Long anticipated vegetation will soon beautify Boothbay Harbor’s basketball and pickleball courts and the surrounding area, Acting Town Manager Julia Latter said Aug. 26. Latter, public works foreman Nick Upham and board chair Mike Tomko recently met with local landscaper Wayne Closson to assess the town's options before fall gets into full swing.

“We've concentrated on the parking area out front and Wayne Closson and Nick and Mike himself came up with a drawing … which totals about $3,550,” Latter said.

The next day, public works did some weeding, graded about 38 yards of new topsoil and planted grass seed. Once he has the go-ahead, Closson plans to plant blue and yellow flowers for the Boothbay Region High School colors and trees will go in the ground as soon as possible to acclimate before colder weather sets in.

Materials from public works will cost about $800 coming to a total under the $5,000 mark, which would require board approval, said Latter. This leaves funds for another phase next spring, possibly to improve the Blue Star Memorial Highway area, she said.

The board approved the project unanimously.

Selectman Ken Fitch expressed concern for public access to town meetings when Boothbay Region Community Television does not have a cameraman available. The town looked into installing permanent equipment like Boothbay has in its meeting room, but nothing ever happened, said Fitch.

“I think it's important because there are a lot of elderly folks, here, who can't come to meetings and really do want to hear what's going on. We just can't assume that just because it's recorded that it'll appear sometime on television. You can't expect to just watch television all day waiting to see it.”

Fitch suggested the board put BRTV station manager Cody Mitchell in touch with Latter to figure out what the costs would be for the equipment.

Oak Grove Condominiums applied for a Wharves and Weirs permit to raise its pier by three feet due to sea level rise and to make other adjustments and minor additions. The pier will remain the same length at 91'2", the portion of pier only 4' wide will be increased to 8' wide to keep width uniform, the runway from pier to float will increase from 30' to 26' to accommodate the pier's new height, and a new 10'x30' float will be held in place by a three-pile dolphin and chains.

The board unanimously approved the application with conditions that reflectors be added to the middle and end of the pier.

Latter praised Boothbay Harbor police officers Aaron Beck and Douglas Snyder for their response last weekend to reports of an unresponsive man. “Both men saved the gentleman's life … with CPR and a mobile defibrillator … We would like to commend the two officers for a job well done.”

Tomko discussed the Aug. 21 workshop where consultant Don Gerrish spoke to the public and town office department heads about the town manager search. Comments gathered from the meeting and by correspondence are available on Facebook and on the town's website.