The motion, made by Lloyd Coombs and seconded by Dan Skillin, directs selectmen to include both the original request of $43,000 as the town's contribution to the Bath library's annual operating budget and the alternative article voted in during a special selectmen's meeting last week that would set aside $20,000 for individual library cards.

The debate came during public comments session of Tuesday's meeting when Crispin Connery, a Sagadahoc County commissioner and former Woolwich selectman, told selectmen that historically the town has always supported the Patten Free Library and that to do away with that choice should not be done lightly.

Susan Beegel, Patten Free Library trustee, wrote to correct the Coastal Journal’s reporting of the way assessment is done for the library.

“The Patten Free Library does not now, nor has it ever, assessed towns for public library service based on their number of cardholders. Instead, to insure fair and equal participation, the Patten Free’s request is based a community’s total population according to its 2000 census. So Arrowsic, the smallest of our six participating communities, is assessed for its 477 residents, Bath for 9,266 residents, Georgetown for 1,020 residents, Phippsburg for 2,106 residents, West Bath for 1,798 residents, and Woolwich for 2,810.  After assessment, any resident of these participating communities--adult or child--can then have a Patten Free library card for no charge,” she wrote.

“ [Under Selectman Todd McPhee’s proposal], no Woolwich resident will be able to have a library card without paying taxes AND paying an additional charge. Cards for nonresidents at Wiscasset are $30, at Patten Free $40, at Bowdoin College $40, and at Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick, $65. If the proposal passes, Woolwich residents will no longer be able to have Patten Free cards at no additional charge, but depending on their choices, will pay anywhere between $10 and $45 extra for library services after making a special trip to the town office for a $20 reimbursement.”

Wiscasset Public Library pointed out that their card is $30 per family, not per individual cardholder.

Beegel said that the per capita assessment, $15.55, was less than the price of a hardcover book or DVD, and was an increase of 3%, rather than 7.8%.  For Woolwich, the request will be $43,696, an increase of $1,265 over fiscal year 2007-2008.

The annual town meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., May 7 at the Woolwich Central School.