A public hearing on the referendum question to repeal Woolwich’s membership in WasteZero’s pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) refuse program will be held 5:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 19, in the hearing room of the town office.

At this week’s meeting, selectmen voted 4-1 to sign and post notice of the hearing. Chairman David King Sr. cast the dissenting vote.

King told the Wiscasset Newspaper that he would preside over the hearing fairly and to the best of his ability, but could not in good conscience vote in favor of holding it.

“I was against accepting the petition when it was brought to the board,” he said. King explained he acted according to advice from the town attorney suggesting the board of selectmen was under no obligation to hold the referendum.

Voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether they want out of WasteZero, the not-for-profit organization that administers PAYT. The program requires residents to purchase bags for disposal of non-recyclable trash. By a close vote, residents opted to join PAYT at the May town meeting. After a few delays, the program got underway Sept. 1.

Don Adams of Shaw Road spearheaded two separate petition drives to revisit PAYT at the General Election when the voter turnout is higher. Both Adams and King are running for the board of selectmen, a race that is also to be decided on Nov. 3.

Estimates done by WasteZero based on information provided by the town indicate in its first month PAYT has reduced the volume of solid waste by 46 percent saving monies spent on tipping fees and other trash disposal costs. The town also gets a share of the WasteZero bag sales, but the town administrator said no figure was available.

King said if trash volumes continue to decline the town might consider reducing its trash pickup form two days a week to one, which would result in more savings for the town, according to King.

Fred J. Kahrl, chairman of the Woolwich’s Solid Waste and Recycling Committee, told selectman he was “cautiously optimistic” by September’s PAYT numbers.

Adams said some residents had chosen to use community dumpsters rather than participate in PAYT. This would account for a drop in the waste tonnage as well. He added there’s also been a problem of illegal dumping around town since the program began.

 New hands for town clock

Selectman Jason Shaw said a new set of custom-made hands had been installed recently on the town clock. The work, all of which was donated, was done under the direction of Gaius Hennin of The Shelter Institute.

In an email, Hennin described how two polycarbonate templates were made from the old clock hands to facilitate the making of new ones. A new set of hands was installed recently on the clock’s southeast face. If they’re properly balanced and operate correctly, Hennin will be installing the other two sets of clock hands next week.

No decision yet on fire chief

Woolwich is still without a fire chief. Three candidates were interviewed last month, but the search committee hasn’t made a recommendation to the board of selectmen.

Geoffrey McCarren, the town’s former fire chief, filled in Monday evening; he provided a bi-weekly report. He told selectmen the department had responded to three calls, one involving a motor vehicle accident at Montsweag Restaurant, the others for trees brought down during a recent storm.

McCarren said he had submitted grant applications for fire equipment including turnout gear and pagers. He also hopes to also apply for federal monies to fund the future purchase of a new tanker truck.

The fire department’s open house will be held on Oct. 14 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the firehouse.

In her report, Julia Gillespie, acting EMS director, said she was getting three estimates for lettering the new ambulance.

The town office will be closed Monday, Oct. 12, for Columbus Day. The next regular meeting of the board of selectmen will be on Oct. 19 at 6 p.m.