Town of Buxton
Minutes for March 18, 2015 Selectmen’s Meeting
Prepared by: Beverly Gammon
Members Present: Jean C. Harmon, Penny J. Booker, Peter E. W. Burns, Dennis P. Santolucito
Clifford L. Emery was absent
Others Present: Zach Daniels, Galen Daniels
Public Hearing – 7:00 PM for Charter Amendments
Jean Harmon, Vice Chair of the Board, read the hearing notice and the Board voted to open the Public Hearing at 7:01 PM. Selectman Harmon deferred to Selectman Burns who gave a detailed explanation of what the amendment is and why the Board is asking to increase the limit for getting bids.
The Board voted to close the Public Hearing at 7:05 PM.
Selectmen’s Meeting Agenda
The meeting was called to order at 7:06 PM.
Selectman Harmon led the Pledge of Allegiance.
- Approval of Prior Meeting Minutes
Selectmen Meeting Minutes March 11, 2015
Approved 4-0-1
- Discussion held between 5:00 & 7:00 p.m.
At 5 o’clock the Board met with Michael Robinson. He is a resident here in town, a Trustee of Pleasant Point Park, and member of the Saco River Corridor Commission (SRCC). He updated the Board on what is happening at SRCC. A few weeks ago he asked the Board for support to defeat a proposed piece of legislation that went to vote on Monday and was unanimously defeated. LD 467 was an act to decrease the borders of the Saco River Corridor from the 500 foot buffer they now have to a 250 foot buffer. Mr. Robinson gave the Board a lot of interesting information about the river and Selectman Burns asked him if he would come in and speak at one of the Selectmen Meetings to share some of that information and tell people about the Saco River Corridor Commission.
At 5:45 an employee met with the Board to share some concerns about working hours. Selectman Harmon said they had a good discussion and assured the employee that plans are in place to remedy the number of hours that person is working.
The Board discussed the school budget and the Budget Advisory Committee meetings that Selectmen Burns, Booker, and Santolucito are now attending. They also talked about the Public Hearing on Monday and a Public Hearing they will be holding March 23 right after the Planning Board Hearing. The Board of Selectmen’s Public Hearing will deal specifically with the Road Acceptance Ordinance.
The Board also discussed one of the Governor’s proposals to shift the telecommunications tax and give it to the towns. According to information provided by Maine Municipal, Buxton has $1,028,000 of this equipment that would amount to around $12, 700 in tax. Selectman Burns said that is a far cry from the roughly $280,000 the town would get in Municipal Revenue Sharing.
Selectman Burns said the Board also talked about a letter they sent to the Superintendent regarding a joint meeting with school officials, legislative representatives and town officials that the school scheduled for April 18. He said that is the Saturday of Patriots’ Day weekend. Most of the Selectmen have made other commitments and cannot attend so they have asked the Superintendent to pick another date.
- Weekly Legislative Bulletin #9 from Maine Municipal Association
- Email from Senator Angus King’s Office – Re: Federal Disaster Declaration made on March 12 for the State of Maine to help towns recover some of the cost resulting from the winter blizzard that occurred Jan 26 - 28 of 2015.
- Email from Maine Municipal Association – Re: Two-way Telecommunication Assessed Value Data.
- Review of Projects and Issues
Selectman Santolucito mentioned that a resident came in to share some thoughts and wanted the Board to let people know they have hours from 5:00 – 7:00 PM on Wednesdays that are open to the public. People can call to schedule a time to speak with the Board during those hours. He said the preferable way to do that is to call Bev Gammon to set up a time to talk with the Board; they are always available to meet with people during that time so people can talk without having to go on camera.
Selectman Santolucito provided an update on the SAD 6 Budget Advisory Committee Meetings. He said they finished up Special Project requests last week and moved on to the Capital Projects which they will continue to work on Thursday night. He commented that a lot of the projects are well-intentioned, and might have some good outcomes but we cannot afford to fund them.
Selectman Santolucito reported that he was here for the Workshop Monday night when the Board met with the Chief to review Police, Dispatch and Animal Control budgets.
Selectman Burns gave some specific examples of some of the SAD 6 capital projects, $75,000 to start a new ball field this year and $75,000 to finish it next year, $30,000 for a parking lot for the ball field, and another $10,000 for a well to water the field. He said these are all nice to have but there are furnaces that need to be replaced, renovations to rooms that need to continue, and roofs that need to be looked at. He said we cannot let the buildings themselves go bad and we cannot fund almost $1,000,000 just for capital improvements, and that does not include 16 teaching positions that were asked for last week. Selectman Burns said there are a lot of requests and we cannot begin to fund them all in light of what is going on with the State.
Selectman Burns reported that the Board spent over 2 hours at the Workshop Monday night going over the Police Budget line by line and having a lot of discussion. Selectman Burns said most of his time has been spent working on finalizing budgets. The Board is giving a lot of thought to what items they will put forward being cognizant of what it means to the taxpayer. He said the Board has to finish the Administrative Budget and see where they come in. He said they are working on it and gaining ground but it is a process that will probably take a couple more weeks.
Selectman Booker reported that she did not make it to SAD 6 Budget Advisory Committee meeting last Thursday but does plan to go this Thursday. She was at the Workshop Monday night and here last night for the Budget Committee Meeting. She mentioned that the Transfer Station was one of the budgets presented last night. She thought that went quite well. There were not a lot of changes but she said for those who may not have heard the meeting, there will not be a Hazardous Waste Day this year. The Board is going to try having one every other year for a while and see how that works.
