Edgecomb residents will make two trips to the polls May 17. Earlier this year, selectmen opted to hold a referendum town meeting to decide municipal business. The municipal election will run from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the town hall. 

State law requires an open meeting format in deciding the school budget. A public meeting will be held at 10 a.m. May 17 in the town hall. Residents will decide the $4,158,653 Fiscal Year 25/26 school budget. The proposed budget reflects a 10.6% spending increase. The town assessment increase would be 2.7%.

This year's school budget warrant has 21 questions and selectmen recommend passage of all articles.

The school committee recommends voter approval for the following items: regular instruction, $2,234,647; special education, $847,391; other instruction, $3,451; student and staff support, $122,177; systems administration, $155,817; school administration, $227,727; transportation and buses, $190,667; facilites and maintenance, $341,776; and other expenditures, $35,000.

School officials recommend appropriating $2,237,697 and raising $1,773,575 as the town's contribution to the total cost of funding kindergarten through grade 12 education as required by the state's Local Essential Program and Service funding Act (EPS). 

While the education portion is held in an open town meeting, one article requires a secret ballot. Article 15 seeks voter authorization to exceed the state's EPS funding model by $1,374,847. School officials state in the article, these funds would maintain student-teacher ratio costs, special education programming, extra- and co-curricular costs, transportation, and school/building repair costs. 

Article 16 summarizes the previous votes by authorizing $4,158,653 for the Fiscal Year 25/26. Articles 20 and 21 authorize creating two reserve accounts. Article 20 asks "Shall the town authorize the school committee to appropriate up to $100,000 from the unassigned fund balance placed into a capital reserve account." Article 21 asks if the town should authorize appropriating up to $125,000 from the unassigned fund balance establishing a student expense reserve account. This would pay for unanticipated expenses such as tuition, transportation, hiring additional staff, or other related expenses. Any use of the student expense reserve would require selectboard approval.

During the municipal town meeting referendum vote, residents will have a separate ballot regarding future school budget voting procedures. The special question asks residents, "Do you wish to reinstate the School Budget Validation Referendum process in the Town of Edgecomb for three years? According to town officials, Edgecomb last had a BVR in 2010.

The BVR would validate future school budget meeting results. If residents vote "yes," Edgecomb would adopt the BVR for a three-year period beginning next year. If the proposal is rejected, the question couldn't be brought up for three years. 

There is also a special warrant article designed to gauge residents' interest in expanding Wiscasset Water District into Edgecomb. The district received legislative approval last year to expand its territory into Edgecomb. The district has three years to gain approval of Edgecomb and Wiscasset voters to allow expansion. The warrant article is not binding and  would only gauge Edgecomb's interest in expansion. "The clock is ticking," Superintendent Chris Cossette of Wiscasset Water District said. "It's taken a year to line things up. A vote needs to be taken within two years. If Edgecomb and Wiscasset voters approve the proposal it's a go. If one town doesn't, then it's a no."  

If both towns agree to the expansion, an Edgecomb representative would become a water district board member. 

The 43-article municipal warrant includes $1,854,634 in spending. There are also elections for selectmen, planning board, school committee, road commissioner, town clerk, treasurer and tax collector.

Two candidates are running for selectman. Former Selectman Stuart Smith and Forrest Carver are vying for a three-year term. Incumbent Lyn Norgang decided not to seek another term.

All the other municipal elections are uncontested. John Allen is running for an open school committee seat. Incumbent Jesse White opted not to run for re-election. Philip Haas is running for re-election to the planning board. There is no candidate for the other open planning board seat. All three offices are for three-year terms. 

Incumbents are running for one-year terms for town clerk, treasurer, tax collector and road commissioner. Claudia Coffin is seeking another term as treasurer and town clerk. Rebecca Brewer is seeking re-election as tax collector. Scott Griffin is seeking re-election as road commissioner. 

Article 10 ask voters to raise and appropriate $97,500 and apropriate $42,900 from surplus for general government and town expenses. Article 11 asks voters to raise and appropriate $143,027 for town officials' salaries and the employer's share of taxes. Article 12 asks voters to raise and appropriate $80,712 for Central Lincoln County Ambulance Service.

Article 16 asks voters to raise and appropriate $123,155 for fire department operations. Article 17 asks voters to raise and appropriate $95,722 for fire department salaries. The proposed fire chief salary is $63,400. 

One article was placed on the warrant by petition. Tom Boudin, who recently died, had circulated a petition to reserve boat excise tax funds placed in the Woodend Account for funding future public boat access on either river. Selectmen opposed the proposal, 2-1. Selectmen Michael Maxim and Lyn Norgang oppose the proposal. Selectman George Chase supports it. 

Article 37 asks voters to raise and appropriate $192,230 as Edgecomb's share of the Boothbay Regional Refuse Disposal District operation. 

Article 39 would lead to a possible change in how social service organizations gain warrant access for municipal funding. The article would require a form letter instead of a petition for social welfare requests.

The following social services requests are on the warrant: Spectrum Generations, $1,274; Healthy Kids, $2,000; New Hope Midcoast, $$1,330; and Community Resource Council, $2,500. 

The combined municipal and school budget is $6,013,287.