MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
TOWN OF MOUNT DESERT, MAINE
Monday, November 20, 2006
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 Rick Savage, Selectmen Ernest Coombs, Patrick Smallidge, Jeffrey Smith; Town Manager Michael MacDonald; Public Works Director Tony Smith; Harbor Master Shawn Murphy, Finance Director Brent Hamor, Recording Secretary Ellen Kappes and members of the public.
I. Call to order.
Chairman Savage called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
II. Minutes
A. Approval of minutes of Regular Meeting of November 6, 2006 and Special meeting of November 15, 2006.
Selectman Smallidge said the Board could not consider the Nov. 15 minutes at this meeting because two members present at that meeting were not here. Chairman Savage said page 3, lines 39 and 42 of the Nov. 6 meeting should read Dick Gray, not Dick Blanchard.
MOTION: Selectman Smallidge moved to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of November 6, 2006 as amended, seconded by Selectman Smith. The vote was 3 to 0 to 0. Selectmen Savage, Smallidge and Smith voted for the motion. Selectman Coombs abstained. The motion passed.
III. Appointments and Communications
A. Accept with regret resignation of Planning Board Chairman Heather D. Jones'; effective December 31, 2006.
Chairman Savage and Selectman Smallidge thanked Mrs. Jones for her service.
MOTION: Selectman Smallidge moved to accept with regret the above, seconded by Selectman Coombs. The vote was unanimous in favor.
B. Acknowledge receipt of department monthly reports: Fire, Public Works, Harbor Master, No action required.
C. Acknowledge receipt of Board and Committee minutes; Planning Board October 10, 2006 and October 23, 2006; Marine Management Committee November 14, 2006. no action required.
D. MRC Board of Directors action on cash distribution allocation basis.
Town Manager MacDonald said the distribution is now being calculated on tons delivered and that the Town will receive $100 more per year based on the new formula.
E. Maine Municipal Employees Health Trust notice of rate adjustment
Town Manager MacDonald said the premiums are going up 7.94%.
IV. Selectmen Reports
1. Chairman Savage apologized to George Peckham for disregarding his advice at the previous meeting and thanked him for straightening out the Board. He and Selectman Smith thought the ruling about the required number of Selectmen present for voting should be addressed. He said an article for the coming warrant could be prepared.
V. Old Business
1. Selectman Smallidge noted that the MMC was not interested in permit parking at the marina and asked if the Board was still interested. Chairman Savage said if the idea did not have the support of the committee, Selectmen should let it rest. Selectmen Coombs and Smith agreed.
VI. New Business
A. Approve MRC Board of Directors Election Ballot.
MOTION: Chairman Savage moved to approve a vote for Bob Farrar, seconded by Selectman Coombs. The vote was unanimous in favor.
B. Authorize letter of support for Hancock County Planning Commission application for solid waste technical assistance grant
MOTION: Selectman Smith moved to authorize the above letter, seconded by Selectman Smallidge. The vote was unanimous in favor.
C. Approve Karl Brunner/Kristen Ramos to operate a 6-pack (S/V HELEN BROOKS) with (4) four scheduled trips and drop off pick up on demand privileges for a total of 30 passengers per day (recommendation for approval from the Marine Management Committee)
Chairman Savage recused himself from the discussion. Selectman Smallidge chaired the item.
MOTION: Selectman Coombs moved to approve the above, seconded by Selectman Smith. The vote was 3 to 0 to 0. Chairman Savage had recused himself from voting. The motion passed.
VII. General Issues
A. Respond to Rural Wastewater Support Program appeals (Damon, Duane, Liebow, Barrows, Brodeur)
Town Manager MacDonald said one more appeal arrived that day from Robert Merchant. Chairman Savage explained the issue to the public. Town Manager MacDonald said it was mainly a confusion about the deadline date for paying taxes and receiving RWSP payments. Replies came from 6 of the 15 people who received letters about not qualifying for funds. Chairman Savage thought the situation will be addressed at Town Meeting. Selectman Smallidge opposed granting the appeals because the issue was a public topic. Tax payers should toe the line or not. Chairman Savage said some things could appear to be very crystal clear to the Board but not to the public. Responding to Selectman Smith, Town Manager MacDonald said Kim Parady only notified those people who were going to have their septic systems pumped
this year. Two-thirds of the people were not notified.
MOTION: Selectman Smith moved to grant all 6 appeals, seconded by Selectman Coombs. The vote was 3 to 1. Selectmen Coombs, Savage and Smith voted for the motion. Selectman Smallidge voted against it. The motion carried.
