MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
TOWN OF MOUNT DESERT, MAINE
Monday, April 2, 2007
A meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held this date in the Meeting Room at the Town Office, Northeast Harbor, Maine.
Those present included: Chairman Ernest Coombs, Selectmen Kathy Branch, Rick Mooers , Patrick Smallidge, Jeffrey Smith; Town Manager Michael MacDonald; Police Chief James Willis, Assessor John Brushwein, Harbor Master Shawn Murphy, Finance Director Brent Hamor, Fire Chief Mike Bender, Code Enforcement Officer Kimberly Keene, Recording Secretary Ellen Kappes and members of the public.
I. Call to order.
Chairman Coombs called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
II. Minutes
A. Approval of minutes of Regular Meeting of March 19, 2007.
MOTION: Selectman Branch moved to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of March 19, 2007 as presented, seconded by Selectman Smith. The vote was unanimous in favor.
III. Appointments and Communications
A. Approve appointment of Richard M. Savage II to Marine Management Committee.
B. Approve appointment of Richard M. Savage II to Warrant Committee.
MOTION: Selectman Smallidge moved to approve the two above appointments, seconded by Selectman Branch. The vote was unanimous in favor.
C. Confirm appointment of Jennifer McFarland as part-time dispatcher effective April 2, 2007 at hourly rate of $11.00.
MOTION: Selectman Smallidge moved to approve the above, seconded by Selectman Smith. The vote was unanimous in favor.
D. Acknowledge receipt of Department Reports; Town Clerk, Code Enforcement. No action.
E. Acknowledge receipt of notice from MMA of Employee Assistance Program Grant award.
No action needed
VII. General Issues
B. Review of Island Housing Trust Ripples Project, with IHT Executive Director Chris Spruce.
Chairman Coombs took this item out of order because Mr. Spruce was present. Mr. Spruce brought the Board up to date on the above. Pointing to the demographics about the people listed in his written report, he said they have met all of the Trust’s criteria and have been pre-qualified by banks. Responding to Selectman Smallidge, he said that a household could earn $64,000 income at the most. That figure does not cut out those earning less than $64,000. The average household income among those qualifying is about $45,000. Again responding to Selectman Smallidge, he said the green component adds between 3 to 5% to the cost of the home but that the pay off comes after buying the house. They will be very energy efficient and durable. All the applicants were enthusiastic about this factor.
A. Discussion of legislative school administration proposals. (Coombs).
Chairman Coombs took this item also out of order because of the presence of School Board members and Principal Scott McFarland. Laurel Robbins stressed the need to send a strong message soon to the government in Augusta that the entire community, not just superintendents, opposes Governor Baldacci’s school district consolidation proposal. She spoke about the reasons for opposing the proposal.
Chairman Coombs and Selectman Smallidge agreed that the Board should sign the message and thought Selectmen should also issue a strong statement of their own. School Board member Gail Marshall noted that our legislators simply don’t get what the problem is with the proposal. Hannah Pingree has told her that people need to contact their legislators and spoke about a new proposal that is about to come out. It will use some of the worse parts of Baldacci’s proposal and will be embedded in the budget. Scott McFarland said that people could not be complacent and think the proposals will go away. Selectman Smith said people think he has a say in what happens and have told him that they would vote for anyone but him if he supported Baldacci’s proposal.
MOTION: Selectman Smith moved to give full support to the School Board’s opposition statement, to sign it right now, and then as a Board develop its own document about the danger to local control and the democratic process, seconded by Selectman Branch. The vote was unanimous in favor.
Discussion on the subject and also on unfunded mandates continued. Selectman Mooers spoke about the possibilities of eventually losing our communities. Mrs. Robbins said letters should be sent to Hannah Pingree, Ted Koffman, Dennis Damon, Governor Baldacci and the State Education Committee in Augusta.
IV. Selectmen Reports
1. Selectman Smith brought up the subject of the watershed for Long Pond and a Somesville fish ladder restoration project. He wanted Selectmen to consider funding assistance for fish ladder #4 which is on Town land and writing a letter to American Rivers. The estimate for repairing baffles and restoring some riprap downstream is about $3,000, a project that the Town would need to do anyway. That would go a long way towards convincing American Rivers to fund the cost of the rest of the restoration project which is estimated to be about $70,000. The letter to American Rivers would state the Town’s ongoing support of the project. He will write the letter. Town Manager MacDonald noted there is $7,500 in Selectmen’s contingency fund.
MOTION: Selectman Smith moved to authorize a letter to be drafted by him to American Rivers and to use from the Selectmen’s contingency fund an amount not to exceed $3,000 on labor and/or materials for construction of a fish ladder and riprap on the Town owned part of the project, seconded by Selectman Branch. The vote was unanimous in favor.
2. Selectman Smallidge asked about the recent sewer back up Saturday night on Lookout Way. He was concerned about damage that was done to his brother’s house. Police Chief Willis explained what he knew about the incident. Town Manager MacDonald said that, if it was caused by the sewer project, R.F. Jordan would contact him. The damage would be taken care of through the contractor’s insurance.
V. Old Business
• None
VI. New Business
A. Authorize redemption of foreclosed property at 5 Harborside Drive, Northeast Harbor; Map 26, lot 54.
Town Manager MacDonald said the land technically belongs to the Town and is assessed at $555,000. The staff recommended that the Town offer redemption to the previous owner before putting the property out to bid or auction. It would take an affirmative action by the Board to do that.
MOTION: Selectman Branch moved to notify the previous owner with the redemption offer, giving him 60 days to reply, seconded by Selectman Smith. The vote was unanimous in favor.
B. Approve award of Mooring Agent to Kerry Taylor and authorize Town Manager to sign on behalf of the Town.
MOTION: Selectman Smith moved to approve the above, seconded by Selectman Mooers. The vote was unanimous in favor.
VII. Other Business
VII. General Issues - continued
C. Review Traffic Ordinance Northeast Harbor, Main Street One-Way change over date.
Town Manager MacDonald said the above needed to be reviewed because of the new daylight savings time. Police Chief Willis said the change had already been taken place. There were three different dates in the ordinances. They chose April 1. He said the one-way traffic is being enforced now.
Police Chief Willis said Bartlett’s Island Landing is another area where ordinances conflict with each other. The Traffic Committee is looking for guidance and wants to know what Selectmen think. Chairman Coombs noted that a temporary solution was used last year. Selectman Smallidge asked for something in writing from the committee for the next meeting.
D. Review and approve December 3, 2007 Special Town Meeting schedule.
Responding to Town Manager MacDonald, Chairman Coombs said the Board should be able to review the budget in three meetings.
IX. Treasurer’s Warrants
Approve Treasurer's Warrant #22 for $496,206.40 and #23 for $246,175.28.
Signed as presented.
X Executive Session
None requested
At 7:46 PM, Selectman Smith moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Selectman Branch. The vote was unanimous in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeffrey Smith
Secretary
Adjournment. The next regularly scheduled meeting is Tuesday, April 17, 2007 at 6:30 P.M. in the Community Room, Seal Harbor Fire Station.
Jennifer L. McWain[Marker]
Deputy Clerk
Town of Mount Desert
21 Sea Street
P.O. Box 248
Northeast Harbor ME 04662-0248
Telephone (207)276-5531
Fax (207) 276-3232
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