Town of Otisfield
Board of Selectmen Meeting Minutes
May 7, 2014
1. CALL TO ORDER: The regular meeting was called to order at 7:01 PM. Hal Ferguson – Chairman, Rick Micklon & Lenny Adler present.
2. FLAG SALUTE: Audience and Board members saluted the flag.
3. ACTION ON MINUTES:
A. Meeting minutes from April 16, 2014. *Motion to accept minutes with correction. RM/LA-Unanimous.
4. SPECIAL EVENTS
A. MSAD#17 Directors, Joe Vaillancourt & Thomas Moore present to update the Board on 2014/15 Budget: Paperwork submitted into public record. Budget committee decided that (5) more additional teachers were needed and that building repairs could be patched as needed. Total overall population of school system has remained the same throughout the years. Hoping that a bond comes through in a couple months to do the repairs. Joanie Jacobs: I went through budget and would like to know where the new teachers would go? Thomas Moore: Not sure, but I think they are coming next Fall. Joe Vaillancourt: Not sure of answer either. I think what we submitted tonight was a little more comprehensive then what his committee was reviewing. We wanted new buses this year, but it’s not in the budget. Currently keeping up on the
maintenance of what we have is all we can do. RM: Buses cannot be bonded. Joe Vaillancourt: Correct, but we can lease at a lower rate. Buy 1 bus and lease 3 on a revolving basis. Schools can write off a lease. MIM/Joanie Jacobs: Does every administrator need an assistant? Can we get a list of who works there? Thomas Moore: In the next two weeks, we are tightening our belts. This will include faculty and facilities. HF: When is the next contract negotiation? Joe Vaillancourt: One more year for teachers. Early retirement offers have been made. There will be a new principal next year. HF: recommendation is that someone take a look at a year round school. None in Maine at this time. RM: thinks the State of Maine Dept will not allow it. Tom & Joe agree this is true. They will raise the questions that need to be asked at next meeting and report back to BOS at a later time.
5. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
A. Former Road Study Review Committee: Quen Henderson, Road Committee would like to have a straw vote on what peoples thoughts are on road improvements. Three former committee members volunteered to do data collection, 47 miles of town roads. They found 26 paved and 21 gravel. Assessment revealed 91 unique segments. Next step is to assess if repairs are needed. HF: Recommendation to be discussed before 2015 meeting is whether a bond should be considered. Quen: Would like to ask town people if they are interested in supporting this. If they say yes, then it will be on town warrant, if they say no, then it’s done. Discussion: LA: We need to look at this as individuals looking into this, because Road Study is no longer a committee. LA thinks they should put a petition together. To do a petition, at least 120
signatures are needed. LA: Thinks an engineer is needed as well. Herb Olson: Can BOS put together a new Road Study Committee? Then they will not need to collect signatures on their own. HF: We have been kicking this around for a while. What would be the duration of new committee? It would last until it’s on the 2015 town warrant. *Motion that we appoint Quenton Henderson, David Hyer and Danny Peaco to a new Road study Review committee and list on web site for 3 additional interested volunteers. RM/LA – Unanimous. BOS have set an immediate charge for them to prepare an article for next BOS Mtg that can go to Town Warrant.
B. Finance Committee: *Motion to renew the terms for Tanya Taft & Sandy Ouellette for a term of 5 years. HF/LA – Unanimous. * TT will update website
6. DEPARTMENT HEADS:
A. None.
7. QUESTIONS/COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
A. Dean Raymond, Otisfield Resident: Time Warner Cable: Dean would like to know if BOS would allow him to talk to Time Warner on behalf of the Town to bring their services to Otisfield. HF: The BOS has agreed not to invest in this. HF has been attending meetings with other Lake Region towns that are trying to obtain/renew their contracts with Time Warner. He will continue to work this approach. The belief is there will be strength in numbers and reduced cost if this works. Last discussion with Time Warner was a few years ago and they did not want anything to do with Otisfield. Dean would like to try and negotiate something. All BOS agree there is no harm in trying. *Motion we Appoint Dean Raymond as Town Representative to look into getting Time Warner Cable, until 2015. LA/RM – Unanimous.
8. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT ITEMS
A. Request from Lindsey & Logan Day to Plant an Ash Tree in Memory of their father, Kelby. It would be located at community hall out back to the left when the grass stops. A stake has been placed in the proposed location. *Motion that we allow this to happen. LA/HF – Unanimous. Discussion: Anyone who works on this will need to be listed on the Town Insurance. Posts will be put in place so that it is protected and vehicles know it’s there.
B. Copy of new definition of “Independent Contractor” for Workers Compensation Act submitted into public record.
C. Dog Warrant for 2014: *Motion to sign the Dog Warrant. LA/RM – Unanimous.
D. Oxford County Regional Solid Waste meeting on May 14th. As of January 1st, they are going to single stream recycling. It is proposed that for our town they are going to use same bins. All recyclable material will be accepted. This will save lots of money overall. LA will be attending this meeting.
9. ADJUSTMENTS TO AGENDA
A. None.
10. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. None.
11. SELECTMEN’S ITEMS TO BE DISCUSSED & VOTED ON
A. Town Warrant: *Motion to sign Warrant #20 to pay the town bills. LA/HF - Unanimous.
B. Rental of Community Hall to non- residents: LA: Suggests we rent to non-residents. It’s a good building and the Town can make some money. HF: I wouldn’t have a problem with that, but suggests a larger security deposit and Town people will be the priority. RM: Can we administer that as a policy. Town people only voted on keeping it closed in the winter, but that was rescinded. *Tabled until next meeting and MIM will provide current policy.
C. Town Meeting: HF: Speakers are all set up and ready.
D. Del Maxfield, Maine Survey Consultants, Inc. in Harrison Maine should be contacted to help locate boundaries @ Spurs’’ Corner. RM will contact him. A ditch or culvert is needed at the side of the Spurr’s Corner Fire Station. Lenny will talk with Richard.
E. HF: Docks are in at the Town Beach.
F. HF: Flags will be put up in the next few weeks.
12. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD
13. ADJOURNMENT. *Motion to adjourn at 9:05 PM. HF/RM-Unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Tanya Taft, Secretary
Approved by:
Hal Ferguson, Chairman
Rick Micklon
Lenny Adler
Approved on May 21, 2014
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