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Board of Selectmen Minutes 11/19/2008
Town of Otisfield
Board of Selectmen Meeting Minutes
November 19, 2008

1.      Call to Order: The regular meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM. All BOS were present.

2.      Secretary’s Report:
  • Meeting Minutes from October 15, 2008. Motion to accept minutes. RM/LA– Unanimous.
3.      SPECIAL EVENTS
A.      7:34 PM Motion to open General Assistance Hearing. HF/LA – Unanimous. New Guidelines submitted into public Record. Motion to Close Hearing @ 7:45PM. RM/LA – Unanimous

4.      COMMITTEE REPORTS:
  • None.
5.      DEPARTMENT HEADS:
  • Dan Peaco Sexton – Update on cutting at Cemetery’s. All Cemetery’s have been cut w/ minimal damage. One branch @ Bell Hill landed on the fence. The brush should be taken care of prior to Thanksgiving. DP would like to add an addendum to the Policies:  No burials to take place w/o prior notice to the town. Change will be made and sent to the O.C.
  • Fire Dept. – Jared Damon
  • Buildings and Grounds: Overhead doors are all sealed up. The window in second floor has been removed and the new one should be in next week. The canopy has been raised, and the whole in the rear wall at Gore Station has been patched. The status of the smoke pipe at East Otisfield has not been repaired. Water is draining into the overhead doors at Gore Station. Drainage needs to be addressed. Paving at all stations are tired, heaved, and cracked.
  • Generator Cut Off Switch:  EMA & Fire chief think it should go on outside of the building. Electrician will have access to the locked box.  
6.      QUESTIONS/COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
  • Patty Dyer-Haggerty - Discussed the FD’s recent training activities & upcoming Banquet. Informed BOS that December 7 is a Mandatory Hazmat Training for the FD.
  • Jean Hankins: Mold mitigation project? RM: Service Master is almost done. Soils will be capped beginning of next week w/ concrete. The vault will be checked in an additional phase.
  • Jim Bishop: Question regarding Cemetery Work: Was it done by volunteers? HF: Sam Chapman won the bid, Dan Peaco has a crew helping w/ the down limbs. Jim: Are the volunteers covered as an employee w/ Insurance? MIM They have Accidental Insurance which is not the same as what an employee would have.   
  • Dan Peaco: Two maple trees that inhibited driver’s sight at Peaco Hill intersection have been removed and Dan wanted to publicly thank Richard Bean for taking down the trees.
 
7.      ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT ITEMS
A.      Abatements and supplemental tax warrant from O'Donnell & Associates. Veteran exemptions increase value from $5000 to $6000 for 2008, not all veterans received this change on the tax bills. A letter to veterans with abatements will be sent. They will receive$10.70 abatement if all taxes are paid or it will go on second payment of taxes. Motion to approve the Veteran Abatements totally $663.40 LA/RM – Unanimous. Next abatement: Two (2) property owners) James Leighton R05/030 &  Jill & Andrew March R05/030A had their property description reversed. Motion to sign and correct the two abatements. HF/LA – Unanimous. These two properties needed supplemental taxes. Motion to sign supplement tax warrant  #1. LA/HF – Unanimous.
  • East Otisfield Free Baptist Church made a donation for the Emergency Fuel Fund. A letter will be sent thanking them for their generous donation.

  • Ordinance Review Committee:  Two Applications for review.
Motion to accept Tanya Taft with a term to expire TBA. LA/RM – Unanimous.
Motion to accept Eric Bell with a term to expire TBA. LA/RM – Unanimous.
MIM will get the dates and let them know their term.
  • CEO letter to Gilman- R9/68A submitted to BOS for review.
  • State sent a letter saying that they under paid the towns tree growth reimbursement for 2008 and will be sending an additional $6300.
8.      ADJUSTMENTS TO AGENDA
A.      None.  
 
  • SELECTMEN’S ITEMS TO BE DISCUSSED & VOTED ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  • Motion to sign Warrant #8 to pay the towns bills. LA/RM – Unanimous.   
  • Motion to accept G.A. Ordinance appendices A, B, & C for 2008-09.  HF/LA – Unanimous.
  • Snowplowing contracts from Frank Blauvelt, Richard Bean Jr. & Glenn Pastore signed by BOS. Certificate of Insurance is required. Motion to accept the snowplowing contracts for this current year. HF/LA – Unanimous.
  • Review of two (2) tax acquired properties that the Town of Otisfield currently obtained.
  • 8 Acres off Bell Hill Road: Lien from 2006 that hadn’t been paid, so 2006-2009 need to be paid. Payment of $648.92 was made in full by the landowner. This takes care of taxes through 2009.
  • A home and 7 acres:  It did go to NSB as the holders, and they didn’t get back to town by date. There is a check for the full amount through 6/30/08. *Tabled until an upcoming meeting. MIM will attempt to contact owner and ask him to come in. HF/RM – Unanimous.
  • Board Reviewed the (3) winter maintenance bids received and opened on the 5th. Dean Stevens, RLS Property Management and Damon Builders. Discussion: Damn Builders isn’t the cheapest, but they clearly show the work that is included. Motion to accept Damon Builders. LA/RM – Unanimous.
  • Two Fire Trucks written up and ready to submit into The Lewiston Paper & Advertiser Democrat. MIM will post on the MMA for sale site & Uncle Henrys.
  • Cemetery Issue: Brush over graves – A man’s son is buried and there is a lot of brush on cemetery. LA is asking that someone call him to give him an update on brush removal. MIM will call him.
  • Election / Taxes Due: LA suggests next year having the Tax due date be November 15, so that it gets done after the election to make the Office less congested in a weeks time.  
  • Winter Carnival will be February 14. HF would like to request reserving the Town office meeting room for the committees January 14th meeting. Christmas tree ornaments will need to be purchased because the others had to be thrown away.
  • Heniger Park: If the snow holds out, it may be finished late Fall.
  • CEO/ puruse the lake and run boat numbers and get milfoil stickers. Board will check w/ MMA and State Planning Office.
10.     UNFINISHED BUSINESS ~~
  • Review Bid Process- Given to Ordinance & Policy Review Committee. (1/09) RM: Would like O.C. to solidify this policy and put it in writing.
  • Review job descriptions all positions-12/08 & develop performance review forms. RM: in favor of job descriptions and Performance Reviews. Research has been done w/ MMA. Suggests asking citizens to help. (5) members. Placing this on the web site looking for volunteers. He explains that the Town is not starting from scratch, so a 90 day schedule is pheasable. Jim Bishop will provide a refrence sheet and offer it to the town for guidance.
  • Develop Annual Municipal Calendar- Dec. 08 – Next month * Work item – a tool to checklist what needs to be done.
  • Health Officer- 12/08 – Lady from the State will come in January.
  • Building permits fees: Motion that the Building permits will be issued for 24 months and the fee will remain the same. Anything after 24 months will be charged the standard application fee annually. LA/RM – Unanimous.
  • Article on warrant for (5) selectmen: Discussion: Let the townspeople decide at the regular town meeting. Changing the voting of the Board to be decided by the BOS or the people.
11.     QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD
A.      CN Brown Letter: RM would like to check w/ Geoff Hole on whether or not it’s a legal binding contract. HF: It was the Intent from the Board at that time that it was a contract. BOS would like MIM to check w/ Sad 17 on what they are paying and also Oxford.  

12.     ADJOURNMENT
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:55 PM. HF/LJA – Unanimous.

Respectfully submitted,
Tanya Taft, Secretary

Hal Ferguson, Chairman
Rick Micklon
Lenny Adler

Approved on:    12/03/08