Meeting-goers applauded as Boothbay Harbor selectmen elevated finance officer and acting town manager Julia Latter to town manager Nov. 12. The board’s unanimous vote followed a two-month, nationwide search.

“We look forward to working with you and all the good things to come from here on out,” Chair Mike Tomko said.

The board also made Latter tax collector, treasurer, road commissioner, agent for the overseers of the poor, and public access officer, all the usual duties Boothbay Harbor puts with its manager.

Public Works

Public Works foreman Nick Upham briefed the board about the town's readiness for winter and his department’s needs and concerns going into budget season. Most of the tables and other temporary fixtures throughout town have been removed to make way for snow and plows.

“I'm sure you've also seen us out going around the last two weeks working on getting the Christmas lights up. That is actually quite a task. There are a lot of areas we do: footbridge, the library, Whale Park and the town office. We're probably 95% done with everything right now.”

Upham said sidewalk repairs and bringing crosswalks up to Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance are planned for the warm months. Several crosswalks, including in the areas of School and Union streets, will need tactile paving and 90 degree approaches among other work to reach compliance, he said.

“The sidewalks, especially in the downtown area – I think I was a kid when the bricks were put in and of course the bricks have looked nice for many, many years, but over the last couple of years, they've really started to deteriorate.”

Selectmen agreed with Upham a piecemeal approach and a stamped-concrete method used a few years back would likely be best.

“We're looking into the budget to do a section or area every year and try to start doing some upgrades on our sidewalks.”

Upham also noted several large budget items ahead. A public works truck is on a list for repairs next year, and other equipment needs maintenance or replacement such as the one-ton pickup truck and two plow trucks..

Selectmen and Upham also agreed the Union Street and Townsend Avenue intersection and a Western Avenue spot which have drawn several accidents should be investigated for blinking lights or other options to ensure safe travel.

Announcements

After the board granted liquor licenses to Red Cup and Thistle Inn, Tomko said a Wharves and Weirs application from PGC8 LLC, at 49 Atlantic Ave., represented by Melissa Neel and Chuck Fuller, has been postponed. Selectmen, Code Enforcement Officer Geoff Smith, Harbormaster Jeff Lowell and community members attended an onsite hearing for dock and float reconfiguration earlier that day.

“We'll postpone this until we hear back from the applicant,” said Tomko.

The board accepted resignations from Budget Committee members David Profit and John O'Connell and Board of Appeals member Bob Hilscher. The town is taking applications, Latter said.

Latter and Smith will meet with the town's website designer to explore the creation of a multi-tour platform to work separately and in tandem with the Museum in the Streets program set for completion during Maine's bicentennial. The Museum in the Streets initiative has spent none of its budget, Latter noted.

Selectman Tricia Warren said the Broadband Committee will meet Dec. 2 with Consolidated Communications Inc. (CCI) to discuss current services. The committee will meet with Spectrum Jan. 6.

The town office will close at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 14 due to staff training.