Town of Buxton
Minutes for January 25, 2012 Selectmen’s Meeting
Prepared by: Beverly Gammon
Members Present: Peter E. W. Burns, Robert C. Libby, Clifford L. Emery, Dianne M. Senechal.
Jean Harmon was absent.
Others Present: Michael Grovo, Jack Hanna, Dennis Sweatt, Robert Elwell.
Meeting Agenda
The Meeting was called to order at 7:03 p.m.
- Approval of Prior Meeting Minutes
Selectmen Meeting Minutes January 18, 2012. Approved 4-0-1.
- Discussion held between 5:00 & 7:00 p.m.
At 4:30 the Board started interviewing candidates for the opening at the Transfer Station.
After they completed the interviews, the Selectmen talked with two residents who came in to discuss some issues.
- Email from the Superintendent’s office – Re: School Board Member Resignation.
Selectman Burns read the letter from Corey Gagnon and expressed appreciation for the work he has done on the School Board.
- Email from Marian Alexander at So. ME Regional Planning – Re: 2012 Catch Basin Bid.
- Review of Projects and Issues
Selectman Libby has been busy reviewing budget requests coming in from non-profit organizations and other budget proposals.
Selectman Emery has also been going through budget requests. He calls in almost every day and talks with the other Selectmen to stay on top of things.
Selectman Senechal said the Board interviewed 5 of the 51 applicants who applied for the position at the Transfer Station. All 5 of them were excellent candidates and the Selectmen will be making decisions on hiring in the next week. Selectman Senechal has been busy working on her share of the budget.
Selectman Burns has been working on budgets, interviews, fielding calls from residents, and helping those coming into the office. He said there is so much going on day to day it is difficult to identify everything. We are the biggest Town in the State without a Town Manager so there is a lot of work for the Selectmen to do and hours that have to be spent in the office every day.
Budgets. Department Heads have been asked to submit their budgets to the Board by February 15th. The Selectmen are also working on the portions of the Administrative budget that they are responsible for.
The Board is trying to set up a meeting for Wednesday, Feb. 1st, at 6:00 p.m. to meet with the Budget Committee. The Committee needs to elect a Chair for this year and set up their schedule.
We have received the new plow truck. The dump body and plow have been put on and the truck is now in service. The truck was approved under Article 49 at the last Town Meeting.
None
E.O.111201020 – An order to approve 16 hours vacation leave for Fred Farnham.
Approved 4-0-1.
E.O.111201021 – An order to accept the resignation of Mr. Corey Gagnon from the SAD 6 School Board effective January 19, 2012.
Approved 4-0-1.
E.O.111201022 – An order to approve a Poverty Abatement for Case No. PA 12-001.
Approved 4-0-1.
E.O.111201023 – An order to approve a Poverty Abatement for Case No. PA 12-002.
Approved 4-0-1.
E.O.111201024 – An order to approve a Poverty Abatement for Case No. PA 12-003.
Approved 4-0-1.
- Executive Orders by Initiative
- Accounts Payable and Payroll Warrants
E.O.111201018 – An order approving expenditures as documented in Accounts Payable Warrant #69. Approved 4-0-1. The Warrant was $142.400; $62,000 of that was for the dump body and plow, and another $35,000 went to the insurance company.
E.O.111201019 – An order approving expenditures as documented in Payroll Warrant
#68. Approved 4-0-1.
- Next Meeting of the Board
There will be a Planning Board Workshop Monday, January 30, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. to review options for Mass Gathering and Adult Entertainment Ordinances. The workshops are open to the public. If you have any questions or wish to view the proposed changes please contact the Code Enforcement Office at 929-3046, or ceosecbuxton@sacoriver.net.
Selectmen’s Meeting Wednesday, February 1, 2012, at 7:00 p.m.
The Board will meet with the Budget Committee Wednesday, February 1, 2012, at 6:00 p.m.
A reminder to send in your Rescue Subscription for 2012. Rescue subscriptions start January 1 each year and end December 31st.
