Town of Otisfield
Board of Selectmen Meeting Minutes
July 20, 2011
1. CALL TO ORDER: The regular meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM. Hal Ferguson, Chairman, Rick Micklon & Lenny Adler present.
2. FLAG SALUTE
*Audience and Board members saluted the flag.
3. SECRETARY’S REPORT:
A. Meeting minutes from June 15, 2011. *Motion to accept minutes. HF/RM – Unanimous.
4. SPECIAL EVENTS
A. Otisfield’s 3rd Annual Town Business Showcase & Neighborhood Networking Day to be held 1st Saturday in August (this year 08/06th) at the Community Hall from 10am-2pm. It is free to the public & any person in town who has a business, product or service is encouraged to participate as a vendor. Generous donations made by vendors are raffled off with proceeds to go to the Community Hall Fund. For further info, please contact Town Clerk Sharon Mathews.
5. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
A. Road Study Review Committee: Quen Henderson, Chair: Town Garage final recommendation proposal submitted into public record. Based on the overwhelming support of the straw vote at the 2011 annual town meeting, the committee recommends the following: 1) To pursue the construction, 2) locate garage on town owned property, 3) hold a special town meeting to approve funding and 4) accelerate action to take advantage of historically low bond rates and slow economic conditions. BOS suggest hiring architect David Hart, Fish Street Designs, out of Fryeburg to be clerk of the works. *Motion to have RM ask David Hart if he can be on the Agenda for next BOS mtg and visit site prior to that mtg. HF/LA – Unanimous.
B. Board of Appeals: *Motion to reappoint Sharon Matthews for a (5) year BOA term ending 06/2016. LA/HF – Unanimous. Alternate -Beth Clark moved out of town making one alternate position available, TT will update website.
6. DEPARTMENT HEADS:
A. None.
7. QUESTIONS/COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC:
A. Elaine Doble-Verrill East Otisfield Baptist Church is having a pilot project for encouraging elderly residents in Otisfield to congregate and participate in dinners, game playing, conversation, music/dance, etc. and would like to use the Community Hall. BOS 100% support this. Scheduling dates should be done w/ Office Staff.
8. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT ITEMS: (MIM is absent)
A. None.
9. ADJUSTMENTS TO AGENDA:
A. None.
10. UNFINISHED /SCHEDULED BUSINESS:
A. Community Hall: HF: Requesting Sharon Matthews check w/ MMA to see if Town Insurance policy covers a town event for any personal injury. He would also like to see the policy on private functions being held there. RM: Make sure we have fire and liability regardless of who uses it; 24-7, 365.
B. Town Beach- HF: Requesting Sharon Matthews purchase a bound Log Book to be shared amongst the employees. A common log book is needed for reference and continuity. RM suggests that all necessary phone numbers be listed and in the order in which the calls should happen. BOS all agree that a phone is needed for this position. Current employees have their own personal cell phones. If an employee does not have their own phone, a trac phone can be purchased. No cookouts are allowed at the Town Beach. *Motion to not allow family reunions/organized group functions to take place on the beach and to only allow (2) guest vehicle passes at any one time per household. LA/RM – Unanimous. This will be posted on an 8 ½ x 11 piece of paper and it will be signed by all (3) BOS.
C. Heniger Park-Trail map names/signs: BOS will set a future date to go down and have a site walk before winter. LA suggests Sept. / Oct. time frame.
D. History of Otisfield: Mr. Spurr books have been sold and are available at the town office.
11. SELECTMEN’S ITEMS TO BE DISCUSSED & VOTED ON:
A. Town Warrant: *Motion to sign Warrant # 1 to pay the town bills. LA/HF – Unanimous.
B. Request to use Community Hall for monthly Wednesday dinners (organized by volunteers.) SM looking into insurance policy. BOS do not have an issue w/ this.
C. Request to honor misdirected scholarship application for student attending college this fall that was received prior to deadline. *Motion that committee take the appropriate action as they would have if this application had not been missed. LA/HF – Unanimous. RM suggests that an apology card be given w/ BOS signatures. All BOS agree.
D. Maine Dept. of Transportation – Urban, Rural initiative program. To be eligible to receive Fy-12 URIP funds, each municipality must certify that the rural initiative funds will be used only for capital improvements of public roads. *Motion for all BOS to sign. LA/HF – Unanimous.
E. Executive Session: Motion by HF to move into executive session @ 8:30pm pursuant to Title 30A section 2702 subsection(1) and 1 M.R.S.A. § section 405 (6)(A) to discuss Personnel Matters, where it could reasonably be expected that a persons right of privacy could be violated. 2nd LA~ Unanimous. Motion by Hal to close executive session at 9:25pm. 2nd RM, - Unanimous.
F. Motion by HF to provide partial reimbursement, of $20 each month, to the Town Secretary/Web Site Manager, Tanya Taft for basic cell phone costs. 2nd LA. Discussion: The ability for the BOS, town office, other boards and committees to communicate with Tanya on town business throughout the day is essential. A cell phone is a requirement of the position. The $20 reimbursement needs to be added to the Town Warrant by the Assistant to the BOS on a monthly basis. - Unanimous.
G. Motion by HF to offer Sandra Ouellette a full time position in the town office. 2nd RM. Discussion: There has been a growing need to add additional manpower efforts to the town office. Sandra currently works an average of 23 hours per week. The increased town population coupled with the ever increasing paperwork/documentation process makes this necessary. - Unanimous.
12. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD:
A. Town Meeting: A letter to the editor of the Advertisor Democrat was published about the town not giving enough info on certain items. All BOS discussed the openness of this board. They have open BOS meetings twice a month, and always encourage people to talk or question things. If anyone feels they have something to discuss w/ BOS, at the end of the month each BOS does an open chat for the public to bring their concerns in. It was also brought up that financial statements are a year old in the town report.BOS explained this is because the town works off of a fiscal year, not a calendar year and it has been done this way.
B. Town land on Sat. Pond: Consensus is that it would be a great walking/snowshoe/skiing trail: just needs a little assistance and guidance. Discussion: The timber sale money would best be used to properly survey this land and any other non-surveyed town owned land. Dan Peaco suggested including the South Otisfield Cemetery into this project. All BOS agree. *Motion to have 3 parcels of town land properly surveyed. HF/LA – Unanimous. RM will contact the surveyor and this will be put on next Agenda. (Three (3) parcels include: Town land on Sat. Pond, South Otisfield Cemetery and Town Garage land)
13. Upcoming Dates:
A. Board of Selectmen Meeting, August 3, 2011 @ 7:00 PM
14. ADJOURNMENT:
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:40 PM. HF/RM – Unanimous.
Approved by:
Hal Ferguson, Chairman
Rick Micklon
Lenny Adler
Approved on: August 3, 2011
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