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Selectmen Meeting Minutes - 03/17/08
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
TOWN OF MOUNT DESERT, MAINE
March 17, 2008

A meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held this date in the Town office Meeting Room, Northeast Harbor, Maine.

Those present included: Chairman Ernest Coombs, Selectman Kathy Branch, Rick Mooers, Vice- Chair Patrick Smallidge, Jeffrey Smith; Town Manager Michael MacDonald; Harbor Master Shawn Murphy, Public Works Director Tony Smith, Finance Director Brent Hamor, Fire Chief Mike Bender, Recording Secretary Jennifer McWain and members of the public.

I.      Call to order.

Chairman Coombs called the meeting to order at 6:30p.m.

II.     Minutes

A.      Minutes unavailable
        
III.    Appointments and Communication

A.      Approve appointment of Jerome Suminsby to Zoning Board of Appeals.

        Selectman Branch moved to approve the appointment of Jerome Suminsby as member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, seconded by Selectman Smith. The vote was unanimous in favor, 5-0.
        
B.      Approve appointment of Michael Olsen to Solid Waste Committee.

        Selectman Mooers moved to approve the appointment of Michael Olsen to the Solid Waste Committee, seconded by Selectman Smallidge. The vote was unanimous in favor, 5-0.

C.      Acknowledge receipt of monthly department reports, Fire and Public Works.
        
        Selectman Smallidge commented that he very much liked the separate sewer report from the Public Works report and how he could see how many problems there were with the rain events in March. There was discussion the on-going problem of the flooding problem at the Public Works Garage.

IV.     Selectman's Reports

None


V.       Old Business

A.      Review MMA Legal opinion on relationship between Comprehensive Plan and Land Use and Zoning Ordinance.

        Chairman Coombs commented that he read the Comprehensive Plan and the Land Use and Zoning Ordinance and felt that the plans were very clear. Selectman Smallidge commented that the Comprehensive Plan is required, and that any vagueness with land issues will be gone.

B.       Reconsideration of including "Tax Club" ordinance in 2008 Annual Town Meeting Warrant (Smallidge).
        
After considerable discussion Selectman Branch moved to include the Tax Club ordinance on the Town Meeting Warrant, seconded by Selectman Smith. Motion passed 3-2 (Coombs and Mooers nay). Selectman Smith moved to make no recommendation on the warrant, seconded by Selectman Smallidge. The vote was unanimous in favor, 5-0.

VI.     New Business

A.      Consider and approve Neighborhood House request to host a community BBQ on town green following the Memorial Day Parade.

Selectman Smith moved to approve the Neighborhood House request to host a community BBQ on the town green, commenting that was what the town green was intended for community events. The motion was seconded by Selectman Mooers. Selectman Smallidge suggested that the event be on a donation basis. The vote was unanimous in favor, 5-0.

B.      Consider and approve request to use Channel 2 on Time Warner network for the Acadia Channel.

        Selectman Smallidge moved to approve the request to use Channel 2 on Time Warner network for the Acadia Channel, seconded by Selectman Smith. The vote was unanimous in favor, 5-0.

VII.    General Issue

A.      Approve addition of Government Administration Mutual Aid Agreement warrant article.
        
Manager MacDonald presented the warrant article for approval that the League of Towns designed for mutual aid for catastrophic events.  Selectman Smallidge was concerned with the mutual treaty and feared that one town's policy would over-ride another's. Selectman Smith moved to approve the Mutual Aid Agreement to be added to the Town Meeting Warrant, seconded by Selectman Mooers. The vote was 4-1, Smallidge against.

Selectman Smith moved to make no recommendation on the warrant, seconded by Selectman Mooers. The vote was unanimous in favor, 5-0.

B.      Final approval of warrant articles.
        
        Selectman Smith moved to approve the revenue amount on Article 7 which was
to see what sum the Inhabitants of the Town of Mount Desert will vote to raise and/or appropriate as Revenue through Excise Taxes, Service Fees and miscellaneous sources for the 2008-2009 Town Budget.  Motion seconded by Selectman Mooers. The vote was unanimous in favor, 5-0.

Selectman Smith moved to approve the revenue amount on Article 8 which was to see what sum the Inhabitants of the Town of Mount Desert will raise and appropriate for Department 102 General Government - Elected Officials, Administration, Assessor, Tax Collector/Treasurer, Code Enforcement Officer, Town Clerk and Unallocated Funds for the 2008-2009 Town Budget.  Motion seconded by Selectman Mooers. The vote was unanimous in favor, 5-0.

Selectman Smith moved to approve the revenue amount on Article 10 which was to see what sum the Inhabitants of the Town of Mount Desert will raise and appropriate for Department 104 Public Safety - Police, Fire, Communications, Emergency Management, and Hydrants for the 2008-2009 Town Budget.  Motion seconded by Selectman Mooers. The vote was unanimous in favor, 5-0.

Selectman Smith moved to approve the revenue amount on Article 11 which to see what sum the Inhabitants of the Town of Mount Desert will raise and appropriate for  Department 105 Public Works - Roads, Sewer Capital, Sewers, Waste Management, Parks & Cemeteries and Buildings & Grounds, for the 2008-2009 Town Budget.   Motion seconded by Selectman Mooers. The vote was unanimous in favor, 5-0.

Selectman Smith moved to approve the revenue amount on Article 12 which was to see what sum the Inhabitants of the Town of Mount Desert will raise and appropriate for Department 106 Culture - Recreation/Libraries for the 2008-2009 Town Budget. Motion seconded by Selectman Mooers. The vote was unanimous in favor, 5-0.          

Selectman Smith moved to approve to see if the inhabitants of the Town of Mount Desert will vote to transfer $150,000 from the Capital Improvement Reserve (GL#20-24102-01) to the 2008-2009 budget to be used to pay for one-time capital improvement projects and or equipment purchases as detailed Participating with the MDOT to construct roadway improvements to the westerly end of the Pretty Marsh Road for a distance of approximately 0.80 miles on a 2:1 cost share basis ($300,000 State - $150,000 Town).

VIII.   Other Business

None

IX.        Treasurer's Warrants

A.      Approve Treasurer's Warrant #30 for $27,309.74.

Selectman Smallidge moved to approve the treasurer's Warrant #30 for $27,309.74 seconded by Selectman Mooers. The vote was unanimous in favor, 5-0.

X.           Executive Session- none scheduled

                
At 8:25p.m. Selectman Smith moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Selectman Branch.  The vote was unanimous in favor, 5-0.

Respectfully submitted,


Jeffrey Smith,
Secretary