Town of Buxton
Minutes for July 17, 2013 Selectmen’s Meeting
Prepared by: Beverly Gammon
Members Present: Clifford L. Emery, Jean C. Harmon, Penny J. Booker, Peter E. W. Burns
Robert C. Libby was absent.
Others Present: Mike Grovo
Selectmen’s Meeting Minutes
The meeting was called to order at 7:01 PM.
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Approval of Prior Meeting Minutes
Selectmen Meeting Minutes for July 10, 2013
Approved 4-0-1
- Discussion held between 5:00 & 7:00 p.m.
At 5:00 PM the Fire-Rescue Chief came in. He went over the new rescue that should arrive the first of September and gave the Board an update of where he is with the ISO project that he took over when he became the Fire Chief. They are moving along on the fire ponds and getting all the pictures in and the GIS locations. The next step is to bring an engineer in to test the volume and recovery time. They discussed Community Days, the parade route, and talked to the person doing the fireworks. Through our mutual aid agreement a group of fire police from out of town has been scheduled to come in to help with the road race and the parade.
The Recreation Director has approached the Fire Chief about having an AED unit for the Recreation Department to use on their field trips. He is applying for a grant to see if they can gather some money to purchase one. The town would have to come up with some money as well so the Board is going to see if we qualify for the grant. If we do they will look at what our portion of the cost would be and decide then if it is something we want to purchase or not.
Cathy Fratoni and Claudine Emerson, the ladies who run our Berry Library, came in to talk with the Board about a different accounting practice our accountant recommended using to pay bills. There was nothing out of place; the Board just wanted to talk with them about cleaning up the process some.
The selectmen went over budgets for last year to see where they all are and Selectman Emery said the department heads did an exceptional job this year. Everyone came in within budget and the Board thanked them for really paying attention to the money they were spending.
- Maine Residents Property Tax & Rent Refund ‘Circuitbreaker’ Program has been replaced by a refundable Property Tax Fairness Credit that can be claimed on the Maine Individual Income Tax Form.
- Selectman Emery read the Warrant for the July 24, 2013 Special Town Meeting
- Buxton Community Days – Selectman Emery read the Schedule of Events for July 19-20th.
- Selectman Emery talked about a new business in town on Route 22 near the Dunnell Road called “Hot Sticky Buns” and said he hopes everyone has a chance to check it out.
- Review of Projects and Issues
Selectman Harmon talked about the Board’s Workshop Monday night and said they spent about 4 hours going over the personnel handbook. Today she came in for a meeting with the DOT and Hollis Selectmen regarding the Bar Mills and Canal Bridge re-build. They presented 3 designs and she said the one they selected makes the most sense. It looks good, does not encroach on too much property, and improves the line of sight coming off Depot Street and Salmon Falls Road. This is about a 10 million dollar project and they are looking to have it completed in 2015 or 2016. Selectman Harmon said the Board needs to talk about lights and placing of the monument. It is going to the other side of Depot Street and she is concerned about what may happen when the snowplow goes
through there. They may have to raise it up or set it back further but it will be in the State’s right of way.
About two weeks ago a representative from the Maine Department of Labor came in to do an inspection of our buildings. The Board received the final report and will be responding to that within 15 days. The town received some citations but Selectman Harmon said they were minor. Some of them are written policies that we need to have in place but there was nothing that was life threatening to the employees or the public.
Selectman Burns thought the Board workshop was very productive. He reported that they got the Personnel Policy done and tied up loose ends on some other items that were hanging.
Selectman Burns expanded on comments about the discussion with DOT regarding the bridge. He said some of the other options would have closed the bridge for 2 years. The alternate plan they came up with will close the bridge for about 3 months. He said it looks like a good alternative and he thinks people will be pleased with it. Maine DOT will have a public hearing at the end of August or the first of September to show residents the plans. He mentioned sidewalks and said they will be elevated about 9 inches above the roadway. He thinks it will work well for both towns and the approaches will be much better.
