On Monday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. Washington’s appointed Comprehensive Committee will meet in the Bryant Room of the Gibbs Library, 40 Old Union Rd., Washington. 

Washington’s Comprehensive Plan was approved in 2005. By statutes, comprehensive plans are based on 10-year environment and population projections, an update is required at that ten-year mark. At the Feb. 6 Select Board workshop, Washington’s Select Board could not recall how the decision was made to form this Comprehensive Committee several years overdue.  

Select Board Chair Wesley Daniel said the Town had a Comprehensive Plan committee in 2016, but it “petered away” due to lack of interested from the volunteers. Select Board member Mitch Garnett recalled that former Code Enforcement Officer Bob Temple recommended updating the Comprehensive Plan several times during his tenure. 

At some recent point, the Select Board became aware that the Midcoast Council of Governments (successor to the Midcoast Regional Planning Commission) will assist municipalities with their comprehensive plans. Washington is a member of the MCOG and pays dues through Knox County. 

According to its website, “Midcoast Council of Governments (MCOG) is a nonprofit, municipally-driven regional planning and economic development district encompassing 66 communities in the Midcoast region. We receive funding from the local municipalities (dues), state, and federal governments to assist communities with their planning and economic development needs.”

Washington has contracted with MCOG “work with the Comprehensive Plan Committee to update the Town of Washington’s Comprehensive Plan.” The plan must meet the state’s criteria and “reflect the Town’s character and values…consistent with the collection vision of its residents.” 

At the Jan. 17 budget meeting, Select Board member Katherine Grinnell said Washington can expect to pay MCOG between $18,000 and $20,000 over two years, which is the anticipated length of the comprehensive plan process.  The contracts states the “Town agrees to pay MCOG $65 per hour, not to exceed $18,135 in total.” The annual dues the Town pays to MCOG will be used toward this fee. 

MCOG has provided a generic scope of work template outlining the expected process, starting with forming a committee through community surveys and visioning, drafting, submission, and revisions if required by the State. 

Select Board members Daniel and Garnett said MCOG has templates for surveys and documents so the committee does not have to do everything itself. 

“Some of the [committee members] have some experience, but it has been 20 years since we’ve done this,” said Grinnell, at a Jan. 17 budget meeting. “Asking residents to volunteer to write this, when we are woefully past due, is asking a lot for volunteers. We have the ability to get some help from the Midcoast Council of Governments.”

Volunteers were recruited via “word of mouth,” said Grinnell. Daniel said the Town Office staff will tell people about committee opportunities if they seem interested or “if they come in complaining, we put them to work.” Open committee positions are also listed on the Town’s website. 

Comprehensive Plan committee members are Mary Anderson, Sara Bullard, Jeff Grinnell, Peg Hobbs, Joan Tognacci, and Robin Folger. 

The first $10,000 in payments are set to be debated as part of the budget review process at the Town Meeting on Saturday, Mar 30.