WISCASSET

The board of selectmen and the budget committee differ on the four spending items that residents will vote on during a special town meeting on Tuesday.

Selectmen favor the articles on the ballot, the budget committee opposes them. One matter the two bodies do agree on: The fact that the codes enforcement officer is a union position has a bearing on article 3.

In June, residents opposed a 30-hour work week for the codes officer, which amounted to $54,996 a year. The vote was 315 for, 354 against.

The new request calls for 25 hours, at $48,674 a year.

“This work cannot be outsourced or attributed to any other employee,” the board of selectmen wrote in a letter to a local newspaper.

Norman Guidoboni, secretary of the budget committee, says that the revised request still represents too much money.

“The unions are whining about it, but that isn’t our business, our business is the townspeople,” Guidoboni said. “In July and August, the pay was $3,900 for 28 hours a week. That’s $27- plus an hour. We have to have (a codes officer), but do we have to have one for that amount of money?”

The codes officer is a unionized position depending on where the community is situated in the state.

“It’s more common in populated areas, less common in rural areas,” said Eric Conrad, director of communications at the Maine Municipal Association. “That it’s a unionized position in Wiscasset isn’t surprising.”

Both state law and town ordinances mandate that the town have a codes officer, in order to carry out such necessary functions as plumbing inspections and building permits.

Also on Tuesday’s ballot, voters will consider:

— Article 2: Shall any of the following departmental budgets fail to pass, shall the town authorize the selectmen to expend 3/12 of the previous year’s budget, this being additional to the 3/12 approved at the June 12 annual town meeting?

— Article 4: Shall the town vote to raise and appropriate for contingency the sum of $50,000?

— Article 5: Shall the town vote to raise and appropriate for Lincoln County Television the sum of $5,000?

Guidoboni said that last year’s contingency account was $35,000. Both the $60,000 request rejected by voters in June and the current $50,000 amount to huge increases, he said.

“Last year, some of it was used for raises, which is not the proper use for contingency,” he said. “Part will be used for lawyer fees to collect back taxes. That should come from the general budget.”

Selectmen point out that this fund handles unexpected expenses, such as the failed water heater in the municipal building last year. They also addressed the legal expenses.

“This year, the selectmen are working to resolve a number of outstanding accounts receivable issues,” the letter states. “These issues developed after the budget process was complete.”

Regarding Lincoln County Television, the board maintains that the station provides a service not available from any other source.

“LCTV provides volunteers, filming, airing of many governmental meetings on the public access channel as well as through the Internet,” the statement reads. “This service allows for greater transparency and involvement of our citizens.”

The budget committee, however, points out the many people have no access to LCTV.

“Many people do not have cable,” Guidoboni said. “Others do not have a dish.” lgrard@timesrecord.com