Woolwich Town Meeting The May 7th Woolwich town meeting, set to start at 6 p.m., was delayed until 6:30 to give everyone a chance to get into the room. The meeting lasted until after 11 p.m.

Emotions ran high at the Woolwich town meeting last week on a couple of issues, but not nearly as high as near the end of the meeting, around 11 p.m., when a motion was made to reconsider an article that had failed earlier.

Over half the residents had left the Woolwich Central School when a motion was made to reconsider the article for the town to lease the air boat from the Woolwich firefighters.

Selectman Dale Chadbourne wanted to revisit the article so he could make a statement. However, since he had not voted on the prevailing side, he could not make the motion to reconsider. Selectman Todd McPhee, who had voted on the prevailing side, made the motion to reconsider. The motion brought several people to their feet with most of them unhappy that such a motion was made so late in the meeting.

"This is not right," one resident said. "What is to stop you from reconsidering the library article again?"

Another person said, "I do not necessarily agree with the motion, but those people who left before the meeting was over should have stayed like those of us who are still here."

Another resident said he was outraged that a selectman would do such a thing, and questioned the legality of the motion.

Selectman Lloyd Coombs said the motion might be legal, but it was definitely not ethical.

The motion failed overwhelmingly when Moderator John Chapman called for a vote.

Chadbourne was asked following the meeting, why he wanted to reconsider the article.

"I didn't want to reconsider the article," Chadbourne said "I just wanted to revisit the article so I could make a statement, which I was not given the opportunity to do. We paid $43,000 to read a book, $5,000 for our young students to play sports, but we won't pay $3,000 to save a life. I just don't get it."

In a meeting that lasted nearly four hours, about 200 voters approved a budget of about $1.3 million. The article creating the most discussion was to raise $20,000 to reimburse residents for library cards at the library of a person's choice.

Former Selectman David King supported this article over another article, asking the town to donate $43,000 to the Patten Free Library.

"Patten Free Library is using my home and your home as a fund-raiser, it's time to take another look at where our money is going. Are we getting back a dollar for every dollar we give? Our share of the library's budget has risen 140 percent in the past seven years. When is enough enough?"

Former Selectman Phil Skillin said, "The Patten Free Library is not free. It has cost the taxpayers of Woolwich a lot of money."

Fred Karl said, "I commend the selectmen for taking a hard position in bringing this article to us, which allows us to revisit the issues of how the Patten Free Library is funded. The Patten Free Library has reached the point where the process lacks transparency. We have a chance to halt the process and create a forum to decide how to move forward and make some changes in the way the library is funded."

McPhee read minutes from previous selectmen's meetings and workshops which showed that the selectmen had tried to get the names of people in Woolwich using the library, in order to see how many residents use it. Library officials refused.

Francis King, speaking in favor of supporting the library, said after he and his wife closed on their home, the first thing they did was to go the library and get a library card.

Mike Sinton spoke in favor of supporting the library along with Ann Pierson, Lloyd Coombs, and others.

Coombs said it has been a tradition of Woolwich to support the library for many years and that it is a service to the taxpayers like the fire department, and curbside rubbish removal paid for by the town.

Pierson's plea was for young children of low income families who would be unable to use the library if Woolwich withdrew support.

In a secret ballot the article to raise $20,000 failed 77-113. The article to donate $43,000 passed 115-59.

The article to have the town lease the airboat from the Woolwich Firefighters was defeated in a close vote of 79-86.

Woolwich Emergency Medical Services (EMS) director Roger Brawn asked voters to approve the article because it is a valuable piece of rescue equipment.

Former Selectman David King speaking against the article said," It is the most expensive piece of equipment to insure in the fire barn. It will cost more to insure the boat than another piece of equipment we have."

Brawn asked, "What is the value of one life that could be saved by this piece of equipment?"

Another resident asked, "Why do we need the boat?"

"We are surrounded by water," Brawn answered.

Another resident said the boat is like having an insurance policy. "It is better to have the boat, and not need it, instead of needing it and not having it," she said.

The voters also defeated an article that would have given a $100 per month stipend to full-time employees who are eligible for health insurance but choose not to use it. According to the selectmen this will affect one town employee.

The voters approved $217,000 for weekly curbside refuse collection and the operation of a recycling drop-off center.

Several taxpayers indicated they would be interested in hearing more about the Pay As You Throw system at a future meeting.

The Woolwich Junior Athletics received the support of the voters in their request for $5,000 to continue their program for the Kindergarten through six graders at the Woolwich Central School.

Woolwich resident Ed MacDonald added some humor to the evening during a discussion of the seven percent interest rate paid to residents who receive abatements. "With the interest rates being paid today, the best investment I could make is to overpay my taxes," he said.

Town administrator Lynette Eastman said, "Very few people overpay their taxes."

The voters elected Ray Robinson to a five-year term as fish commissioner, and left it up to the fish commissioners who will have the alewives privileges at Nequasset and the Back River Creek in the coming year.

The article to exceed the property tax limit passed 146 to 43.

In an attempt to stop vandalism and illegal dumping, voters raised $5,000 to buy eight surveillance cameras, which will be installed on the outside of the town office building.