Most members were surprised to learn one of the recommendations in the plan was to go to a town manager form of government. However, when this was being debated by residents a few years ago, this never came to light, Karl Tarbox told the committee.

Consultant Esther Lacognata said she was "amazed that no one pointed this out at the time."

"I honestly didn't know it was in there," Tarbox said.

Referring to the number of recommendations that were never carried out, she said, "This was really just a dust collector." Lacognata, who has helped several other towns write new plans, said Wiscasset's '89 plan was "almost" approved by the state. She asked the committee to review the plan to see what parts were implemented, and why other parts of the plan were not.

Reporting on the "economy" section of the plan, Tarbox said the plan called for the development of diversified jobs.

"I can't find that there are any more jobs in 2003 than there were in 1989," he said.

The plan also called for the development of the airport and the waterfront. He said although the airport has more hangars and more air traffic, there has not been much waterfront development except for a few more moorings.

In terms of technological developments, Tarbox said Lincoln County has the dubious distinction of being the only county in the country serviced by Adelphia which does not have high speed internet service.

"The U.S. is wiring Bagdad for the internet, but we don't have it here," Tarbox said. "Somebody should take care of this."

Lacognata agreed. "High speed internet is an important part of the business infrastructure," she said.

Also included in the economic section of the plan was access to a Route 1 bypass, the establishment of a trade and commerce board, a capital improvement plan, and expansion of the children's section of the Wiscasset Public Library. None of these things have happened.

The establishment of a regional business association was included in the plan; this was done, largely by the efforts of the late Sandy Labaree, a small business owner. The organization, Wiscasset Regional Business Association, no longer exists, however.

Another item included in the 1989 comprehensive plan was a town swimming pool, which the town has at the Wiscasset Community Center, which opened in 1998.

Tarbox said he is impressed with Brunswick's comprehensive plan, which includes a three-step implementation process: what action will be taken, by whom, and when. That town's plan is 90 percent implemented, he said.

The idea of diversifying the economy was a good one, Lacognata said, because it's "unhealthy" for a town to rely on one major industry (Maine Yankee).

Tarbox said he's concerned that Wiscasset is still "waiting for something big to happen."

FPL Energy, which bought the Mason station generating plant, talked about re-powering the plant but those plans fell through in March of 2000, he said. Stone & Webster talked about building a gas plant at Maine Yankee, but that company went through bankruptcy.

"We waited for two big things that never happened," he said. Tarbox said he's skeptical about another energy proposal, Project Neptune, becoming a reality, because a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission filing in January of this year said "there is a less than 10 percent chance that Project Neptune will connect at Maine Yankee."

While Maine Yankee was operating, town officials had little interest in new businesses, Tarbox said. The Damariscotta Chamber of Commerce was told to stay on the Edgecomb side of the bridge, and an inquiry in 1994 about locating here from MBNA was turned down, he said.

"On the positive side," Tarbox said, "We do have a business plan, and the selectmen are on the verge of hiring an economic developer.

"What can the comprehensive plan do to rectify this?" Lacognata asked. "We need to look at what builds a tax base, at what drains a tax base, what kinds of businesses we want, and what the government can do about getting them," she said.

Lacognata suggested involving the public in figuring out the answers to these questions.

"That's an excellent idea," Tarbox said.

The economy is Wiscasset's "biggest imperative" he said, because the town is now spending at the rate of 32 mills, the highest tax rate in the state.

"At the rate we're going, our kids aren't going to be able to afford to live here," said David Nichols.

Larry Lomison, who moved to Wiscasset two years ago, said when he graduated from high school, "I had to leave town because there was nothing there for me."

Marguerite Rafter submitted a report on another topic, "history and archeology." Although she said "we know of no archeological sites in Wiscasset," she noted that the town's Historic District was established in 1973 and has been listed in the National Historic Register since that time. The impetus, she said, was a bypass route that would have gone through the village.

In the year 2000 a $2,500 state grant was received to record descriptions and take pictures of the 200 houses in the historic district. The money was used to pay for a person to do the work. Apparently the entire inventory was not completed, because, Rafter wrote in her report, "this project awaits more information and needs increased citizen participation. The data is at the Wiscasset Library."

In the last ten years three groups of citizens "have recognized the importance of protecting our historic buildings in the district, but they have been disbanded before achieving their goals," Rafter's report said

Although the 1989 comprehensive plan included "the importance of protecting this Historic District, the ordinances to implement the concept have not been carried out."

Rafter reported that the selectmen had asked the Ordinance Review Committee to write an ordinance protecting the district. That committee "presented their first draft, awaiting a town meeting, but to date nothing has happened."

Rafter said she has a copy of the proposed ordinance, which she would provide to the committee.

As of now, "There's nothing to stop demolition in the historic district," she said. "There should be historic district ordinances with teeth in them. There's nothing controlling the exterior of the buildings."

This prompted a discussion of how strict regulations can be on what people who live in the district can or cannot do with their houses.

"I'm not against preservation," said John Blagdon, "but in some towns, people have to get permission to paint their houses a certain color."

Lacognata said the committee may want to first find out "if residents are satisfied with the definition of the historic district as it now stands. "We need a buy-in from the people on this," she said. "I feel like the broader public hasn't been informed or educated on the ordinance. They've just heard that an ordinance is being written."

Steve Widmer said he doens't think regulations in an historic district "are as numerous as people think they are."

"It's things like vinyl siding really does harm your home," he said. He suggested that an architect, a builder and a preservationist be appointed to advise and assist homeowners in the historic district.

Eric Dexter asked who defined the district, and how the decision was made. Rafter said the decision was made by the Lincoln County Historical Association.

The comprehensive plan committee "could sponsor a discussion on this," Lacognata said, referring to proposed ordinance changes. "There's a lot that goes into writing ordinances. Before you write them, you should get a clear idea of what people want first, so you don't get to a public hearing and people say, What's this?' "

"The historic district is the key thing that defines Wiscasset," she said.

Tarbox said he doesn't think the town "has done a good job of managing its own historic resources."

"We built a jail with a fence that borders High Street, we sold the Octagon House for $5,000, and we sold the old Customs House for the price of a new furnace. Who are we to tell people what they should and shouldn't do with their houses?"