Wiscasset selectmen gave raises to four town employees, including Town Manager Arthur Faucher, following a closed-door meeting on January 8.

The selectmen met in executive session after the agenda items were completed around 7:45 p.m., and came out of executive session about 9:15, according to minutes of the public portion of the meeting that followed the executive session.

The raises, which are effective this month, ranged from about $4,000 to $6,000.

Administrative assistant Debbie Applebee received a $2 an hour raise, taking her from just over $30,000 a year to over $34,000.

Director of Planning Jeff Hinderliter also got a $2 an hour raise, increasing his salary from slightly over $51,000 to over $55,000.

Director of Parks and Recreation, Todd Souza, who is also Director of the Wiscasset Community Center, received a $2 an hour raise, taking him from nearly $49,000 a year to slightly over $53,000.

Faucher received a $3 an hour raise, taking his salary from $74,000 to slightly over $80,000. In the minutes, it is noted that the town saves about $10,500 a year by not having to pay for his health coverage. Since Selectmen also decided to extend his contract another year, taking him to the end of December 2009, the town will be saving an additional $10,500.

According to the minutes, the raises were given "to recognize individual work ethic, personal commitment, and devotion in serving the town of Wiscasset."

The selectmen also voted to allow the town manager to award up to three vacation days to Hinderliter and Souza during 2008 "in lieu of retroactive pay."

Faucher said Monday he was surprised and "very grateful" for his raise. He said he has been working an average of about 70 hours a week since he began the job a year ago.

"I never asked for an adjustment," he said.

Faucher said Applebee will be working until the end of June, when she will leave to join her husband, Wayne, who left his job as administrator at the Two Bridges Regional in Wiscasset to accept a job as criminal justice coordinator in Florida.