At their annual town meeting May 7, Boothbay Harbor voters passed the 2016-2017 town budget of $4,102,488. This budget is a decrease of one percent from last year's, which was $4,114,487.

A sparse crowd of 20 turned out at Boothbay Region Region Elementary School on an unusually chilly May morning for the annual rite of spring. Ervin Snyder moderated the meeting that lasted less than an hour. Fifteen members of the town government, including budget committee members, selectmen, Town Manager Tom Woodin and department heads also attended. 

Per tradition, the first two articles are voted on the previous night by secret ballot. With no opposition for either candidate, voters re-elected Russ Hoffman to his selectman seat and chose Mike Tomko to replace departing selectman Bill Hamblen, who decided to not run after six years of service. Both seats are for three-year terms. Voters also elected Harry Pinkham as a water district trustee, Merlin Gray as cemetery district trustee, Margaret J. Lembo-Splaine to the school board and Daryl Kipp as a sewer district trustee.

In addition, voters handily passed Article 4 which authorized the tax collector or treasurer to accept prepayments of taxes not yet committed.

During Saturday’s action, the first part of the town warrant, which appears every year and involves tax payments and duties of the municipal officers, passed without discussion. 

By a show of hands, voters approved funding for the street lights, hydrants, Boothbay Region Refuse Disposal District, Bayville/Isle of Springs, Cemetery District, Community Cable Channel, Harbor Lights, Historical Society, Memorial Day/American Legion, Memorial Library, New Hope for Women, Summer Band Concerts, District Nurse and Spectrum Generations.

Article 17 asked voters to approve $2,783,081 for the municipal budget, including $20,000 for social welfare, or general assistance. Woodin indicated the amount had been declining yearly. The discussion prompted Boothbay Harbor resident Sarah Foulger to speak of the many contributions made by Boothbay Region Community Resources.

“Having a full-time community navigator helps people look at the way they are living and where they are living. In addition to providing fuel assistance, wood, food for underprivileged children,” said Folger. “I would assume the work they are doing is making a huge difference in towns’ general assistance budgets.”

The only amendments came with Article 19 where, after a brief discussion, the $5,000 earmarked for the fireworks budget was trimmed to $4,800 with the $200 difference allocated to the Seniors account. Deborah Mullins of Boothbay Region Senior Citizens asked why, for the second year in a row, the amount was trimmed to $800.

“You’ll see after a lot of discussion the selectmen felt we should include funding for the Boothbay Region Health and Wellness Foundation,” Selectman Denise Griffin responded. “While all the organizations that requested funding really serve a wonderful purpose, we felt there were some duplication of services.”

Griffin also urged organizations to enact their own fundraising efforts, singling out the district nurse association and Boothbay Region Ambulance Service as two successful examples.

“This town is incredibly generous but we feel charitable donations should come from individuals,” said Griffin.

Following up on Griffin’s comments, budget committee member Palmer Payne said people should have the freedom of choice and not be beholden to a meddling government.

“You should have free will when it comes to giving,” said Payne. 

After Boothbay Harbor resident  Ami Sawtelle made a motion urging the board to “feed people instead of funding booms,” those assembled agreed to the $200 amendment.

In earlier comments to the Boothbay Register, Woodin indicated the town warrant was pro forma with no new major expenditures or controversies. The slight decrease in the budget was the seventh time in nine years the amount was flat or declined resulting in no additional tax hikes.

At the end of the meeting, the lack of community participation in the budget process and at town meeting drew the ire of Payne. 

“The turnout and interest in the hearings is pathetic,” said Payne. “At times, it’s difficult to have a quorum. I commend you all for showing up today but isn’t this a bit pathetic for a town our size, spending this amount of money? I’d like to pass along to the community, talk to your friends. If you don’t have the time. Think about it, give it a few hours.”