Town of Buxton
Minutes for June 10, 2015 Selectmen’s Meeting
Prepared by: Beverly Gammon
Members Present: Clifford L. Emery, Jean C. Harmon, Penny J. Booker, Dennis P. Santolucito
Peter E. W. Burns was not present for the meeting. He entered the meeting around 7:30 to report on a School Board Meeting that he attended earlier this evening.
Others Present: Chad Poitras, David Harmon, Patrick Hanna, Bradley Garand, Joan Fox, Sherry Kessler, Michael King
Selectmen’s Meeting Agenda
Selectman Emery called the meeting to order at 7:02 PM.
Selectman Emery led the Pledge.
- Approval of Prior Meeting Minutes
Selectmen Meeting Minutes June 3, 2015
Approved 4-0-1
- Discussion held between 4:00 & 7:00 p.m.
Representative Donald Marean came in and talked with the Board about issues that are going on in Augusta, budget woes, and the Frye Island bill. The Board needs to sit down as a group with the five communities in District 6 and come to some understanding with Frye Island before it comes to light during the next Legislative Session.
The Police Chief came in to update the Board on daily operations.
At 5:12 PM the Board went into Executive Session per 1 M.R.S.A. 405 (6) (D) regarding some contractual issues that are ongoing. The Board came out of Executive Session at 5:36 PM.
The Board had some discussion about the County Tax Assessment which will be going up about $6200 this year. Next Wednesday there is a Public Hearing on the County Tax Bill proposal. If there are no changes to that, it will go to the County Commissioners to be voted on and if they make no changes that will be the end of the process.
The Board talked about quotes for the dugouts at Town Farm Park. The Board was under the impression that there was a minimum limit of liability the contractor was required to have but found out that is not the case, so David Anderson is going to talk with the gentleman who gave the Board the initial quote.
The Selectmen talked about the ancient cemeteries. That is currently headed up by Steve Nichols. Unfortunately for us, he is moving out of town and has someone who would like to take his place. When he came in today, Selectman Harmon asked him to have that person come in and talk with the Selectmen so they can get him appointed to the committee.
- Email from John Myers, Town Clerk – Re: Election Results for Town of Buxton
Selectman Emery read the results. Buxton has 5,965 registered voters as of June 6, 2015. There were 625 ballots cast in person, 62 absentee ballots cast, and voter turn-out was 11.52%.
Selectman Emery also shared the voting results for the school budget noting that the Town of Buxton passed the school budget by fifty votes.
- Legislative Bulletin No. 21 from Maine Municipal Association
- Email from Kathy Dumont, York County Manager’s Assistant – Re: Public Hearing
- Email from Maine Municipal Association – Re: Working Group on Shoreland Zoning Issues
- Email from Geoff Herman, Maine Municipal Association – Re: Municipal Officials Serving on Maine’s Animal Welfare Advisory Council
After Selectman Emery went through the correspondence, he turned to Selectman Booker and on behalf of the Board thanked her for all the work she has done and all the time she has given to this community.
Selectman Booker thanked Selectman Emery. She said it has been a very pleasurable experience and there have been some good debates over some issues. Selectman Booker said Selectman Harmon is a walking encyclopedia and if she does not know the answer to a question, she knows where to get it. She said Selectman Harmon has been very helpful right from the first day. Selectman Booker said each of the Selectmen bring different gifts into the room and there is a lot of knowledge in the Selectmen’s Office and she enjoyed it very much.
- Review of Projects and Issues
Selectman Booker reported that a resident came in Tuesday afternoon and mentioned the flag at the World War I monument at the bridge was down and all tattered. Public Works crew went down the next morning and put up another flag. Selectman Booker also talked about going to Augusta last Thursday. She said she spent the day thinking she was the only one going and her presence probably would not make a difference, but at the end of the day, she said, it did. The House had indefinitely postponed LD 1082 and it was in the Senate. Selectman Booker said our Senators and Representatives stepped up to the plate and got the bill postponed in the Senate as well. She thanked everyone who worked on that.
