With the temperature on a steady slide towards zero, the Edgecomb Selectmen voted unanimously Monday to accept a proposal from the Unitarian Universalist Foundation (UUF) to provide an energy audit at a reduced cost to shore up the town hall's defenses against the bitter cold weather.

The church has rented the town hall for their Sunday services for the past 26 years. UUF member Mark Smith thanked the selectmen for the use of the hall and explained the venture.

"We have been working on an environmental initiative with our members to help change behaviors and encourage greater awareness of the importance of protecting the environment," Smith said. "We would like to join with the town to pay Paul Kando, a certified energy auditor, to assess the needs of the building."

Smith told the board that Kando, a chemical engineer, has an impressive background in energy conservation and research. "Paul is a certified energy auditor who could audit the building and recommend what kinds of things, large and small, that could be considered to reduce usage," Smith added. "And he is willing to do it at the reduced cost of $300."

Kando attended the meeting and explained his interest in the project. "I am affiliated with Midcoast Green Collaborative which has received a grant to acquire auditing equipment for this type of project. We are providing this service at less cost to many communities. I'm not personally generous," he quipped.

"We thought you were," Selectman John Johnson returned.

Midcoast Green Collaborative is a project of the Community Building Trust in Damariscotta whose purpose is defined on their website as being "dedicated to promoting green building projects and a program of socially responsible economic growth."

"What's the scope of the audit? Johnson asked.

Kando explained that their grant allowed the group to purchase sophisticated auditing equipment. "We determine the volume of the building and the external surface and take measurements to calculate heat loss," he said.

"We are able to measure the air that comes in and out through windows and doors along with other issues," Kando explained. "We run calculations and figure out what improvements would make sense for the building. We focus on things that would pay for themselves within the next seven years."

Kando described the seven-year figure as a "moving target" with the rapid rise in heating costs that have been occurring. "But we try to recommend make recommendations that make economic and logical sense," he said. "We find that buildings leak much more than owners think."

"I'm not surprised. These windows are leaking all over my back," Johnson replied.

Chairman Jo Cameron asked how long it would take to do an audit and when they would be able to start.

"It generally takes about three hours to do an audit on a house and the hall is not that much larger, not counting the off-site calculations," Kando said. He could provide the service as soon as mid-March if requested.

"I think we should do it," Selectman Stuart Smith said. "I make a motion that we share the cost of the audit by not charging the church $150 of their monthly rent, which would be a little over two weeks."

UUF member Jean Howe attended the meeting and quickly agreed with that proposal. "I'll agree to that and I'm the treasurer," she said.

Johnson seconded the motion and the board unanimously accepted the offer.

The group also discussed the possibility that the UUF youth group might help with some of the less complicated remedies.

Appeals Board members Bobbi Carleton, Eleanor Eide, and Steve Burt also joined the selectmen to discuss the status of the committee whose mission is to hear most of the contested decisions of the Planning Board. Members Edward Kitfield and Brian Giles were not present, and it was unsure if they planned to retain their seats on the board.

The three members present agreed that they had little experience with the appeals process and were concerned about the number of members and their duties.

Referring to retired Chairman Martha Speed, Cameron said, "With Martha in charge, we didn't have to think much about what your needs might be." She asked what their impression was of what they needed to do when hearing an appeal.

Eide explained that their role is to apply ordinances to questions put before them.

As a former member of the Planning Board, Smith said that the group does have some discretion to consider issues such as hardship or impact on the community, unlike the Planning Board who he described as "handcuffed."

Smith used the example of a previous request to add a bay to the firehouse, which would encroach on the setback. However, the appeal was granted.

The present board members questioned if any resident could appeal a Planning Board decision, even if it was a "yes" vote for the applicant.

Planning Board Chairman Katherine Braid attended the meeting, answering that a "yes" vote could be appealed. She also explained that there are two ways that an appeal reaches the board.

"There can be an appeal de novo from the decision of the code enforcement officer," Braid said. That would start as a new application for the board. They could also address an appeal of a decision of the Planning Board that would not start the process over, but would come to the group with the file and prior findings of the Planning Board."

The selectmen were concerned with the number of members on the board. At this time, the board needs two alternates and is looking for interested residents who would like to join the group.

"Knowing Martha, I think that we could ask her to come in and give the board a training session on their responsibilities," Johnson said.

The Appeals Board meets the second Wednesday of January, March and September and on an as needed basis when appeals are before them.

Braid also presented the selectmen with a draft of proposed changes to town zoning ordinances to meet recent changes in state requirements for the shoreland area. "Wherever our ordinances were stricter, we have gone with the town's wording," Braid said.

The selectmen will review the draft and asked that Braid attempt to get the estimated cost of a legal review of the changes. Upon completion, they will be printed and public meetings will be held for residents to review the final product.

Johnson updated the board on the previously approved oversight committee that will help the town research questions to aid in future planning.

The selectmen discussed members who may be asked to join the committee and agreed that they needed an official name for the committee.

Rather than settling on Cameron's suggested tongue-in-cheek handle of the "Edgecomb Think Tank," the selectmen unanimously approved the name of Future Advisory Committee and nominated Johnson to chair the group.

There will not be a selectmen's meeting held on next Monday due to the holiday. The next meeting is scheduled for February 25.