A reminder to license your dog(s) for 2012. A late fee of $25 per dog will be charged starting February 1st.
There is a vacancy on the SAD 6 School Board. Anyone who is interested should contact the Board of Selectmen.
- Public Comments and Questions
Dennis Sweatt gave a “heads up” to Sue Myers for her years of dedication. He said it was a pleasure dealing with her.
He expressed his concerns about SAD 6 and said he is upset that since the new Elementary School was built they have not closed the old buildings. He questioned the Selectmen about Adult Education moving to the old Jack Memorial School, and the Hanson School. He said we are still maintaining the Hanson school building, heating, lighting, and plowing it and there is no justification for it. He said the District got about $25,000 of our money to tear it down and wanted to know what is going on in the building.
Selectman Emery explained that Facilities and Technology are moving to the old Hanson School and surplus desks, chairs, and other items have been moved to the gym for now. After the Principals go through and get what they need, whatever is left will be made available to the 5 communities in the district.
Dennis asked the Selectmen if the Town’s insurance is ever sent out to bid.
Selectman Senechal said it has been sent out but when you factor in the $6,000-$8,000 dividend we receive from Maine Municipal each year and the fact that they do not charge to add new vehicles or make changes during the year and the fact that their programs are specifically designed for municipalities, the commercial carriers cannot compare. The Selectmen agreed that if someone comes along with a significant savings, the Board will certainly listen to their proposal.
His next topic was property appraisals in Buxton and the fact that our values are high.
Selectman Libby agreed the values are high and explained that the Town now has a computer system that will allow us to enter a percentage of change and process it electronically instead of having to change 3,800 property cards by hand. When our valuations were too low no one complained so there has to be a balance that we strike. He said they are in the process of determining what percentage to drop and we will most likely make a change in the next couple months.
Dennis Sweatt then talked about the Town’s budget. He encouraged the Selectmen to watch Department Head budgets very carefully to make sure we are not spending more than what is absolutely necessary.
Selectman Emery explained the detailed budget review process the Selectmen go through with Department Heads and he said that high energy costs are the driving factor that is increasing costs.
Dennis questioned the Board on how overtime pay is calculated for the highway crew in a week where there is a paid holiday. The Selectmen explained that overtime is based on hours actually worked. If an employee physically works more than 40 hours in one work week they get overtime pay or they may be given time off for those hours.
Dennis asked the Selectmen if a gift card was given to some Town Office employees and not others.
Selectman Burns confirmed that it was and explained the reasoning behind the decision to do it. The Board wanted to show appreciation to those employees who had to cover another job in addition to their own job for the past year and a half.
Dennis said he disagrees but he understands what the Board was trying to do. He thanked the Selectmen for the explanation.
Robert Elwell spoke about the ISO rating for Buxton. He said money was appropriated at the last Town Meeting and he is disappointed that it has not been done.
Selectman Burns said he spoke with the Fire Chief about a week ago and asked him to put together a list of items that need to be done, the percentage of work that has been done on each, and when it will be completed. Chief Mullen provided the information but Selectman Burns said he has not had a chance since then to meet with the Chief to go over a lot of questions he has concerning dates that were put down, particularly in light of the fact that the Board was told last year on more than one occasion that the Chief was helping Scarborough and it should not be all that difficult for us because he could use their paperwork to use toward improving our rating. Selectman Burns said he needs time to sit down with the Fire Chief and go through it.
Robert Elwell asked the Selectmen if the Fire Chief can be invited in for the first meeting of every month to give a report on where we are with it. He said it will help taxpayers save money on their Homeowner Insurance. He volunteered to donate his time to help the Chief any day after 4 PM and asked the Board to follow up on this.
Selectman Burns said he has asked the Chief to update the report on a monthly basis; he will hold the Chief accountable for that, and will invite him to come and speak.
None.
Motion made and seconded to adjourn the Meeting at 7:52 p.m. Approved 4-0-1.
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