Board of Selectmen Meeting, August 16, 2004
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
TOWN OF MOUNT DESERT, MAINE
Monday, August 16, 2004
A meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held this date in the Community Room at the Seal Harbor Fire Station, Seal Harbor, Maine.
Those present included: Chairman Rick Savage, Ernest Coombs, Patrick Smallidge (after6:50), Jeff Smith; Public Works Director Tony Smith; Assessor John Brushwein; Recording Secretary Ellen Kappes and members of the public. Assessor Brushwein acted as Town Manager in Town Manager MacDonald’s absence.
Call to order.
Chairman Savage called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
Minutes
A. Approval of minutes of Regular Meeting of August 2, 2004.
Chairman Savage added “to clean up the deed for the Richardsons” on page 4, line 24.
MOTION: Selectman Smith moved to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of August 2, 2004 as amended, seconded by Selectman Coombs. The vote was unanimous in favor.
III. Appointments and Communications
A.~~~~~~Approve appointment of Richard Graves as part-time recycling attendant effective August 4, 2004, at an hourly rate of $11.00.
Mr. Brushwein said Richard Graves would work Monday – Friday from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon.
MOTION: Selectman Coombs moved to approve the above appointment, seconded by Selectman Smith. The vote was unanimous in favor.
B.~~~~~~Acknowledge receipt of Notice of Intent to Convey conservation Easement On Water Resource Land.
Chairman Savage said the above involved a transfer of an easement on Water Company property near Lower Hadlock Pond. The Water Company has an opportunity to sell the easement to Maine Coast Heritage Trust for a substantial amount of money which can be used to help the Water Company. The transfer will require a vote at Town Meeting. Mr. Brushwein said the easement was on approximately 52 acres between the pond and the golf course.
C.~~~~~~Acknowledge receipt of $8,914.37 Municipal Review Committee quarterly distribution.
Public Works Director Smith said PERC charges the Town $55 or $56 per ton and then pays the Town back the difference between that and $45 per ton. MRC represents this Town and other municipalities.
D.~~~~~~Acknowledge receipt of Planning Board minutes for June 28, 2004 and July 12, 2004 meetings
No action required.
E.~~~~~~Acknowledge receipt of 7-26-04 Weekly Construction Summary for SH WWTP upgrade.
Public Works Director Smith said the road will be dug up again starting September 16. He anticipated completion of the project ideally in March. He needs lead time from March to June 30 to get all the equipment set up and to get the bugs worked out by then.
IV. Consent Agenda
None
V. Selectmen Reports
Selectman Smith asked Public Works Director Smith if it would be possible to track down the source of the problem at Seal Harbor Beach. He thought it would seem to be in the Town’s best interests at some point to pinpoint where the pollution was coming from.
Public Works Director Smith said Jonathan Merchant and his lab technician had done the testing over the last couple of weeks. He thought a lot of the reactions to the numbers were knee jerk reactions and that they were not any different than they were three or five years ago. Mr. Merchant and his crew had found human feces within three feet of Stanley Brook and on the easterly side of the harbor. There is a private sewer line up on the hill with at least 9 private residences piggy backed into it. It broke out into the bank and flowed down into the stream which flows directly into Seal Harbor. That was verified with dye testing. Horses and birds are also sources of the enterococci bacteria.
Public Works Director Smith would like to test from the fountain to the pump station at the Seal Harbor parking lot to see if the pipe is crushed and also to do some field work around the bridge. They would try to find the exact source. Between Stanley Brook and the treatment plant, the ground has been opened up below the foundation of the tanks being used. They have found no pockets of waste water. He said Mr. Merchant, a local resident and he had noticed the fountain discharging chlorinated water. Chairman Savage thanked Public Works Director Smith and Mr. Merchant for the information.
VI. Old Business
A. Consider revised 2004 holiday schedule, (observe New Year’s Day 01-01-2005, Saturday on December 31, 2004, Friday)
Mr. Brushwein said the Town would be following the State’s policy to celebrate a Saturday on the Friday before it.