Selectman Santolucito was in Friday afternoon for a technology refresh and upgrade for one of our security systems here. The Board is waiting for some proposals on that and should have something ready in the next couple of weeks. Selectman Santolucito thanked Selectman Booker for her years of service saying he worked with her on the Budget Committee and her attention to detail and professional thoroughness on everything was much appreciated.
Selectman Harmon mentioned that Selectman Booker served on the Board of Appeals and worked on our Comprehensive Plan Committee as well. Selectman Harmon thanked Selectman Booker for doing diligent work on our Personnel Policy, and for taking time to go up to Augusta last week on behalf of the town. Selectman Harmon said Selectman Booker has been extremely helpful and knowledgeable, and her presence on the Board has made a difference.
Selectman Harmon reported taking a couple phone calls from residents today; people have been calling and asking how the votes came in; one gentleman asked questions about the zoning and how that worked out, and this afternoon she spoke with a woman who wanted to know how the Town Meeting process works. The woman had heard that at Town Meeting the Board was going to vote against our Police Department. Selectman Harmon told her there was no truth in that and went on to explain what people would be voting on at that meeting. The caller also asked when Town Meeting was and Selectman Harmon explained it is always the second Saturday in June. The caller thanked her for the civics lesson and all the information.
Also, Selectman Harmon has been dealing with a Homestead issue that she needs to get back to the resident on. There is another tax issue that the Tax Collector brought to Selectman Harmon’s attention and she will be writing a letter to the resident to clarify whose name the property is in.
A resident came in to Town Hall this afternoon and thanked Selectman Harmon and the Board for the work that they do. Selectman Harmon said it is rare that they hear that and she appreciated the compliment.
Selectman Harmon said other than gearing up for Town Meeting on Saturday, John Myers will be working on some information the Board needs for one of the questions. She mentioned to the rest of the Selectmen that one thing they have not talked about officially is what they are going to take out of surplus at the end of the warrant. She mentioned numbers she and Selectman Burns have talked about and Selectman Santolucito asked a question about the number which she answered.
Selectman Emery talked about the Twelve Town Group Meeting he and Selectman Burns attended Monday evening. They listened to the York County Sheriff talk about his county budget, and the group went over a couple of issues in Augusta that deal with the towns. Selectman Emery said there is no 12 Town Group Meeting in July and in August they have a gentleman coming back to talk about the high speed broadband.
None
Selectman Harmon said it was brought to the Board’s attention that some of the town signs have paint peeling on them. She said the Board needs to get in touch with someone who can take the signs down and re-paint them, or have new signs made which she said she would hate to do if they just re-paint the ones we have.
E.O. 141506011 – An order to approve an Application for a Veteran Exemption for [Map 7, Lot 22-3]
Approved 4-0-1
E.O. 141506012 – An order to approve Beverly Gammon’s attendance at an OSHA Recordkeeping Class
Approved 4-0-1
- Executive Orders by Initiative
E.O. 141506013 – An order to approve an Application for Poverty Abatement for Case Number PA 15-002
Approved 4-0-1
E.O. 141506014 – An order to approve a leave of absence for Ruth Scheibenpflug
Approved 4-0-1
- Accounts Payable and Payroll Warrants
E.O. 141506009 – An order approving expenditures as documented in the Accounts Payable Warrant #106
Approved 4-0-1
The amount was $63,951.15
E.O. 141506010 – An order approving expenditures as documented in Payroll Warrant #105
Approved 4-0-1
The amount was $55,405.22
- Next Meeting of the Board
Board of Selectmen Meeting Saturday, June 13, for Town Meeting beginning at 9:00 AM
Board of Selectmen will meet Wednesday, June 17 at 4:00 PM in the Selectmen’s Office to meet with any employees or residents who would like to talk with them off camera. The televised Board of Selectmen Meeting will start in the large meeting room here at 7:00 PM
The Good Shepard Food Mobile will be at the old Town Garage parking lot on Haines Meadow Road Friday, June 12, between 10:00 ~ 11:30 AM. Selectman Harmon explained that the Food Mobile typically provides enough food for 125 families and it is available for anyone. Our Fire Police will be there to line people up to pick up their food. Selectman Harmon is always looking for volunteers to help and asked anyone who is interested, or anyone who needs to do community service, to please contact her.
Reminder - Annual Town Meeting at Buxton Town Hall, Saturday, June 13 at 9:00 AM.
