Town of Otisfield
Board of Selectmen Meeting Minutes
September 16, 2009
1. CALL TO ORDER: The regular meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM. All BOS present.
2. SECRETARY’S REPORT:
A. Meeting Minutes from September 2, 2009.Motion to accept minutes as edited. RM/LA– Unanimous.
*Flanders should be changed to Taplin.
3. SPECIAL EVENTS
A. None.
4. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
A. None.
5. DEPARTMENT HEADS:
A. Richard Bean, Road Commissioner – The Town received (2) bids for paving the Ahonen Road and the
Forest Edwards Road. Rampart Bituminous was $92,723.00 and Pike Industries was $95,294.00.
*Motion to go w/ Rampart Bituminous, LLC. HF/LA – Unanimous.
B. Dan Peaco, Sexton, Would like to know BOS Policy on how many cremations can be placed in a single plot.
Elmwood has a limit of (2). Rick suggests putting this on an upcoming agenda and MIM will call Grace Lawn in Auburn and Albert Nelson to research.
6.~ QUESTIONS/COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC:
A. Road Sign missing: Kilby-Edwards Road, MIM requesting a list of all the missing signs in town from Richard Bean, Road Commissioner. Once list is in hand, signs will be ordered.
7. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT ITEMS:
A. Public Hearing / October 21st
1) Junkyard Renewal permits
2) General Assistance – on the appendices for the current year.
MIM stated the DHS figures may not be in by October 1st.
B. Twin Bridges Rest Area update – Letter from State of Maine, Dept of Transportation. MDOT is going to keep the rest area open and maintain it through the rest of the 2009 season and then it will be transferred to The Town of Harrison, where Harrison said they would be happy to maintain it.
C. Scribner's Mills Bridge update – Site walk was done June 2, w/ Ross Cudlitz, PE, Otisfield BOS and the representatives from the Town of Harrison. Letter was sent to town of Otisfield from State of Maine, Dept. of Transportation, (MDOT) stating the Town of Otisfield & Harrison
will be responsible for maintaining bridge. BOS do not feel this was their intention to maintain and take on this bridge cost. HF wants to contact MMA to see if the town is responsible if someone gets hurt, and to also query the Harrison Town Manager for his position on the letter. A “pass at your own risk” sign was purchased by Otisfield and put up on both sides. MIM will contact MDOT. She will also contact Brad Plante, Town Manager of Harrison, to see what their interpretation of letter is. RM
suggests asking the State to come to an upcoming BOS mtg. LA will discuss w/ Richard Bean to review his onsite meeting w/ the MDOT.
D. AVCOG received 7 salt bids. Bids ranged from $113/ton to $63.03/ton – Otisfield may receive up to 1,200 tons @ the $63.03/ton price.
E. Plowing and Shoveling Contracts - Annual contracts need to be looked at and signed. HF suggests putting same newspaper ad as last year in the papers.
F. Calendar Update - Building openings/closings need to be added. Edits needed – Move winterizing from October to November, add Snow Plow Advertising to September and award those bids in October. Building entrance and fire station plowing bids will be added to October. TT will update and send to MIM/BOS.
8. ADJUSTMENTS TO AGENDA:
A. None.
9. UNFINISHED /SCHEDULED BUSINESS:
A. ~ Comprehensive Plan Committee – AVCOG is estimating $11,000 for its assistance over the next 13 months. BOS all agree this is a large sum of money and would like more information. *Tabled until BOS have time to review submittal.
B. ~ Vault HVAC contractor update: *WIP. RM has been in discussion w/ a professional HVAC contractor & will report back to the Board
with findings at a later date.
C. ~ East Otisfield Fire Station – PBR application received for the storm water erosion control plan prepared by Ross Cudlitz, P.E.. RM suggests putting requests for bids in the paper ASAP. No more than a (3) week time frame. Bids need to be in by October 7th BOS mtg.