Motion: Selectman Coombs moved to approve the above revision in the schedule, seconded by Chairman Savage. The vote was unanimous in favor.
B.~~~~~~Continue discussion on staff reassignments/staff increase
Chairman Savage and Selectman Coombs said they needed recommendations from the office, personnel and Selectmen. Chairman Savage will keep the item on the agenda until it is settled.
Selectman Smith asked if an employee forum had been scheduled. Chairman Savage suggested it be done sometime after Labor Day.
VII. New Business
A.~~~~~~Approve utility location permit for Bangor Hydro Electric Company for five poles on Beech Hill Road.
Mr. Brushwein said Ken Poors had looked at where the poles would be and said there would not be an issue with plowing. A new house is being built there.
Motion: Selectman Smith moved to approve the permit as applied for, seconded by Selectman Coombs. The vote was unanimous in favor.
B.~~~~~~Respond to request to permit wedding guest parking at Seal Harbor village parking lots, north of Village Market and lot across street from SH Fire Station.
Motion: Selectman Coombs moved to approve the above request, seconded by Selectman Smith. The vote was unanimous in favor.
Selectman Smallidge arrived at this point and apologized for being late.
C.~~~~~~Determine appropriate Town Meeting (Annual or Special) to respond to Mount Desert Water District request for “consents to the conveyance of said Conservation Easement.”.
Selectman Coombs thought it should be at the annual Town Meeting. Mr. Brushwein saw no compelling reason for a special town meeting.
Motion: Selectman Smith moved to handle the item at the Annual Town Meeting, seconded by Selectman Smallidge. The vote was unanimous in favor.
VIII. General Issues
Selectman Smallidge asked if special directions needed to be given about closing the Otter Creek Fire Chief Farley Station before cold weather. Selectman Coombs thought the matter could be handled internally.
Bruce Walton asked if a walkway could be put in alongside the Seal Harbor Fire Station. Chairman Savage said it would need an appropriation in the budget specifically addressing it. He should start with a letter to the Town Manager. Some kind of estimate would be needed. It is not too early to start on it, he said.
Assessor Brushwein said the status of the revaluation hadn’t changed much in the past month and a half. Data collection was still 80% complete. He wanted to look into the idea of using Vision Appraisals and their software. Other towns have contracted with them. Vision could take the existing data and do a conversion on it. The Town has had problems converting data with the current system and with maintaining two systems. Dennis Gardner was originally scheduled to work on the revaluation and will not be able to do anything on the project until late this fall. Assessor Brushwein did not know if it could be completed and go on line in 2005. If that is not possible, Vision could complete it and could go on line in 2006. He will report back to the Town Manager and the
Selectmen.
Responding to Chairman Savage’s question about the cost, Assessor Brushwein thought it would take about $90,000 for Vision to complete what is left of data collection, convert the data to their system which they would install, and finish the revaluation including the informal hearing process. It would tie in the other software in the office. There would be an annual fee as there is with other programs. He said that, in hindsight, if he had realized the problems he would have with a work force, he would have recommended this program from day one. Chairman Savage said the Board would consider it seriously.
IX. Other Business
George Peckham asked if any problems existed with compensation for people on septic system. Mr. Brushwein relied there were none other than the fact that it’s an administrative nightmare.
He said it was a big issue with code enforcement. The Code Enforcement Officer/Plumbing Inspector has to inspect the tanks because everyone was having them inspected by the Town. Bob Smallidge thought there might be a lot of people hadn’t requested the inspection because they were concerned about having someone from the Town on their land.
X. Treasurer’s Warrants
Warrant SB35 for $1,881.33, #75 for $434,027.03 and #76 for $78,104.82.
Signed as presented.
XI Executive Session
None requested
At 7:12 pm Selectman Coombs moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Selectman Smith. The vote was unanimous in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeff Smith
Secretary
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