The few Wiscasset residents who drove into the middle school parking lot Thursday night for the public hearing probably thought there was a packed house.

As car dealer Jolly John used to say, "Wrongo!"

Most of the cars that were in the lot brought kids and spectators to the ball game, not the 45 questions that will be on the town ballot Tuesday. Voting will be at the community center from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

In addition to the town ballot, registered Democrats and registered Republicans will choose their candidates in the primary election. There will be one Maine referendum question, asking for the approval of a $29 million bond issue for "natural resources, agricultural and transportation infrastructure" that will "leverage" another $29 million.

On the town ballot, in addition to approving expenditure for general government, the community center, capital improvements, adult education, emergency medical services, police, fire, highway, and a number of other services, voters will be asked a non-binding question on a separate ballot: "Do you favor transferring funds from the undesignated fund balance (surplus) to reduce property taxes?"

Just a wild guess, but this one will probably squeak by.

Don Jones said he was pleased the town plans to spend some money fixing the sidewalks. Adult Education Director Pam Moody said her budget has landed on the town side, thanks to the new school consolidation law. She was also pleased to report that much of the program is funded through grants, and that she had just received notice that the town will be awarded a second $25,000 grant from the Barbara Bush Foundation.

There was some discussion about whether the town needs a full time ambulance director. The budget committee is recommending it, the selectmen are not. Budget Committee chairman Steve Mehrl said, "We listened [to what the members of the ambulance service said] and decided it was warranted."

Selectman Chairman Duane Goud said, "I have nothing against the ambulance department, but I didn't see the call volume there."

Selectman Phil DiVece said his concern is that the director, Roland Abbott, who works about 30 hours a week, is not entitled to health or retirement benefits.

"He does a good job for us," DiVece said. "He puts in extra hours. Every year he has asked for health benefits. I thought we should offer him a partial plan."

That issue comes up in questions 27 and 28, with 27 calling for a lesser amount of money and 28 calling for more money, which would fund a full time ambulance director.

Former budget committee member Dick Grondin asked Parks and Recreation Director Todd Souza, "Are we making progress toward becoming self funding at the community center?"

Souza said the total budget of about $500,000 (question 29) for his department, is about $8,000 more than last year. This includes about $230,000 in income from fees and membership, leaving about $270,000 to be raised from taxes. Souza is also asking, under question 21, for about $35,000 to buy new lockers for the center.

"Our biggest hurdle this year is the $17,000 jump in oil and gas prices," Souza said. Town manager Arthur Faucher said the town has a locked in fuel price of $4.52 for the next fiscal year.

Souza noted that the department doesn't charge the Wiscasset Senior Center any money for its use of the center. Also, members of his staff have been mowing town properties - something that doesn't show up in his budget, he said.

Souza said he is thinking of asking whether townspeople would want to add $100,000 to the budget (not this year, but perhaps in the future) "to allow everyone who lives in Wiscasset to have a free membership." DiVece said this had been discussed in budget meetings, and thought there was a feeling that this should be proposed on a November ballot when there is greater voter participation. Souza said he agrees, he just wondered whether this is an idea that should be pursued.

"I have two concerns about that," Grondin said. "One is that the place would become mobbed, and the people who have been paying for years might be squeezed out; and the other is the cost of maintenance."

One member of the audience asked that at future public hearings on the town budget, the amount of spending for last year be included in materials handed out at the meeting.

Question 36, $6,250 for repairs at the old Wiscasset Academy building was not recommended by the budget committee, but was recommended by the selectmen. Budget committee member Pam Dunning said the committee wanted more information about the arts organization, called the Maine Art Gallery that uses the old school house, owned by the town, and suggested that an inventory be taken of all the repair needs, instead of doing a piecemeal approach to maintenance.

"This building is on the National Register," Dunning said. "Perhaps we can apply for a grant to fix everything." Merlin Smith, acting president of the Maine Art Gallery, said members want to work with the town to preserve the building.

Question 39, which calls for $71,500 for paving at the primary and high schools is not recommended by the budget committee; it is recommended by the selectmen and the school committee.

Mehrl said the budget committee didn't get a good description of exactly what they were going to do, and Dunning said it didn't seem like a good idea if the pavement is going to be torn up during renovations that will be needed at both schools if the middle school is closed.

"If the school budget had been approved last week, and this one is approved, what will the mill rate be?" Grondin asked. "I have no idea what this means for my taxes."

Goud said if no money is taken from the reserve accounts, the mill rate will probably go from 13 to 15 mills, or on a $100,000 property, from $1,300 a year to $1,500 a year. For a property valued at $200,000, taxes would go from $2,600 a year to $3,000 a year.