D. Otisfield Historical Society (OHS) - Quit claim deed discussion: Attorney Geoffrey Hole, added the verbiage "automatically" to the following “building will automatically revert back to town if not maintained by OHS”. Letter from Kurtz and Perry Law Offices on behalf of the OHS submitted into public record. Attorney Alan J. Perry, takes exception to what town is proposing on the following items, 1) the description of land is vague and indefinite. 2) The photographs are not recordable at the registry of deeds. 3) The provision that it should automatically revert to town is problematic. RM says if they want town to entertain different verbiage they can propose
something and send it to BOS for review. RM would like to add a caveat that the OHS should attend a BOS mtg. saying they agree or disagree and would like something in writing from them. HF: Henry Hamilton- President of OHS, will be at an upcoming meeting, whenever the Quick Claim Deed is ready to be signed. HF will contact him this week to review the OHS position on wording~RM feels the current agreement between the voters and OHS is to turn it over to the OHS, but not at any cost to the town. All BOS agree.
E. Tax acquired property update.
1) Great Oaks - Discussion: Town Attorney Geoffrey Hole is still working on this and waiting to meet w/ Great Oaks Attorney. BOS all agree there has been more than enough time on this issue.
2) MAP R4 LOT 20M – Discussion: Originally thought land was 5.14 acres asking for a minimum bid of $ 1,500.00. After further research land is found to be 11.56 Acres. Same tax amount. *Motion to re-advertise w/ a minimum bid of $1,500.00. Prior owner will be notified. HF/RM. – Unanimous. Bids will be opened October 21, at BOS mtg.
F. Heniger Park Tenant letter update: Verbiage about leasing will be added “The Town of Otisfield makes no representation that the lease will be extended beyond the expiration date”.
G. Complaint Template – RM submitted a draft letter, to be sent to any Otisfield residents and non-residents, regarding the proper
procedures for issuing complaints and/or questions regarding codes, ordinances, roads, or town government. All BOS agreed this was to be used in lieu of a complaint policy. Letter will be placed on the web site ASAP.
10.~ SELECTMEN’S ITEMS TO BE DISCUSSED & VOTED ON:
A. Motion to sign Warrant # 5 to pay the towns bills. LA/HF – Unanimous.
11.~ QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD
A. O xford County Commissioners – Rick Micklon has been appointed by Commissioner Jackson to the Oxford County Budget Committee and announced that there is a Public Hearing scheduled for 6:00 PM on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at the Commissioners’ Court. Inviting all to attend.
B. Otisfield Beach – RM on behalf of Wayne Brasier, Beach Gate Keeper: Would like BOS to consider more picnic tables. *Motion to add (2) more 8’ picnic tables. LA/HF – Unanimous. HF will check into cost of metal tables. BOS agreed that we replace
all existing ones as well.
C. Otisfield Beach - Guest pass policy – BOS suggest a reasonable Policy be put in place and how it can be enforced. Currently in front of OPRC is a request to work on preparing the verbiage for inappropriate actions while at the beach.
D. Oxford County Commissioners: Excise tax initiative. LA attended on behalf of Otisfield. The average town is going to lose 40% of excise tax if this passes. As these funds are used to offset town road repairs, either road maintenance will go down or taxes will go up if the excise tax initiative passes. Two dates proposed for implementation if it passes are December 15th or February 20th
.E Conservation Committee - Shri Nageswari (Andrea Verrill) has moved. *Motion to remove her from the committee. ~LA/RM – Unanimous. TT removed from website.
F. Job Description Committee – Will be meeting at the end of the month and will let BOS know when they are ready to meet w/ them and regroup.
G. Town Employee Raises – All BOS met and agreed with increases. *Motion to accept pay increases for hourly employees. LA/RM – Unanimous. Will take effect immediately and be retroactive as of July 1, 2009.
12. ~ ADJOURNMENT: ~
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:15 PM. HF/LJA – Unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Tanya Taft, Secretary
Approved by
Hal Ferguson, Chairman
Rick Micklon~
Lenny Adler
Approved on: 10/7/09
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