Resident Jarryl Larson and planning board member David Nutt have been served as town advisers for several months. The pair began researching potential website designs at the request of Planning Board Chairman Jack French.

On June 1, Larson and Nutt presented their findings to the board of selectmen. Larson and Nutt found two firms that specialized in municipal websites: GovOffice and Virtual Town Office. The two recommended GovOffice because it has been the choice of 31 other Maine municipalities and is less expensive.

“(GovOffice’s) cost is $1,975 and Virtual Town Office is more than twice that,” Larson said. “It also comes highly recommended by the Maine Municipal Association. So it made me feel better about recommending them because they are half the price and come highly regarded.”

Selectmen Jack Sarmanian and Mike Smith thanked the pair for their research and appointed them to serve on the committee. The selectmen also sought their input on the committee’s makeup. The two agreed a third committee member was needed.

The selectmen tabled appointing a third member until the next meeting. Once the third member is added, the committee will be charged with proposing what functions the new website needs and how to develop the criteria for implementation.

The committee plans on interviewing selectmen, planning board members, code enforcement officer, fire chief, treasurer and tax collector in developing ideas for the new website design. 

Larson and Nutt’s goal is to create a website that both explains the town’s workings and serves as an advertisement for the community.

While town officials have a strong desire for a new website, there is no available funding for the project.

“At this point there is no money for a new website,” Sarmanian said. “It came up as a conversation at the end of the town meeting. We need come up with what we want and then spend our energy finding a way to pay for it.”

Smith assured Nutt and Larson that the board was committed to upgrading the municipal website.

“If there is a commitment from the town administration, it can happen. Without it, it’s just a waste of time,” Nutt said.

In other action, selectmen signed an agreement to share Wiscasset’s code enforcement officer and licensed plumbing inspector.

Edgecomb voters overwhelming approved the interlocal agreement during the May 16 town meeting. The two towns will share the services of Stan Waltz, who also serves as the 9-1-1 addressing officer for Wiscasset, Nobleboro and Damariscotta. Larry Omland serves Edgecomb in that capacity. He notified selectmen that he no longer wants to serve as the 9-1-1 addressing officer or as the town’ emergency management agency director beyond July 1.

Fire Chief Roy Potter asked Waltz if he was interested in becoming Edgecomb’s 9-1-1 addressing officer. Waltz said he was. The selectmen will discuss Waltz filling the open position at the next board meeting.

The town is also working with Schmid Advisory Committee to survey the Lallis property. The parcel of land is tax acquired property that the selectmen are hoping to subdivide and sell. The survey is planned for July 1. Smith questioned if the property had enough road frontage for a subdivision. He plans on walking the property with Schmid Advisory Committee Chairman Bob Leone while Leighton & Associates surveys the property.

“The survey is going to be crucial in determining if we can do this,” Smith said.

The selectmen also decided to sell the 2002 John Deere school tractor on consignment. The selectmen want to sell the tractor at Hammond Tractor or Union Farm Equipment, which are both located in Union. Hammond Tractor sells John Deere items and Union Farm Equipment sells Kubota.

“One condition on the sale is that it be more than a bid we’ve already received,” Smith said.

The town received a $4,000 bid from a resident, according to Smith. The sale proceeds would go toward the new school John Deere tractor purchased last fall.

The selectmen will meet next at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 15 in the municipal building.