Town of Buxton
Minutes for June 24, 2015 Selectmen’s Meeting
Prepared by: Beverly Gammon
Members Present: Clifford L. Emery, Jean C. Harmon, Peter E. W. Burns, Dennis P. Santolucito, Chad E. Poitras
Others Present: David Harmon
Selectmen’s Meeting Agenda
Selectman Emery called the meeting to order at 7:01 PM.
Selectman Emery led the recital.
- Approval of Prior Meeting Minutes
Selectmen Meeting Minutes June 10, 2015
Approved 3-0-2
Selectmen Meeting Minutes June 17, 2015
Approved 4-0-1
- Discussion held between 4:00 & 7:00 p.m.
At 5 o’clock the Police Chief brought in the new part-time officer who will be coming on board July 8, and the new full-time Dispatcher who will be starting July 20.
At 5:37 PM, the Board went into an Executive Session on a Personnel Matter, per 1 M.R.S.A. 405 (6) (A). The Board came out of Executive Session at 6:15 PM.
David Anderson, a Trustee at Town Farm Park, came in and went over his issues about finding someone to do the roof work on the dugouts for Girls Softball.
Jan and Brent Hill came in to talk about the Historical Society. They are going to have a dedication on September 12 of the landscaping at the Elden Store in Buxton Center and the sign at the one room schoolhouse across from it. Selectman Emery said as the date gets closer, the Board will remind everybody of that day.
Selectman Poitras asked Selectman Burns some questions about the old Hanson School.
Selectman Burns reported that on Monday he attended the meeting with the Facilities & Finance Committee. At that meeting the Committee opened a bid from Dearborn Construction to demolish the Hanson School and voted to accept that so they are on schedule to take the building down. There is some work Bill Ellis needs to do to take some things out of there before that building comes down, then it will proceed. Selectman Burns said he does not have a timeline yet but it has been finalized and the school is going ahead with the demolition.
Selectman Emery said a couple of residents spoke to him on voting night about keeping the Route 202 corridor open for commercial development and were interested in getting a committee together to work on commercial development. Since that night he said others have talked with him and there are now five people who are interested in forming a committee. The Selectmen discussed that this evening and they are thinking about forming a committee of five that would include a couple people from the community, one who has extensive knowledge about this type of committee; she is on three committees from other communities, and someone from the Planning Board. Over the next few weeks the Selectmen will be working to put something together. Selectman Emery said the Board came out in favor
and brought the article to the voters to keep the Route 202 corridor available for commercial development and the Board thinks we need a way to try to encourage businesses to come to town, see what businesses need to come to this community and what they are looking for. Selectman Emery said the committee will work on ways to attract business and things like making the buildings look somewhat alike without putting unreasonable burden on the owners that would discourage them from coming in. They will be able to work with the Planning Board to look at some of the ordinances we have in place that may need to be updated or changed to make the Business Commercial Zone what the Town wants it to be.
- Email from Rebecca Schaffner, Greater Portland Council of Governments – Re: Resiliency Grant Opportunity
- Review of Projects and Issues
Selectman Santolucito reported that he was in Friday looking over some potential web pages and said next week he will have a final proposal on the vendor that the Board can consider for the server upgrade for the Police Department and building security audio and video recording system
Selectman Harmon corrected an incorrect statement made at Town Meeting. The Board mentioned that our employees are getting a 1% pay raise but the number is actually 1.5%. She apologized for the error.
Selectman Harmon said she spoke with a resident about trash that the person felt was coming over from Standish and being dropped off in front of a home. She said if the Board knew who those people are, they (the Board) could send a letter explaining our curbside pick-up process.
Selectman Harmon has been working on the year-end process. Our Fiscal Year will end next week and the Board will be working closely with our Accounts Payable Clerk checking to see where we are and looking at what accounts are overdrawn. Those that are overdrawn will have to be reconciled at a Special Town Meeting.
Selectman Harmon said she was made aware when she came in last night that in the prior day’s storm the air conditioner at our Dispatch Station was hit by lightning. Crews have been here today trying to resolve that issue.
Selectman Harmon reported she has been talking with the Town’s attorney regarding how the Board of Selectmen meets and conducts its business. She said she is sure the Board will be talking more about that in future meetings.
Selectman Burns said he was in most days. On Monday he attended the meeting for the SAD 6 Finance & Facilities Committee and he went on to report that he got a call early this morning from Chet Ouellette and they replaced the air conditioning unit that was hit by lightning. It would have cost almost as much as a new one to fix the old one so he said they replaced it with a new unit.
Selectman Poitras reported that he has been in checking on paperwork and still learning the process.
Selectman Emery said he comes in the office as often as he can to go over different items that need attention and keeps in touch with other Selectmen throughout the week to keep up to date on what is going on and see if input is needed anywhere.
Selectman Emery asked Bev Gammon to remind him to talk with Tom Kennie about a water line behind the wall where the old Town Garage was that needs to be capped off.
Selectman Harmon mentioned the place where the old Town Garage was and said the Board needs to start talking about what they are going to do with that space because it is a non-conforming lot and the Town has a year if it wants to do something.
A brief discussion followed among the Selectmen. They did not budget any money to do anything with the space and agreed one option is to do nothing at all.
E.O. 141506022 – An order to approve the hire of John M. MacLean as a full-time Transfer Station Attendant starting July 1, 2015, at a pay rate of $13.00 per hour
Approved 5-0
E.O. 141506023 – An order to approve 2.33 hours of leave without pay for Brenda Brown
Approved 5-0
E.O. 141506024 – An order to approve 40 hours vacation time for Beverly Gammon
Approved 5-0
E.O. 141506025 – An order to approve 3 hours of vacation time for Charisse Keach
Approved 5-0
- Executive Orders by Initiative
E.O. 141506026 – An order to accept the Rules of the Board dated Fiscal Year dated 2015/16
Approved 5-0
- Accounts Payable and Payroll Warrants
E.O. 141506020 – An order approving expenditures as documented in the Accounts Payable Warrant #110
Approved 5-0
The amount of that is $34,388.79
E.O. 141506021 – An order approving expenditures as documented in Payroll Warrant #109
Approved 5-0
The amount of this Warrant is $46,152.55
- Next Meeting of the Board
Board of Selectmen Meeting Wednesday, July 1, at 7:00 PM
Selectman Burns talked about a notice from Maine Municipal Association sent to the Board yesterday about a bill that is being fast-tracked. Basically the bill was to give back the jails to the county and remove the $62,000,000 cap which would allow the county to raise the cap by 3% every year which will mean property tax increases for everyone in the county. Selectman Burns said he sent a letter of opposition to our Representatives and he encouraged everyone else to do the same.
- Public Comments and Questions
Selectman Emery asked if the one gentleman in the audience would like to speak or make any comments. The gentleman did not go to the podium or introduce himself but there was a brief conversation between him and the Board about the county jail bill and property taxes.
None
Motion made and seconded to adjourn the meeting at 7:24 PM
Approved 5-0-1
paste minutes here
| 
