It’s been a while since our last bulletin but there’s much to catch up on! If you have ideas for other communication channels we can use to get helpful information out, please let us know! The bulletin is posted on the town website, several places on Facebook, and printed out and left at the town office and several local businesses. If you have suggestions for other ways to reach folks, please contact Sarah Whitfield at selectmanwhitfield@wiscasset.org

Short-Term Rental Business Licenses

As approved by the voters March 5, short-term rentals are now required to obtain a business license from the selectboard. This does include AirBnBs that operate within the rental timeline below.

Short-term rental is defined: SHORT-TERM RENTAL: The use, control, management or operation of a legally-existing dwelling unit, in whole or in part, for dwelling, sleeping, or lodging purposes for fewer than twenty-nine (29) consecutive days and for compensation, directly or indirectly. Short-term rentals do not include motels, hotels, and bed and breakfast inns. A short-term rental does not include legally existing dwelling units that are rented no more than twice per calendar year and for less than a total of 14 days in a calendar year.

You can find the business license application online or at the town office.

Nomination Papers Available

JUNE 11, 2024 - ANNUAL TOWN MEETING AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS 3 VACANCIES FOR SELECTBOARD (3-2 YEAR TERMS)
2 VACANCIES FOR WISCASSET SCHOOL BOARD (2-3 YEAR TERMS)
6 VACANCIES FOR BUDGET COMMITTEE (2-1 YEAR TERMS, 1-2 YEAR TERM AND 3-3 YEAR TERMS)
2 VACANCIES FOR WATER DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES (1-2 YEAR TERM AND 1-3 YEAR TERM)

Nomination papers are available at the Town Office. Candidates will need to collect at least 25 but not more than 100 registered voters signatures and return papers to the Town Office by 5 p.m. April 11, 2024. Contact Linda Perry, Town Clerk at 882- 8200 x4 if you have questions.

Budget Season!

It’s town budget season and the selectboard, school board, and budget committee have been working on the budget at many budget workshops. As a reminder, all cost centers (such as Public Works or the Fire Department) are put as separate items on the June ballot with recommendations from both the selectboard and the budget committee. The school budget is a separate, two-step process where a meeting is held to vote on the school budget in-person (held sometime within the 45 days before the June vote) and then a question is put on the ballot to approve or not the amount voted at that meeting. Keep an eye out for the date of the school budget in-person vote and we encourage you to learn more about the town budget when a public hearing is scheduled for the June ballot.

TextMyGov

Want to receive updates from the town office such as road closures or emergency alerts? Sign up for TextMyGov to receive text message updates. Text “Hi” to (207) 835-3474 to sign up. You can then opt into various types of messages . For more information check out the call-out box on the front of the town website or give Robin a call at the town office and she’ll walk you through the sign up process (207-882- 8200, ext.3).

Town Manager’s Corner

I am pleased to announce that due to the efforts of Senators Collins and King, the Wiscasset Wastewater Treatment plant is the recipient of $5 million in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS). CDS requests are very competitive and this is the second year in a row that we have submitted projects that have been approved. These funds are the first drop in the bucket towards the millions needed from multiple funding sources for relocating the facility outside of the 100-year floodplain. This is a major project for the town and work is progressing slowly but steadily. T Buck Construction has started work on the Old Ferry Road culvert replacement project. This project was also the recipient of $1.3 million in Congressionally Directed Spending. The affected area of Old Ferry Road is down to one lane of traffic. T Buck will be installing a temporary one lane bridge to accommodate traffic while the old culvert is removed and a much larger span is installed. This larger span will not only better handle the tidal flow, the more efficient movement of the tide will help improve the upstream salt marsh. Work is expected to fully be completed by June.Since 2021 the town has received over $11.8 million in county, state and federal grants and other funding for assistance making improvements to our infrastructure, including the airport, wastewater, roads, waterfront, and brownfields cleanup, as well as small grants for public safety. My team and I continuously look for grant and outside funding opportunities to lessen the burden on taxpayers and improve the quality of life for the residents and visitors of Wiscasset. – Dennis Simmons, Town Manager

Waterfront Committee Opening

There is a current opening on the Waterfront Committee. Anyone who is interested in serving should fill out an application (available online or at the town office). Applicants will then be interviewed about their interest in being on the committee.

Your Selectboard Members, Sarah M. Whitfield, Chairman: selectmanwhitfield@wiscasset.org Terry Heller: selectmanheller@wiscasset.org
William Maloney, Vice Chairman: selectmanmaloney@wiscasset.org James Andretta: selectmanandretta@wiscasset.org and Pamela Dunning: selectmandunning@wiscasset.org