Edgecomb Selectmen were surprised Monday evening when they learned that the May 5th School Budget Validation meeting at the Eddy School is an official town meeting. Claudia Coffin, town clerk/treasurer, informed the selectmen that in keeping with the new consolidation laws, a town meeting needed to be held to validate the budget which would then be voted on as a separate warrant on Friday, May 16. Selectman John Johnson asked, "When did this become a town meeting?"

"It has been this whole time, but correct wording was not being used," replied Coffin.

"The whole process changed because of consolidation," said school board member Joe McSwain. "This was not mentioned at the last school board meeting; the state is not giving enough lead time," he continued.

Selectmen were very concerned when they learned that the ballot which townspeople would use to approve the school budget would not contain any actual figures. Instead, it asks voters simply to approve or deny what was decided at the May 5th meeting.

"People aren't going to vote for a no figure budget," said Johnson. Coffin explained that the figures would be printed on large sheets of paper and posted publicly, but not in the individual booths. McSwain then said if the May 16 vote did not approve the budget as decided by the May 5th town meeting, the process must be repeated.

"I can see our whole summer, town meeting after town meeting," said Selectman Jo Cameron.

A heated exchange between selectmen and Utility Committee members occurred when Frank Perkins identified himself as chair and proposed a future meeting. Smith told Perkins that he had been removed as chair and replaced by Selectman Johnson. Bruce Cameron, Utility Committee member strongly disagreed and told Smith to refer to minutes from previous meetings. The back and forth between committee members and selectmen went on for a few minutes before Jo Cameron said, "John has declared himself chair when a more fitting title would be selectmen liaison. Frank was elected chair by the members."

"Exactly," said Frank.

Selectmen voted to dissolve and reform the committee. A number of attendees including Bruce Cameron, Bob Zak, Frank Perkins, and Joe McSwain volunteered for the new committee. Frank went on to explain that the Interlocal Committee which also was involved with overseeing the sewer was supposed to meet annually with Wiscasset, but after speaking with Wiscasset town officials and going to selectmen's meetings he had not had a response.

Greg Griffin presented figures for next year's snowplowing budget. Due to the extraordinary increase in gas prices and steel for replacement blades, Mr. Griffin asked for a 15 percent increase in his contract for plowing next winter. The selectmen agreed on a figure of $143,750, with a provision in the contract that if gas rises above $4.75 next winter, $2,000 would be available for overage. This figure does not include sand or salt, which the town purchases separately.

Much of Monday night's meeting was spent proofing the town report for publication before the May 17th town meeting. Monday, May 5 the selectmen will be meeting at the Edgecomb Eddy School at 6 p.m. prior to the 7 p.m. Town Meeting for School Budget Validation.