The Edgecomb Board of Selectmen appointed two new members to the town’s website committee. Residents Janet Blevins and Don Kroitzsh were appointed to join the four-person committee during the selectmen’s Nov. 23 meeting.

Blevins and Kroitzsh join Carol Leone and planning board member David Nutt on the committee. Nutt is an original member who was appointed in May. Leone joined in June but hasn’t been able to participate in any meetings.

Select Board Chairman Jack Sarmanian will contact Leone to see if she wants to continue as a committee member.

The two newest members are anxious to begin their committee work. Their first meeting is at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 1 in the municipal building. Blevins has used a website in her business’s operation for the past 20 years. Kroitzsh has managed more than 15 sites during his professional career.

“I have experience in my own business,” Blevins said. “I thought I could be helpful in developing the new website proposal.”

Now retired, Kroitzsh has years of experience in developing professional websites.

“I’ve managed some small and some large websites. I’ve gotten rid of those responsibilities, but I’m still looking to use my experience to benefit the town,” Kroitzsh said.

The committee has also made progress in keeping the current municipal website’s domain. Sarmanian reported that the domain name’s current owner Stuart Smith had agreed to “turn over in the immediate future.”

“I’ve spoken to Stuart and I expect it to happen in the next several weeks,” Sarmanian said.

Smith, a former selectman, has maintained the municipal website for the past 15 years. He initiated the website as a planning board member. He continued as the site’s webmaster over the past nine years during his tenure on the select board.

Smith has maintained the website for the past four years without compensation. Sarmanian said Smith hadn’t presented the town with a bill for past services.

“This helps us move toward our goal of a new website,” Sarmanian said. “The second part is bringing aboard new members Don and Janet. The committee can now begin working toward developing goals and priorities for a new website.”

The committee is charged with advising the selectmen on the new website’s content and form. Nutt favors hiring a professional firm to develop the new website. The website committee has received proposals from three different firms specializing in municipal websites. The most economical offer is from Wisconsin-based firm Town Web Design for $802.

But new member Kroitzsh believes the new website can be designed for nothing. He offered to design it for free.

“You don’t need to pay somebody for what we need,” he said. “A professional firm will nickel and dime us to make changes so I don’t think we have to have a professional firm to design our website.”

Kroitzsh has already begun developing a new website. He will upload various maps, town ordinances and permit applications onto a webpage. Once it’s created, he will train municipal committee members and elected officials to maintain the site.

But Nutt believed the offer was well-intended, but flawed.

“I really appreciate the offer. This might be good in the interim, but I’m 100 percent convinced we need a professional company. You’re not always going to be around and a professional company like Town Web Design has four full-time employees.”

Selectmen expect the committee to work on a recommendation over the next three to four months. 

“A proposal should be forthcoming before the May town meeting,” Sarmanian said.

The selectmen will meet next at 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 7 in the municipal building.