Selectman Booker took a minute to thank the Board’s Secretary, the Treasurer, the Accounts Payable Clerk, the Tax Collector, Fred Farnham, Chet, our maintenance guy and everyone else she came in contact with for being helpful and pleasant to work with during her term as Selectman.
- Public Comments and Questions
Sherry Kessler went to the podium and introduced herself. She asked the Board for an update on their process of exploring the outsourcing of the Buxton Police Department, urged them to resolve the matter as soon as possible and accept assistance from the public, and offered her assistance as an individual.
Selectman Emery said there is no update.
Patrick Hanna went to the podium and introduced himself. He talked about a problem last summer with his neighbors being very loud and asked the Board how Buxton’s Noise Ordinance (10.6) is enforced, who enforces it, and if there is a fine for the violation, and who should he call at 2 o’clock in the morning.
Selectman Emery said at that hour, he should call the Police Department.
Mr. Hanna talked about what the police do for disorderly conduct and said it is limited to warnings.
Selectman Emery said each violation has individual circumstances and he is not sure that the town’s ordinance deals with that particular kind of noise.
Patrick Hanna asked about the cost of the Buxton Newsletter and said it might have been one way for people to find out about the school budget meeting.
Selectman Emery explained that the Town used to get a bulk mail rate but that changed and we now have to use First Class which makes the cost of mailing the newsletter prohibitive.
Selectman Harmon said when we were sending the newsletter out, she had comments from people asking why the town sent out the newsletter and telling her they did not read it but threw it away. She reiterated that the costs skyrocketed due to postage.
Patrick Hanna told the Board that he and Bradley Garand are going to be self-appointed vocal representatives and will put their email and phone numbers out there so residents can call them with their concerns. Mr. Hanna and Bradley Garand will bring that information to a Selectmen’s Meeting and those people can watch it on television.
The Selectmen thought that was a good idea.
Joan Fox went to the podium and introduced herself. She asked the Board why they did not take a vote back on March 25 in the meeting when the Board decided to go out to get proposals for outsourcing the Police Department.
Selectman Emery said it was not necessary. The Selectmen discussed it among themselves and took kind of a straw poll about how people felt. If there had not been unanimous agreement, he said they would have taken a vote but there was so it was not necessary.
At that time, Selectman Burns joined the meeting. He went to the podium and informed the Board that he just came from the School Board Meeting where they validated the vote on the school budget. One item on their agenda this evening was to rescind the vote the School Board made several weeks ago which was a vote of 9-1 to go out for an RFP to tear down the Hanson School. Selectman Burns said there were a lot of people in the room signed up to speak. He was the only one who spoke against the issue to rescind. When the discussion ceased the motion was made and discussion followed. The vote was 12-0 not to rescind the previous vote.
Bradley Garand went to the podium and thanked Selectman Booker for her service. Mr. Garand went on to ask if there were any other municipalities the Board reached out to for proposals on the Police Department, what their plan is going forward when they get information back and how that is going to be disseminated.
Selectman Emery said when the Board gets the information they will workshop it among themselves and see if anything in any of the proposals makes sense for the Town of Buxton either monetarily or philosophically. They will consider how someone would plan to police, and see if it makes sense to them and if they feel it will work. Selectman Emery said it is not all about money and the Board could turn something down just on the conceptual side of it. Selectman Emery said he is making calls tomorrow to talk with the parties involved to see where we are, to tell them there is an urgency on the Board’s behalf, and to ask them to step this up.
Mr. Garand asked if they were given a timeline.
Selectman Emery said they were told the Board should have something this month.
Selectman Harmon referred to Brad Garand’s question about how the Board would disseminate the information to the public. She said the Board will let people know at one of their meetings here.
Mr. Garand asked if details will be given to the people.
Selectman Emery responded saying that if it looks like something they want to take to the people, at that point they would go over everything. There would be public hearings and Selectman Emery said it would not be a quick and easy process, if it even happens at all. If it does, it would be an open forum for everyone in the community to be involved with the whole process.
There were no more questions or comments.
None
Motion made and seconded to adjourn the meeting at 8:46 PM
Approved 4-0-1
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