Boothbay selectmen want the Butler and Country Club road paving project complete by Aug. 1. Contractor McGee Construction began the project last spring with an expected May 17 completion date. A week of steady rain and an unforeseen ledge problem delayed the project, but selectmen believe even with those delays, the project should have been completed by now. McGee began work earlier this spring on a sewer and water project for an affordable housing project.

“I hear about it all the time at the transfer station,” said Selectman Steve Lewis who also is the Boothbay Region Refuse Disposal District manager. “At this point, we need to start thinking about punitive damages or something else to get this ball rolling.” Selectmen voted, 5-0, July 24 to give McGee Construction until Aug. 1 to complete the work or a $1,000-a-day fine would be imposed retroactive to July 1. 

In other action, a new law has changed the way selectboards view disposing of tax-acquired properties. In the past, Boothbay selectmen based their decision on the highest bidder, but now they favor selecting an abutter. Selectmen received five bids for parcels on Anchor Lane and Brewer Road. 

Mark and Tonya Miller operate Little River Boat Club and bid on both properties. The couple proposed to transform the current open space into a model nature preserve. They proposed to clean out all shoreland and submerged debris, restore and preserve a natural spring, transform the entire lot into a natural shoreline pocket-park, feature a landscape of flora and fauna, maintain the park with 100% organic techniques and offer pedestrian access eight hours per day. Selectmen accepted their $8,250 bid for the quarter-acre Brewer Road parcel.

Selectmen accepted another abutter’s bid for the half-acre Anchor Lane property. The board accepted Scott Adams’ $24,000 bid. “In the past, I would’ve accepted the high bid, but the new law requires anything above a minimum bid no longer goes to the town. It goes back to the previous owner. So I think we can consider how the property impacts an abutter and base a decision on that,” Lewis said. 

Selectmen approved three wharves and weirs applications for a rebuild. Bryer told selectmen each application was for a rebuilt wharf damaged in last January’s storms. Two are on Ocean Point Road in East Boothbay: Twaddle-Walcott Living Trust and Thornton and Lenora Lockwood. The third is for Arel Family Trust on Presley Drive. 

Selectmen agreed to act as the host application on a joint Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Community Resilience Partnership Grant. The towns received a $78,000 grant for a region vulnerability study. The Community Resilience Partnership (CRP) is a program administered by the Governor’s Office of Policy, Innovation, and the Future to help implement strategic priorities identified in Maine’s Climate Action Plan, “Maine Won’t Wait!” 

Selectmen made the following municipal appointments: Daniel G. Bryer, Jr, town manager, tax collector, treasurer, health officer, right to know officer, road commissioner and welfare director; Michael Alley, public works foreman; Daniel Feeney, code enforcement officer and 911 addressing officer; Andrea D. Lowery, town clerk; John O’Donnell III, office of assessor; Peter B. Ripley, harbor master; David Pratt, fire chief; Brent Barter, shellfish warden; and Betsy Pratt, animal control officer.

Selectmen approved a Class I, II, III and IV restaurant liquor license renewal for PGC2, LLC doing business as Boothbay Harbor Country Club Wellness Center.

The board re-appointed Chuck Cunningham chairman and Lewis vice-chairman. Selectmen meet next at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 14 in the conference room.