The town of Boothbay will notify municipal employees that the personnel policy is changing in the next 30 days. The notification will be included in the employees’ next paychecks. The revised policy has two major changes.

The selectmen have instituted a time clock that will impact 10 municipal employees who will log their time on an iPad.

Employees will also be required to make a pension plan contribution to receive the maximum employer offering. The pension plan change affects all municipal employees.

The town will no longer make a 10 percent contribution to the plan without an employee contribution. Beginning on the employee’s hiring date anniversary, they need to contribute one percent of their pay to receive the employer’s maximum contribution. In each succeeding year, employees must contribute an additional percentage point until their contribution level reaches five percent.

The selectmen instituted the new policy to encourage employees to contribute into their own pension plan. Employees who decline to participate will receive a five percent municipal contribution.

In other business, the selectmen held two public hearings. The board granted a Firth Drive couple’s request to construct a pier in the Damariscotta River. The pier system includes a 4 by 60-foot pressure treated wooden platform attached to a set of stairs. This structure leads to a 3 by 50-foot ramp connecting to a 5 by 95-foot pier, and a 10 by 20-foot pressure treated wood float positioned 50-75 feet from the shoreline.

A public on-site visit for the wharves and weirs application was held on June 8. Harbormaster Peter Ripley sent the selectmen a letter indicating the structure wouldn’t interfere with navigation in the river. Ripley also stated access to an abutter’s dock inside the cove to the south, and a common dock to the north, wouldn’t be blocked.

Resident Phillip Simard is the abutter. He agrees the structure as designed won’t prohibit him from accessing his float, but he still has reservations. He wants the pier’s location be clearly defined in Robert and Robin Zwickers’ application.

“The location is fine as long as it stays that way,” Simard said. “It wouldn’t take much movement before I would be squeezed between the pier and shoreline rocks. I’d like to see something in writing better defining the location.”

The Zwickers’ application still needs planning board approval. Town Manager Dan Bryer advised Simard that the planning board was the better forum to hear his concern. Bryer added if the pier’s location changed without municipal approval it would result in a land use violation.

The selectmen also unanimously approved a Class I-IV liquor license and special amusement Class C and D permit renewals for Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.

The selectmen also adopted a new application form for the Madelyn L. Ulmer Fund scholarships. The new form requires applicants to state the purpose of their request, three personal references, work history, family financial information, and a minimum 200-word essay.

The selectmen have approved two Ulmer Scholarships this year for students participating in the German American Partnership Program. A group of Boothbay Region High School students are traveling to Germany for three weeks in 2016 as part of the program.

Fearing a slew of more student requests planning trips to Germany and France next spring, the selectmen placed a moratorium last month on granting future scholarships. The selectmen wanted an application detailing the applicant’s fundraising activities and how the endeavor enhances the student’s education before considering more requests.

Following approval of the new form, the selectmen lifted the moratorium.

“It captures everything we were asking,” said Selectman Steve Lewis. “It’s better than the one before, which pretty much was nothing.”

The selectmen are also planning interviews for the seven applicants for the joint economic committee. Selectmen want to interview the applicants beginning on June 15. The selectmen will choose four candidates. The applicants are Dawn Gilbert, Steve Reny, Andy Hamblett, Fran McBrearty, Win Mitchell, Steve Malcolm and Scott Rittall.

The selectmen will meet next at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24 in the municipal building.