MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN
TOWN OF MOUNT DESERT, MAINE
Monday, September 2, 2003
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, Ernest Coombs, Patrick Smallidge, Jerry Suminsby; Town Manager Michael MacDonald; Public Works Director Tony Smith; Police Lieutenant Jason Lovejoy, Treasurer Jean Bonville, Fire Chief Chris Farley, and members of the press.
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 Monday, August 18, 2003
Town Manager Mike MacDonald recommended postponing approval of the August 18, 2003 minutes because Recording Selectman Damon Pascal was not there.
MOTION: Selectman Coombs moved to postpone approval of the minutes, seconded by Selectman Suminsby. The vote was unanimous in favor.
III. Appointments and Communications
A. Respond County Commissioner Lawson's request for comment on Hancock County drug investigative unit at an annual cost of $200,000.
Selectman Smallidge was reluctant to give in to the request. He thought the county does not have a broad enough scope to identify the problems and conduct the program. The cost was a concern: he noted the increase in the Town's appropriation to the county budget in past years. The drug problem is not a new problem, he said. He questioned the amount of room in the jail if the program should be successful and the ability to guarantee safety. He figured we might be paying twice if we were to send one of our officers to the program. Even though the county would reimburse the town to hire and retrain a new officer, we would still be paying twice.
Selectman Coombs approved the concept. However when he was a dispatcher, he heard many times that county officials knew who was dealing in pot but that they were after the big guy. Then they never caught the big guy. He was concerned about the effectiveness of the county.
Selectman Smallidge thought it would be better to use Town funds to train local officers and bring their capabilities to a higher level.
Acting Police Chief Lovejoy would feel more comfortable with more local control, possibly combing with all 4-island towns to hire one agent. He was not happy with the quality of dispatch service the Town has received from the county. He also wondered what would happen to the officer that the Town let go if the program were discontinued in the future.
Chairman Savage said the dispute was with the funding evaluation under which Mount Desert is asked to pay the bulk of the amount. The T own will be doomed to be completely a seasonal community if we allow this.
Selectman Suminsby pointed out that County Commissioner Lawson was asking for Selectmen's comments. He wondered if the Town would be left out in the cold if the rest of the county approves it and Mount Desert does not.
Since a reply is required before the next Selectmen's meeting, Town Manager MacDonald will compose a letter to the County Commissioner for Selectmen's signatures stating the sense of the Board - that it supports the concept of the drug task force but wants local control. Selectmen do not agree with the funding and are concerned that Mount Desert would pay a disproportionate amount because of its high valuation.
B. Hancock County Commissioners Caucus to elect two members of the County Budget Advisory Committee
Asked if she is on the committee, Jean Bonville said she was for a long time but hadn't been for the last couple of years. She said it meets for 6 weeks from mid- October until the first of December, sometimes 2 times a week.
Town Manager MacDonald said he could put something on the web site asking if anyone is interested in filling one of the two vacancies from Commissioner Lawson's district. Mrs. Bonville noted that there has not been much MDI participation on the committee. Selectman Suminsby said part of the reason we are frustrated by the county process is because we do not have representation on the committee.
Chairman Savage said the item required no action.
IV: Consent Agenda
A. Approve Liquor License Application from Harborview Corp d/b/a MainSail Restaurant.
MOTION: Selectman Suminsby moved to approve the Liquor License for Harborview Corp d/b/a/ MainSail Restaurant, seconded by Selectman Coombs. The vote was unanimous in favor.
V: Selectmen's Reports
A. Chairman Savage said he would not be at the next meeting on September 16. Jean Bonville said Selectman Damon Pascal would not be there either. Chairman Savage advised the board not to cancel the meeting because too many things could come up that should not wait for a later meeting.
B. Selectman Suminsby reported for the Ordinance Review committee that the committee was losing members, that they need to round out the group, and that a professional consultant is needed. He asked Selectmen to bring 3 good names for possibilities of new members to the next meeting. He would like to see enough people on the committee to enable good attendance at an early October meeting with a consultant. Bobbi Williams will prepare an ad and also put the request on the web site.
VI: Old Business
None
VII: New Business
A. Authorize purchase of new police cruiser and approve release of $8,500 from reserve account 2720.
Acting Police Chief Lovejoy explained that he had to take the oldest cruiser off the road because the transmission was gone, the tires needed to be replaced and it was beginning to be a hazard. The department has been using the jeep but wants to use it only in the winter when 4-wheel drive is necessary. He had received 3 estimates and recommended purchasing a Ford that would cost, with the necessary equipment, $25,243(+-) from Dave Gould because he had the lowest bid and the nearest location to the town.
MOTION: Selectman Suminsby moved to authorize taking $8,500 from reserve funds to purchase a Ford Crown Vic cruiser from Dave Gould Ford. [What was the vote?]
C. Declare 1973 Allis Chalmers tractor as surplus and transfer to Seal Harbor Village Improvement Society for $1.00.
MOTION: Selectman Coombs moved to approve the declaration of the 1973 Allis Chalmers tractor as surplus and to transfer it to the Seal Harbor Village Improvement Society for $1.00, seconded by Selectman Suminsby. The vote was unanimous in favor.
