Town of Mount Desert
Board of Selectmen
Special Budget/Warrant Meeting Minutes
February 25, 2014
A Special Budget/Warrant meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held this date in the Meeting Room, Town Hall, Northeast Harbor, Maine.
Those present included: Chairman Tom Richardson; Selectmen Martha Dudman, Matt Hart, John Macauley, and Dennis Shubert; staff members Town Manager Durlin Lunt, and Town Clerk/Recording Secretary Joelle Nolan; and members of the public.
I. Call to order at 4:00 p.m.
Chairman Richardson called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.
MOTION: Selectman Dudman moved, seconded by Selectman Macauley, to take New Business B out of order. The vote was unanimous in favor, 5-0.
II. New Business
B. Mount Desert Elementary School Budget Review
MDES Principal Scott McFarland presented a power point overview of the 2014-2015 MDES budget. He noted there is a 5.51% increase budget to budget, and an appropriations increase of 3.19%. The $190,045 increase is primarily due to increases in retirement and health insurance costs, increases in OT and PT, and increases in service contracts for mechanical systems. There was a brief discussion regarding consolidation of Island schools; Principal McFarland suggested the outlook is bleak.
C. Annual Town Meeting Attendance, Discussion with MDES Principal Scott McFarland
Principal McFarland has discussed the attendance issue with his staff and the following was decided: middle school level students will hold a bake sale; and the Neighborhood House will sponsor a supper much like the Community Café lunches. Also, the meeting will become a civics lesson for the students. Perhaps Town Manager Lunt will speak to the class. Students will create exhibits of what they have learned, and will attend the meeting as a homework assignment. And the jazz band will perform. All agreed these ideas will be a nice draw to the meeting; however, publicizing is key.
A. Shellfish Conservation Committee Proposed Ordinance Change
Victor Doyle and David Dunton representing the Shellfish Conservation Committee and commercial clam license holders were present. They described the reasoning behind the proposed change as an economic issue (would allow digging twice a day); it would also help to monitor potential poachers.
MOTION: Selectman Dudman moved, seconded by Selectman Macauley, to recommend the Shellfish Conservation Committee Proposed Ordinance change be presented as a Warrant article at the May 6, 2014 Annual Town Meeting. The vote was unanimous in favor, 5-0.
D. Such Other Business as May be Legally Conducted
A “housekeeping” item to the Comprehensive Plan was presented. The Plan was approved at the May 5, 2009 Annual Town Meeting, and by the State Planning Office. The Plan presented to the SPO contained the Future Land Use Map as described in Section 3. Land Use, B. Future Use; the Plan subsequently presented to the public after approval does not contain the map. A simple Warrant article at the May 6, 2014 Annual Town Meeting would add the map.
MOTION: Selectman Dudman moved, seconded by Selectman Shubert to recommend adding a Warrant article for the May 6, 2014 Annual Town Meeting to amend the Comprehensive Plan to include the Future Land Use Map. The vote was unanimous in favor, 5-0.
III. Adjournment
MOTION: At 4:55 p.m., Selectman Macauley moved, seconded by Selectman Dudman, to adjourn the meeting. The vote was unanimous in favor, 5-0.
Respectfully submitted,
John B. Macauley
Secretary
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