Library trustee Allen Johnson, with a display of elevation blueprints and photos of the existing library, outlined the need for renovation and expansion of the library and presented an overview of the trustees' plan.

"The building is 158 years old," Johnson said. "It was built as a house, not a library." Problems with the existing building include weak sills, leaks, narrow aisles, cramped spaces, and lack of access for the disabled.

"It is too small for a community serving all of the Boothbay region," he said. To do anything at all to the building would require complying with the federal ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), doubling space between the stacks and quadrupling the size of a bathroom.

The proposed plan, while retaining the existing Greek Revival facade and the beamed great room, would remove the rest of the building and the Hyde House, construct a basement and attach a two-story colonial-style building to the main library.

It would increase floor space from about 3,500 square feet (including the Hyde House) to almost 11,000 square feet, including the basement, said Johnson.

The entire project, including moving and operating expenses during construction, contingencies, and a $650,000 endowment for future upkeep, is estimated to cost $3.5 million.

The library trustees are requesting commitments from Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor for $1 million each and will raise $1.5 million from private sources including foundations and businesses as well as individual donors. They hope to conduct the private campaign through 2005, begin building in the winter of 2006 and open the new library July 4, 2007.

"This does represent something of service to the whole region," said Johnson.

In answer to questions from selectman Chuck Cunningham, he said trustees have counted 1,500 Boothbay library card holders; since some cards represent more than one user, they estimate around 2,000 library users in each town, or about 50 percent of the population.

Cunningham expressed concern about the lack of expanded parking and the overall cost to taxpayers reaching $1.5 million with interest over the life of the bond.

Johnson conceded that the parking problem is acute in summer, but with the constraints of keeping the front lawn and the memorial, which public input had stressed, there is no room to expand parking. As to cost to taxpayers, he said if the board raises more than $1.5 million, "we'll draw down the amount we ask for from the towns."

The effect of the bond on Boothbay taxes would be to add $.20 to the mill rate under the current assessment.

"I'd like to preserve what little is left of the town," said John McKown. "[The library building] has been a jewel in the center of town; to alter it would be a tragedy."

"We've done as careful a job of design as we could do," replied Johnson, stressing the traditional New England look of the proposed architecture.

The borrowing of bonds, if approved by both Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor, will not begin until the library has raised the necessary private funds.

Voters will have a chance to approve or reject the bond question in a special secret ballot warrant during the national and state elections on Tuesday, Nov. 2. Auditor to Officials: Good Job

Auditors Bill Brewer and Fred Brewer reported to selectmen that they and Town Manager John Anderson were doing a "good job" of managing the town's finances and spending resources conservatively.

For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2004, the town has more cash, up from $675,340 last year to $1,107,558. Taxes outstanding have been reduced from $121,000 last year to $99,000 this year. The tax collection rate is 98.29 percent.

The town has not had to borrow a tax anticipation note in the past four years.

While investment income and state revenue sharing are down, excise taxes, clerk fees and permit fees are up. Building permit fees collected rose from roughly $14,000 in 2003 to $34,000 in 2004, and plumbing permits rose from $10,000 last year to $16,000 this year.

"You collected $50,000 in permit fees to offset the cost of Marian [Anderson, code enforcer and plumbing inspector]," said Brewer.

"You've got more net assets [such as equipment, vehicles, property] and little debt on the assets you own... You got a FEMA grant for the fire department, so you get your equipment for free and then you get depreciation for the next ten years," he said.

"You're in pretty good shape... Mr. Anderson has been very successful in getting the tax bills out early," he added, though that may not be the case next year with the revaluation, to which Anderson agreed. Water-Sewer Extension

Selectmen, after hearing from Boothbay Region Water District manager Jon Ziegra and Boothbay Harbor Sewer District superintendent Chris Higgins, voted 5-0 to establish the concurrent extension of water and sewer lines north on Route 27 as a priority project for the town.

With commitment from the town, said Ziegra, the districts can and will work on obtaining grants from the Maine Rural Water Association and other state and federal agencies.

"If you're going to put water in, it makes sense to do sewer at the same time," said Higgins.

"This project fits well with the Maine Rural Water Association," said Ziegra.

Water and sewer would help the Industrial Park draw new businesses, said selectman Arthur Reed, as well as protect Adams Pond from further groundwater contamination from nearby septic systems.

The selectmen agreed water and sewer lines should be brought from the current terminus at Big Al's Storage up to at least Industrial Park Road, and if possible, further up Route 27, to the Railway Village or campgrounds. They authorized the pursuit of grants, saying the town would put the remaining funds necessary to voters at town meeting to approve for borrowing. Other Updates

The proposed Administrative Code is still being refined as the Planning Board is forwarding some concerns and recommendations to the ad hoc committee working on the document.

The revaluation of properties has begun, said Anderson, and owners have been cooperative. Anyone with questions or concerns may call the assessor's office, 633-2115.

The playground committee can start ordering equipment now that it has word from the state; the town hopes it will be completed before winter.

Town Manager Anderson attended the annual town managers' conference recently and was elected to serve on the Maine Town and City Managers Executive Board for four years. He was also made chairman of the Committee on Range Riders, a group of retired town managers who avail themselves to consult with or advise towns.

He reported that the Maine Municipal Association has taken a position on the Palesky tax cap proposal that it is unconstitutional.

The effect of the tax cap proposal on the town of Boothbay or on local schools, he feels, would not be huge, but the state could end up increasing the sales tax by a cent (which is 20 percent, he pointed out) and/or eliminating tax exemptions such as Homestead and non-profit exemptions.

Road paving has begun and should be done by the end of October.

The new plow truck chassis has arrived, and a bid of $38,470 has been accepted to outfit it with dump body, plow, etc.

Ross Edwards announced the generous donation by Mr. Zak of a 14-foot runabout boat with motor to the fire department for water rescues.

The town's application for designation of local areas as Pine Tree Zones for economic opportunity has been submitted to the state, and the town should hear back in October.

The board voted to appoint Paul Crary as an alternate to the Board of Assessment Review.

The board also voted unanimously to ask the Boothbay Civic Association to fund the purchase of automatic doors for the Town Office building for disabled access. The doors would cost $3,725.

The next Boothbay selectmen's meetings are set for Monday, Sept. 27 and Tuesday, Oct. 12 (due to Columbus Day) at 7 p.m.