VIII: General Issue
A. Discussion of sewer project interim financing options.
Finance Director Bonville alerted the Selectmen that the Town has exhausted its interim financing of $298,000 for the Otter Creek/Seal Harbor project and is $15,000 in the hole for bills through the end of July. She suggested going back to the bond bank to see if the Town could extend its bond for the remaining full amount of the $4.4 million. She saw no sense in doing another partial bond. She wanted the Board's guidance.
Town Manager MacDonald said he had recent estimates that the project might run to $4.9 million, but does not have a figure yet.
Public Works Director Smith noted that if the Town were able to bid in the fall, it might get better rates than if it waits until later. He said the overrun happened because of unexpected costs, such as being told by the DEP that the Town had to extend the Seal Harbor outflow 400 feet further and that test borings were needed. They discovered 90 feet of blue clay there that no one knew about. The Town ran into a major expense, he said, with the DOT and Park Service when it was required to determine a right of way.
Asked about contributions from the National Park Service, Town Manager MacDonald said that all of the data has not yet been developed and that it would be October before any negotiations could be done. He also noted that it might be 5 years before the Town would receive any funds from the federal government.
MOTION: At Finance Director Bonville's suggestion, Selectman Smallidge moved to authorize extending our interim financing to the $4.4 million approved by voters, seconded by Selectman Coombs. The vote was unanimous in favor.
IX. Other Business
A. Discuss budget development schedule
Selectman Suminsby suggested that the figure for the total amount of Other Services be listed as one appropriation on the 2004 Warrant rather than listing each organization individually to save them from having to give their good presentations three times. He thought the Town accomplishes very little by belaboring each figure at Town Meeting. Finance Director Bonville advised that the amounts need to be specific for each organization. Selectman Coombs pointed out that, even if all groups were combined in a lump sum, voters would still want to know the details.
Chairman Savage told Selectmen they should be prepared for a major tax increase but he hoped that the increase could be kept to not much more than 2 % rather than continuing at 6 to 9%. He expressed concern that taxes might become painful for year round residents.
Selectman Suminsby noted that the Town of Mount Desert has a favorable tax position relative to the rest of the island.
Public Works Director Smith mentioned that his presentation would show what he really needs. He would look to the Board to whittle it down. He would not expect to get everything he asks for. He said that if the Town had addressed the treatment plants' problems years ago, that we might not be looking at a $4.4 to $.9 million expense today.
Selectmen discussed the budget process, including the use of the reserve account, at length. Finance Director Bonville noted that in the last 2 years, the capital reserve fund has taken a huge hit. The Town is not getting ahead in reserve funds.
Town Manager MacDonald wanted direction before he handed out the budget schedule to department heads. Selectman Suminsby suggested that the Board defer to the Town Manager's judgment to take a look at the full budget and make a recommendation to them. Chairman Savage said the budget schedule looked fine.
B. Discuss Public Works equipment needs
Public Works Director Smith presented a package of immediate needs for his department that included a new sidewalk plow/sweeper tractor and a new one-ton style plow truck, dump body and sander. He anticipated the purchase of a new street sweeper in the spring of 2004.
Rather than putting good money into bad equipment with repairs to current vehicles and then losing one or both in January, he requested authorization to purchase the sidewalk tractor that also had a mower for $66,295 and plow truck for $29,927.12 now.
Chairman Savage questioned spending money on a mower when personnel who would be mowing could be doing other more important things.
A lengthy discussion followed regarding the needs of the department and use of its reserve account. Finance Director Bonville said that $30,000 is put in the plow truck reserve each year.
Town Manager MacDonald offered to put together a depreciation schedule of what the Town should have been funding for the last 8 to 10 years. It would be like a mini-capital improvement plan. He suggested that the Town should at least fund depreciation each year because we would have to go to the well at some time. Chairman Savage said this was a good idea.
MOTION: Selectman Coombs moved to withdraw $102,042.12 from public works equipment reserve account #2875 to be expended as follows. Purchase a sidewalk tractor less the mower from Northland Holder, Inc. in the amount of $54,795.00: a one ton plow truck and chassis from Darling's Ford in the amount of $29,927.12, and a body and sander from H. P. Fairfield in the amount of $17,320.00. Seconded by Selectman Smallidge. The vote was unanimous in favor.
Motion: Selectman Coombs to withdraw $102,042.12 from public works equipment reserve account #2875 to be expended as follows:
Northland Holder Sidewalk Tractor $ 54,795.00
Darling's Ford One Ton Truck & Chassis $ 29,927.12
H. P. Fairfield Body & Sander $ 17,320.00
$102,042.12
Seconded by Selectman Smallidge. The vote was unanimous in favor.
X. Treasurer's Warrants
Signed as presented.
MOTION: Selectman Smallidge moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:10 p.m., seconded by Selectman Suminsby. The vote was unanimous in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Emily Damon Pascal
Secretary
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