Mr. Peckham said ignorance of the law is no excuse. He thought the number of people who paid their taxes on time was larger than those who didn't.
Bob Smallidge was concerned that the Board was opening itself to spot changes in other things down the road. Spot changes make it difficult for people trying to administer the regulations.
VII. Other Business
A. Service group funding request presentations ……. Combined meeting with Warrant Committee to receive service group funding request presentations.
Acadian Little League: John Doyle requested $1,000 which is more than the $950 received for the last 8 years. 50 Town children are now involved in the program.
American Red Cross: No one was there.
Downeast Aids Network: George Russell requested $1,070. The organization has received no funds in past years. Thirty-five Town residents were served last year.
Downeast Health Services WIC Program: Trudy Lunt requested $630. No funds were granted in previous 4 years. The number of Town residents served (21) has tripled in the last 3 years.
Downeast Horizons: No one was there.
Eastern Agency on Aging: Holly Manheim requested $500, which is more that the $400 received for the last two years.
Hospice of Hancock County: Terri Lampher said the organization has served 27 Town residents. She requested $500. Discussion followed about whether they requested $500 or $1000.
Island Connections: Andrew Dewey, Director requested $1,000 - the same as last year.
Lurvey-Wright Post 103: Dennis Carr spoke.
Mount Desert Island Historical Society: Charlotte Singleton, Director requested $150 more than the previous donation because of needed renovations on the Somesville Museum building.
Mount Desert Nursery School: Mary Telsey explained the one time increase of $3,000 requested this year. The cost of replacing the siding on the building is beyond the families' fundraising capabilities. As of a most recent Board meeting, residents from this Town will be given priority for acceptance. Responding to questions, she said 80% of the enrollment is from this Town.
Mount Desert Chamber of Commerce: Rob DeRevere said the one time $5,000 increase in this year's request is for assistance in completing construction of a handicapped assessable restroom & shower addition to the yachtsman's building. Selectman Smallidge wondered if the $5,000 could be taken from the marina's Enterprise Fund but dropped the idea when Mr. DeRevere said use of the facilities is not limited to boat people and when Town Manager MacDonald said the building is not owned by the Town.
Mount Desert Nursing Association: Steve Richards requested $20,000 which includes a 5.25% increase over last year. During the last 5 years, the number of visits has increased 50%. People served are on limited incomes. Asked about billing Medicare, he said they never have because Medicare would limit the services MDNA can provide to patients.
Neighborhood House: Anne Marie DeRevere covered this at a Department Head meeting.
Northeast Harbor Library: Robert Pyle and Mike Kennedy spoke for the Library. Asked if MD Elementary School contributed to the Library, Mr. Pyle said it contributes $24,000 a year.
Seal Harbor Library: Mary Strout, Treasurer spoke.
Seal Harbor Village Improvement Society: No one was present.
Somesville Library Association: Responding to Carmen Sanford, Treasurer Carole Plenty, said fundraising brought in about $9,000 this year.
Somesville Village Improvement Society: No one was present.
Washington Hancock Community Agency: Patsy Smith said $766 represented 2% of the amount spent for households served in this Town.
Yesterday's Children: No one was present.
Bar Harbor Food Pantry: No one was present.
Grand Hancock County Auditorium: No one was present.
Thuya Garden & Asticou Landing & Terraces: Carole Plenty said this first request ($5,000) since 1986 was for help with repairing and repaving Thuya Drive. It is a private drive but it leads to a public garden.
Mt. Desert Island YMCA: Keating Pepper said the Y has started asking for funding from Island towns. They have received funds from Bar Harbor for the past two years. This Town has the next largest group of memberships.
Child and Family Opportunities: No one was present.
Community Health and Counseling Services: No one was present.
Downeast Transportation and Island Explorer: Paul Murphy requested the same amount as in previous years. The fee structures were discussed.
IX. Treasurer's Warrants
Approve Treasurer's Warrant # 97 for $156,970.71
Signed as presented.
X Executive Session - None requested
At 8:25 pm, Selectman Smith moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Selectman Coombs. The vote was 3 to 0. Selectman Smallidge was out of the room at the time. The motion carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeffrey Smith, Secretary
The next regularly scheduled meeting is Monday, Dec. 4, 2006 at 6:30 P.M. in the Town Office Meeting Room, Northeast Harbor.
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