Selectman Booker commented on the workshop Monday night and said that this is the first time they have gone completely through the personnel policy so they made a lot of progress. She added her thoughts on the DOT meeting as well and said she thinks the other alternatives were more costly and time consuming and would close the bridge for a longer time. The one they selected has a better sight line, and did not take anyone’s house like one of the other plans would. She said the travel lanes will be the same but the shoulders will be wider so there will be more room on the bridge and a better sight line from each approach to the bridge.
Selectman Emery said the Board went through the Department of Labor report. He said at the workshop the Board got into the safety training plan that has been on their agenda. He said they made some adjustments to it and have a stepping off place to move it along.
Selectman Emery came in Tuesday to take care of the issue the land owner who was in last week had and got that done. This afternoon he stopped to see a woman who has some issues with her property that has been ongoing. He and Fred Farnham have been working with her and looking at possible alternatives but there is nothing the town can do and really nothing anyone can do for what she feels she has for an issue.
Personnel Policy – This project is done. The Board has one last draft to look at to make sure there are not any little things that need to be changed but when that is completed the policy is done.
The Safety Training Plan – The selectmen started working on this at their last workshop
Meeting with Dayton Selectmen
Meeting with Dayton Selectmen – Selectman Emery will make contact to schedule the meeting.
None
E.O. 131407014 – An order to approve 40 hours vacation time for Tom Kennie
E.O. 131407015 – An order to approve Charisse Keach’s attendance at a Maine Municipal Employees Health Trust Workshop
E.O. 131407016 – An order to approve a Poverty Abatement for Case Number PA 13-004
E.O. 131407017 – An order to approve an Application for Veteran Exemption [Map 003, Lot 56]
- Executive Orders by Initiative
None
- Accounts Payable and Payroll Warrants
E. O. 131407012 – An order approving expenditures as documented in Accounts Payable Warrants #114, and #7
Approved 4-0-1
E. O. 131407013 – An order approving expenditures as documented in Payroll Warrant #6
Approved 4-0-1
- Next Meeting of the Board
Special Town Meeting Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at 7:00 PM
Board of Selectmen Meeting Wednesday, July 24, 2013,will start right after the Special Town Meeting.
Public Hearing Wednesday, July 31, 2013, at 7:00 PM to adopt GA Ordinance Appendices A-E.
Buxton Community Days are this Friday and Saturday, July 19 & 20. There is still room to get in as a vendor or to participate in the parade. Please contact Tashia Pinkham, Recreation Director, at 207-929-8381, or Email her at recdirbuxton@sacoriver.net for vendor forms, parade, or other information.
There are two positions open for the Planning Board. If anyone is interested, please send a letter of interest to the Board of Selectmen, 185 Portland Road, Buxton, ME 04093 or stop in, leave your name and contact information and we will set up a time for you to meet with the Board.
- Public Comments and Questions
Chief Grovo went over statistics for the 371 calls that were handled last week. He talked about Pleasant Point Park and 7 juvenile arrests that were made for illegal consumption of alcoholic beverages. There was another arrest today involving a different juvenile. Chief Grovo said the police are watching it very closely. They have increased patrols in that area and have been citing people and making arrests. They have been making sure the gate is open by 6:00 AM and closed at 8:00 PM. The Chief said there is a sign on one side but another sign saying “Closed at 8:00 PM” is needed at the main parking lot.
Chief Grovo talked about activities the Police Department will have at Community Days. There is going to be a dunk tank to raise money for Keep the Heat On, demonstrations with drunk goggles and they will be doing the Yellow Dot Program as well.
Chief Grovo reminded people to make sure in this hot weather that their animals have water and shelter and if you know of elderly folks check on them to make sure they are okay.
None
Motion made and seconded to adjourn the Meeting at 7:36 PM
Approved 4-0-1
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