Town of Buxton
Minutes for November 18, 2015 Selectmen’s Meeting
Prepared by: Beverly Gammon
Members Present: Clifford L. Emery, Dennis Santolucito, Chad E. Poitras
Jean C. Harmon and Peter E. W. Burns were absent.
Others Present: Nathan Schools, Ellen DeCotiis, Julie Gamelson, Bradley Garand, Melinda Garand, Patrick Hanna
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 November 4, 2015
Approved 3-0-2
- Discussion held between 4:00 & 7:00 p.m.
At 4:30 our Treasurer met with the Board and went over a long list of things that need to be done between now and the end of the year. Our Treasurer has resigned and next Wednesday will be her last day. The Board has an ad out for a new Treasurer.
A resident came in around 5:30 and talked with the Board about speeding in his development. Selectman Emery said he will be talking with Chief Grovo in the morning.
The Selectmen spent the remainder of their time going through correspondence.
- Notice from Nathan Schools, Buxton Fire-Rescue Chief – Re: Live fire training at 30 Long Plains Road, from 7:00 AM until late afternoon Saturday, November 21
- Email from Dave Francoeur, Deputy Director, York County EMA – Re: Income Tax Exemption for Military Veterans
- Email from Kate Dufour, Maine Municipal – Re: DS.O.T. Proposed Rules Regarding Designation of Urban Compact Areas
- Email from Dave Francoeur, Deputy Director, York County EMA – Re: 2016 Maine Emergency Preparedness Conference
- Review of Projects and Issues
Selectman Santolucito mentioned that tomorrow night there is an SAD 6 Budget Advisory Committee Meeting at 6:30. He reported that at that meeting they are going through the process of demystifying the budget. Selectman Santolucito said Buxton is looking for one more resident to be a member of the committee.
Selectman Poitras reported that he spoke with the resident who came in tonight to share his concerns about speeding in his neighborhood.
Selectman Emery has not been in much this past week because he has been working. He said he is winding down a job he has been doing and expects he will have more time on his hands in the next couple weeks. He said even though it may look like no one is around, he calls in every day and talks with other selectmen to discuss whatever is going on and keep up with things..
None
None
E.O. 151611007 – An order to approve a partial Poverty Abatement for Case #PA 15-007
Approved 3-0-2
E.O. 151611008 – An order to approve a partial Poverty Abatement for Case # PA 15-008
Approved 3-0-2
E.O. 151611009 – An order to approve the hire of Kenneth Beaulieu to the position of Part Time Public Works Laborer/Equipment Operator starting December 2, 2015 at a pay rate of $15.75 per hour
Approved 3-0-2
E.O. 151611010 – An order to approve the hire of Denise Mayberry as a Full Time Firefighter/Paramedic starting November 10, 2015 at a pay rate of $15.63 per hour
Approved 3-0-2
E.O. 151611011 – An order to approve the appointment of David Fields to the position of Trustee of Pleasant Point Park to be effective December 31, 2018
Approved 3-0-2
E.O. 151611012 – An order to approve an abatement of property taxes for tax year 2015/16 in the amount of $176.12 for [Map 11, Lot 8]
Approved 3-0-2
E.O. 151611013 – An order to approve John Myers’ attendance at the Maine Town & City Clerks Association Workshops for 2016
Approved 3-0-2
E.O. 151611014 – An order to approve 1.25 hours of vacation time for Charisse Keach
Approved 3-0-2
E.O. 151611015 – An order to approve Tashia Pinkham’s attendance at the Northern New England Recreation & Parks Conference
Approved 3-0-2
E.O. 151611016 – An order to approve 16 hours of vacation time for Greg Heffernan
Approved 3-0-2
E.O. 151611017 – An order to approve an Application for a Veteran Exemption for [Map 4, Lot 36]
Approved 3-0-2
- Executive Orders by Initiative
E.O. 151611018 – An order to accept the resignation of Charisse Keach from the position of Town Treasurer effective November 27, 2015
Approved 3-0-2
- Accounts Payable and Payroll Warrants
E.O. 151611005 – An order approving expenditures as documented in the Accounts Payable Warrant #44
Approved 3-0-2
The amount was $649,140.56
E.O. 151611006 – An order approving expenditures as documented in Payroll Warrants #43 and #45
Approved 3-0-2
The amount of one was $51,970.13, and the other was $475.12
- Next Meeting of the Board
- SAD 6 Budget Advisory Committee Meeting Thursday, Nov 19, at 6:00 PM at Central Office
- No Selectmen’s Meeting Wednesday, November 25. The Selectmen will come in to sign the warrants.
- The next Board of Selectmen Meeting will be Wednesday, December 2 at 7:00 PM
Buxton Toy Box Applications are available at Town Office and can be picked up during our regular business hours. We will start taking applications Thursday, November 19 from 1:00 ~ 3:00 PM, Friday, November 20 from 9:00 ~ 11:00 AM, Thursday, December 3 from 12:30 ~ 2:30 PM, and Friday, December 4 from 9:00 AM until Noon. We will not accept any applications after noon on Friday, December 4. If you need to know these dates and times you can call Town Hall at 929-5191 and ask for Bev in the Selectmen’s Office.
