Woolwich to mail climate survey, seek resident input on resilience priorities

A mailed climate survey could decide whether Woolwich’s next resilience dollars go first to road washouts, emergency planning or other protections residents say matter most. The town’s Climate Resilience Committee is preparing a Climate & Community Survey that will ask what worries people most about climate change, what they value about living in Woolwich and which projects or safeguards the town should pursue next.

The survey is more than a feel-good outreach exercise. The committee says it is part of a broader climate resilience action plan driven by community input and data analysis, backed by a $75,000 Community Action Grant. Maine’s grant program can support planning and implementation work that reduces energy use and costs or helps communities respond to flooding, extreme weather, drought and public health impacts. Woolwich officials have also said earlier grant-related work will include a vulnerability assessment and climate action plan, giving the survey a direct role in how the town sets priorities.

That matters in a town where residents are already watching public costs closely. At the same selectboard meeting, a representative from RSU 1 updated officials on the district’s FY27 budget, and Woolwich’s share was described as 8.96 percent, or $5,960,962. The board voted unanimously to send a letter to the district expressing concern about the effect on property taxes. In the prior budget cycle, town officials said Woolwich controlled only about 30 percent of the overall budget, with county and school spending making up the rest.

The Climate Resilience Committee itself is still new. The town says it was formed in the summer of 2024 to help Woolwich prepare for and respond to local climate impacts, from extreme weather to rising sea levels. It held its first community workshop on Sept. 23, 2024, to gather values and goals for the action plan, and the new survey extends that effort to more households through a mass mailing that will explain how to respond, including a QR code for mobile devices.

Other town business on April 16 underscored how many pressures Woolwich is balancing at once. Heavy-load limits on town roads were lifted, road grading on unpaved roads will begin once weather allows, and EMS Director Daniel Evarts said a LifeFlight-led ground-safety course drew 29 participants, including first responders from neighboring communities and county agencies. The ambulance service reported two new employees in training and 14 calls so far that month. Fire Chief Shaun Merrill said brush fire season is approaching and the Smokey Bear sign will be updated weekly.

Selectmen also approved two small contracts, one for a Route 1 flashing warning light near Montsweag Flea Market and another for landscaping work at Tanner Square Memorial. Woolwich’s annual town meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at 6 p.m. at Woolwich Central School Gymnasium, and the RSU 1 budget is slated for a vote at the June 9 primary election.