Dear Editor:

When Edgecomb residents go to town meeting this year, there will be some access items voted on.

First, every year voters are asked if they want the boat excise tax to be added to an existing account earmarked for future public access to the water. It seems extremely important that Edgecomb continues to set aside money for future public access to the rivers and maybe even the Lilly Pond.

Our rivers and ponds are tremendous assets with no public access. Decades ago there was property seized by the Feds in a drug case that was given to the town, the Woodend property. The town decided it was not suitable for public access, so they sold it with the stipulation that the money from the sale would go into an account called the Woodend Fund to grow, to acquire and/or improve a more suitable piece of property, when one comes available.

We should provide access to majority of town residents who have no access of their own. It is unfortunate that many of the residents who would like access do not come to town meetings and vote.

This year I beg everyone interested in boating, fishing, walking on the shore, or just great water views to come to town meeting May 17 and vote to support public access. The Woodend Fund is a segregated investment account with over $100,000 in it.

Another access issue voted every year at town meeting is support for the Wiscasset and Boothbay libraries. Libraries are a great asset that offer much more than just books; they offer research archives, e-books, movie loans, copier services, Wi-Fi and computer access. All free to the residents of Edgecomb, Alna, Westport and Wiscasset.

For the last few years Edgecomb, unlike Alna, Westport and Wiscasset has voted much less than the $9,000 the Wiscasset library requested. Two years ago a man from out of town read about this under-funding and sent a check for $9,000 to pay Edgecomb’s share, sending a message, that libraries are very important and should be funded.

Last year, even though Edgecomb did not pay their share like other towns did the, Wiscasset library board voted to allow Edgecomb residents free access to their library.

Please come to the Edgecomb town meeting May 17 and show your support for our libraries.

Tom Boudin
Edgecomb