Woolwich Selectmen Consider Shortening Fish Commission Terms From Five to Three Years

Woolwich selectmen told the town’s Fish Commission at a Feb. 18 meeting they are considering shortening Fish Commission members’ terms from five years to three years, a change town officials framed as a response to recruitment and retention difficulties. The discussion was described in an original meeting summary provided to municipal reviewers; that summary ends mid-sentence at "reflects c" and supplies no direct quotations from selectmen or commissioners.

No formal vote, ordinance text, or timeline for the proposed change appears in the materials provided. The record available notes only that the selectmen "told" the Fish Commission they were considering the change and does not show minutes, motions, or recorded roll-call votes from the Feb. 18 meeting.

Municipal annual-report language underscores the existing framework the selectmen would be altering. Article 8 in the town materials reads, "To select a fish commissioner for a five year term." Article 9 addresses alewife management at specific local sites: 9 a) "To see what action the Town will take in regard to the Alewives privileges at Nequasset and Back River Creek for the coming year" and 9 b) "To see if the town will authorize the Fish Commissioners, on behalf of the town, to use funds from the yearly sale of alewife privileges collected in the Fish Way Account for maintenance purposes of the Fish Way buildings and property."

The town documents identify current Fish Commission membership and show inconsistent five-year term listings across municipal publications. William D. Potter is listed as Chair with phone 207-443-9633 and a term of 2016-2021. John D. Chapman appears with phone 207-443-6396 but is listed in one source as 2015-2020 and in another as 2020-2025. Bruce R. McElman is listed 2012-2017 with phone 207-443-4877. Raymond E. Robson, Jr. is listed 2013-2018 with phone 207-442-8746. Robert E. Stevens appears as 2014-2019 in one excerpt and as 2019-2024 in another, with phone 207-443-4535.

Operational context raised in the municipal text may matter if term lengths change. The Fish Commissioners are recorded as "responsible for maintenance decisions," the Fish Way property is shared with the Bath Water District and requires coordination with that district on alewife privileges, and revenues from "yearly sale of alewife privileges" flow into a Fish Way Account to be used for maintenance. The materials also reference a procedural threshold: "When expenditure is expected to be greater than $1,000, the planned Fish Way maintenance project ..." but the sentence is truncated and the specific approval steps are not provided.

Town administrative listings in the provided documents show two town addresses, 346 River Road and 13 Nequasset Road, and multiple phone numbers for town functions. Town Office phones are listed as (207) 443-7094 and (207) 442-7094 in different excerpts, and Emergency Management/EMS Director Brian Carlton appears with numbers 207-837-8457, 207-443-3589, and 207-442-7094. Board of Selectmen members named in the municipal listings include David A. King, Sr. (60 Birchwood Rd, phone 207-442-7642 or cell 207-751-7047), Dale E. Chadbourne (18 Thunder Rd, 207-442-8489 / 207-751-3465), Allison L. Hepler (417 Montsweag Rd, 207-442-0754 / 207-319-4396), Jason A. Shaw (918 Old Stage Rd, 207-442-7120 / 207-319-8931), and Allen J. Greene (7 Greene Way, 207-882-6123 / 207-350-0629).

Materials prepared for reporters recommend follow-up steps to confirm the record: obtain official minutes or a transcript of the Feb. 18 selectmen meeting, verify current Fish Commissioner term start and end dates with the Town Clerk (Chelsea Lane and Anthony P. Blasi appear as attestations in different documents), request any drafted ordinance or warrant article to shorten terms, and ask the Fish Commission for documentation of recruitment or retention problems. For immediate verification the Fish Commission chair is listed as William D. Potter, 207-443-9633 and town switchboard numbers appearing in the records include (207) 443-3479 and (207) 443-7094.