Town Office will be closed Thanksgiving Day, November 26, and Friday, November 27 for the holiday weekend. Office hours for Thanksgiving week will be 8:30 AM ~ 4:30 PM Monday through Wednesday (Nov. 23-25)
There will be no curbside pick-up on Thanksgiving Day. If your regular trash pick-up day falls on Thursday, your trash will be picked up the following day which will be Friday, November 27.
Rabies Vaccination Clinic Saturday, December 5 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Buxton Public Works Garage. Cost is $8.00 per vaccination ~ Cash only. For more information call Buxton Town Hall at 929-6171.
Selectman Poitras added information on a couple of community events going on including the Old Peabody Pew that will be performed at the historic Tory Hill Meeting House on Sunday, November 6 at 2:00 PM; and the Buxton-Hollis Historical Society’s first annual cookie decorating with Santa and cookie walk on Saturday, November 26 from 9:30-11:30 at the Parish House across from Berry Library. On Saturday, December 12, the South Buxton Cemetery Association will be hosting the Wreaths Across America that will start around 11:30 on that day.
- Public Comments and Questions
Nate Schools, Fire-Rescue Chief, went to the podium and introduced himself. He went on to give everyone a detailed update on what the Department has been doing this past summer and fall. He talked about the Assistance to Firefighters Grant that the Fire Department was granted in September for the purchase of SBCAs which are the air packs the firefighters wear. Chief Schools shared some history on the old packs, explained how the cost of the new packs was distributed and thanked the people who helped make the grant possible. He said the packs are now on the trucks, the firefighters have been trained and will wrap that up this weekend with live fire training where they will burn a building donated by the Low family.
Chief Schools mentioned the new cardiac monitors that the Townspeople voted to support, and went on to say he has been working with Federal and State programs to get the Town’s reimbursement for the cost of storm damage and cleanup from the big snowstorm we had last January.
Chief Schools said on the Emergency Management front he has been working locally with York County Emergency Management directors and planners and gave an overview of a scheduled “tabletop exercise” that is going to test the emergency management system with a large event. He and our Deputy EMA Director will be attending a workshop next month that is directly in relation to updating our Emergency Operations Plan which is a checklist of emergency responders for different types of events.
Chief Schools talked about the Safer Grant funding and volunteerism, and the reasoning behind having a small group of full-time staffing in a department like Buxton. He was asked to testify at the state level for a working group to develop solutions to meet the need for municipal volunteer Fire and EMS personnel. They are working with departments like ours on some unique ways to keep volunteers. Chief Schools shared what our Fire-Rescue Department is doing such as equipping volunteers so they want to come; our student live-in program that helps supplement staffing, and our paid staff. He talked at length about the reduction in the number of volunteers and the lack of time people have to give these days.
Chief Schools then gave us an update on the ISO Rating. In October, our Fire-Rescue completed the water supply demonstration. Chief Schools said they were able to flow around 1000 gallons a minute which is a very high amount of water for a rural department. Chief Schools said that put us in a very good spot to help reduce the ISO fire rating. Because we are a rural setting, when ISO comes in the spring to do their inspection, a large part of the rating will be based on water supply. Chief Schools talked about other components that will affect the rating including staffing, how quickly we can get trucks to a fire scene, EMS that now factors into the rating, our fire inspection program (we are 99% through inspections for all business in town), training and apparatus
including trucks and air packs and other factors.
Selectman Emery thanked Chief Schools and everyone in the department for all that they do for the community. He said the work they do is much appreciated by the Board and the community. He said it is a lot of time away from homes and families. Selectman Emery said there are other groups of volunteers and it takes all of them to help make the community what it is. Again he thanked Chief Schools for all the hard work they have done especially knowing all that is on their plate for the upcoming year.
Ellen DeCotiis went to the podium and introduced herself. She asked who should be contacted if someone goes into a home to deliver services and has concerns about the health and safety of people in the home. She asked about the Health Officer’s role and what the response would be in certain situations such as a home that has no running water.
Selectman Poitras responded saying that people would most likely pass that information on to the Code Enforcement Officer and the Code Enforcement Officer and he as Local Health Officer would look into it.
Ellen DeCotiis asked if the Town hooks these people up with other agencies to get what they need.
Selectman Poitras said the Town can offer it but in a lot of situations, it is up to the citizen to accept it or not. He said a lot of times he has offered programs that are available or even set up an appointment with Bev to help the folks. A lot of times people are very proud and very hesitant to follow up on it. When we find out about something, we try to do the best we can to help.
None
Motion made and seconded to adjourn the meeting at 7:38 PM
Approved 3-0-2
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