Selectman Booker mentioned capital requests for the school budget and said she remembers from last year that they throw everything they want at you but she assumes like last year most of that will disappear and only the most important things will be left to vote on. She said we will have to wait and see; it is anyone’s guess at this point.
Selectman Harmon reported that the Board finished reviewing all Department Head budgets with the exception of the Board’s part of the Administrative Budget. She talked about the Workshop Monday when the Board went over Police, Dispatch and Animal Control budgets. She said they made some changes that have all come through and their final budget has been released to the Budget Committee. Selectman Harmon attended the Budget Committee Meeting last night. The Recreation Director, Code Enforcement Officer, and Transfer Station Manager each presented their budgets. She said the Board is very much aware of what is being requested and they are making the hard decisions on what the departments need and what the town can afford. The Board is looking at everything, thinking
outside the box, and being as creative as they can as to how they can fund things.
Selectman Harmon reported that as part of the Board’s Workshop Monday night, the Board went into Executive Session at 6:04 PM, per l MRSA 405 (6) (D). The Board came out of Executive Session at 6:40 PM.
Selectman Harmon said a resident asked her about a punch card system for the Transfer Station where every time a person takes a load of waste there they would get a card punched and after 10 punches, they would get one free. The Selectmen discussed it and are not in favor of doing it. From an administrative standpoint their feeling is that it would be difficult for the town and for individuals to keep track of that. She used herself as an example saying she might take a load of bulky waste to the Transfer Station about once a year.
Selectman Harmon reiterated what Dennis Santolucito said earlier. The Board has time on Wednesdays between 5:00 and 7:00 PM when they are in their office and residents or employees can come in and talk to them. That time was set up so anyone who wants to express concerns can talk with the Board without having to speak publicly on camera because not everyone likes doing that. Unless the Board is in Executive Session, Selectman Harmon said the door is open. During that time the Selectman are often busy checking payroll;, checking payables, and doing their own work and sometimes they may be out of the room because they are out front or in Bev’s office but they do have an open door.
Selectman Burns gave the example of a person who poked his head in the door this afternoon to ask if Route 112 is going to get resurfaced this year. The Selectmen were there and could answer his question. Selectman Booker said in case people are wondering, the answer to that question was “yes”. Selectman Harmon said that it has been proposed to re-do it sometime in the next year or two.
The selectmen had a short discussion about finishing their pieces of the budget. After some conversation about when they could do that, they decided to work on it next Wednesday if there is time.
E.O. 141503011 – An order to approve 24 hours of vacation time for Greg Heffernan
Approved 4-0-1
E.O. 141503012 – An order to approve John Myers’ attendance at a Maine Municipal Association Affiliate Group Presidents’ Meeting
Approved 4-0-1
E.O. 141503013 – An order to approve an Application for Exemption for the Widower of a Veteran for [Map 12, Lot 17]
Approved 4-0-1
E.O. 141503014 – An order to approve an Application for a Veteran Exemption for [Map 11, Lot 27/28-4]
Approved 4-0-1
E.O. 141503015 – An order to approve an Application for a Veteran Exemption for [Map 2, Lot 58-47]
Approved 4-0-1
E.O. 141505016 – An order to approve a Supplemental Tax Warrant and Certificate for tax year 2014 in the amount of $1,016.00 for [Map 4, Lot 26]
Approved 4-0-1
- Executive Orders by Initiative
None
- Accounts Payable and Payroll Warrants
E.O. 141503009 – An order approving expenditures as documented in the Accounts Payable Warrant #082
Approved 4-0-1
The amount was $48,209.07
E.O. 141503010 – An order approving expenditures as documented in Payroll Warrant #081
Approved 4-0-1
The amount was $623,045.39
- Next Meeting of the Board
SAD 6 Budget Advisory Committee Meeting Thursday, March 19 at 6:00 PM at Central Office.
Planning Board Meeting for Public Hearing on Ordinance Amendments at Town Hall Monday, March 23 at 7:00 PM. Copies of the Amendments are available in the Code Enforcement Office and online
The Board of Selectmen will hold a Public Hearing at Town Hall Monday, March 23 at 7:00 PM on Amendments to the Road Ordinance. This Public Hearing will follow the Planning Board’s Public Hearing at 7:00 PM. Copies of the Amendments are available in the Code Enforcement Office and online
Buxton Budget Committee Meeting Tuesday, March 24 at 6:30 PM
Board of Selectmen Meeting Wednesday, March 25 at 7:00 PM
None
- Public Comments and Questions
Selectman Harmon asked if there were any comments or questions from the public.
A young man went to the podium and introduced himself as Galen Daniels from Boy Scout Troop 349. He asked the Board if there is anything that young people around his age, 13 or so, can do to help out.
Selectman Harmon thanked him for asking that question and went on to tell him that there are always opportunities in town to volunteer. Every year at our parks different groups help with cleanup and she said Earth Day is coming in April which is another opportunity to pick up trash by the roadsides. She mentioned that there are elderly folks who can always use a hand shoveling in the winter time and suggested also helping clean up their own yards.
Selectman Booker suggested there might be a need for someone to help with clean up at our ancient cemeteries.
Selectman Harmon explained what ancient cemeteries are and said there is always work that needs to be done and plenty of opportunities for young people to help.
None
Motion made and seconded to adjourn the Meeting at 7:35 PM
Approved 4-0-1
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