Town of Otisfield
Board of Selectmen Meeting Minutes
August 6, 2014
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. ACTION ON MINUTES:
A. Meeting minutes from July 16, 2014. *Motion to accept minutes. RM/HF-Unanimous. LA abstained because he was not at last meeting.
4. SPECIAL EVENTS
A. Virginia Arsenault requested to be put on the agenda to ask Selectmen questions concerning E. & W. Swampville Road. Virginia not in attendance. Tena Gothing Hosie - 45 West Swampville Road speaking on her behalf. Virginia and I were shocked at expansion taking place. How did expansion come about? Would like speed bumps put in and wants to know time frame. Last big rain storm, ditches were clogged and water was running across road. Heard TIF (Tax Increment Financing) money is being used to expand the road. LA: The Town does not notify residents when we are going to work on the road. This road has more use now than it had for years. Road is going to be opened up and visibility increased. We have not cut trees outside of the Towns R.O.W. and no TIF money spent yet. The Town has been getting requests to
leave it open in the winter time. It’s a public road that belongs to the public and to the town. It’s not a private road. RM: As far as the time frame, you would have to ask Richard Bean, LA: We are not allowed to put speed bumps in the road. Tena Gothing Hosie: Would request that if we work on her road in the future that she be notified. BOS: We do not get involved with this, unless Richard asks for assistance. As of today, no TIF money has been used, until we hear from our Town Attorney and he says that it qualifies. Brad Laroche on Cook Road – This is a concern we share as well. The year round opening of Swampville Road and the associated tax payer cost with this. It has not been maintained in ten years that he is aware of and his concern is based on that cost and the fact that it’s obvious that the overall road conditions throughout our town, does not make sense to make this a year round road or priority. It’s a very serious matter, to take a non-year round road
and make it a year round, and it doesn’t make sense. Other roads should be a higher priority. There’s no way that the town owned land on this road will attract commercial development. LA: It may never be commercial but it can be residential. HF: the only people we are hearing from are the ones that live on the road. Anyone who travels that area should be aware of what’s going on. Richard is going to upgrade the road because people are going to use it. The only question is whether or not TIF funds are available and this Board is looking into it and the road does need to be upgraded. All BOS suggest they discuss any road maintenance concerns with Road Commissioner.
5. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
A. Board of Appeals - Don Verrill’s term expired 06/2014. *Motion to renew his term for a (5) year period ending 06/2019. HF/RM – Unanimous. TT will update web site. Discussion: Recommend MIM ask him to take MMA Appeals Board training if he hasn’t already done so.
B. Board of Appeals Ordinance: Kristen Roy sent an email to a July 22nd BOA mtg regarding BOA Ordinance. Kristen feels it is inconsistent and needs to be brought into compliance. *BOA members asked that this matter be passed on to BOS for review. *Tabled until an upcoming meeting.
C. Scholarship Committee- (3) members terms have expired. Loretta Ayotte-Chairman 06/2013, Libby Hooker 06/2014 and Ann Johnstone 06/2014. Sandy will ask MIM to contact members to see if they would like to stay on this committee.
6. DEPARTMENT HEADS:
A. Town Sexton; Dan Peaco: Mowing on Town Beach has been done by someone who is on disability and that’s not in the best interest of the Town. Gate Keeper can identify person, but DP thinks that it should be looked into. Sandy Ouellette will have MIM get in touch with this person.
B. Town Sexton; Dan Peaco: Swampville Cemetery fence has been damaged. Dan Peaco will buy a new section, but it may not be matched up perfectly. HF: would it look better to have the end pieces put in the middle to make it look better? DP: I can try this. I would need the ok to buy another section of fence. *BOS suggest Sexton do whatever needs to be done.
7. QUESTIONS/COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
A. None.
8. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT ITEMS
A. Historical Society requested a letter of support to the Belvedere Foundation for the funding of a new roof and completion of the site work for the Old Town House. *Motion that we support the Belvedere Foundation request. LA/HF – Unanimous.
B. Credit/debit card for Fire Dept. LA: Fire Chief asked about this and would like a low limit credit card so that FD can purchase items if needed. *Motion to get FD a credit card. LA/HF – Unanimous. Discussion: RM: If mis-use or abuse is a concern of the Chief or MIM we can bring this back to the table in future.
C. Community Center Donation: Window Shade discussion. David Hyer: For background Pixie Williams will donate materials for window shades at Community Hall for power point presentations during the day time. (26) Window shades in the meeting room and (13) window shades in the kitchen/storage rooms. Hyer Results provided an installation estimate of $507.00. Discussion: LA not sure that I’m for this right now. RM: It will only cost the Town $208.00 to install the donated materials. HF: I think it was nice that Pixie would donate this and it’s nice that it will make it a usable location. LA: I would go along with the $208.00. HF: I would recommend we do the (4) windows and side entrance area. RM: I would like to see us finish that main room for approx. $312 *Motion that we provide the labor for David to
install the (26) window shades being donated by Pixie and also the (4) shades for the adjacent side entry room. RM/HF – Unanimous.
9. ADJUSTMENTS TO AGENDA
A. None.
10. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. Samples of signs (3) examples brought forward at prior meeting. Brown or black stands out. All agree the ones at Heniger Park are good and just want to be sure signs are all consistent. *Tabled until MIM is here.
B. Performance Appraisals: *Tabled until an upcoming meeting.
11. SELECTMEN’S ITEMS TO BE DISCUSSED & VOTED ON
A. Town Warrant: *Motion to sign Warrant #2 to pay the town bills. LA/HF - Unanimous.
B. MMA Ballot for election of VP and Executive Committee members. LA is the MMA rep for this board. *Motion that we vote for the nominated members. LA/HF – Unanimous. *BOS signed.
C. Transfer Station: HF: (2) big barrels were stolen- one of the bases is still there. Eric has screened the tapes, but thinks security camera discussion is needed. LA will discuss with security company about adding another camera.
D. Pleasant Lake Dam update: HF: This is jointly owned by Otisfield and Casco. At the initial visit we were informed by the state dam inspector that this is a low risk damn, if breached, you would only lose 2 – 3 feet of water and no properties or lives will be at risk. It was also identified that dam is being breached in 3 separate places and losing a thousand gallons of water a minute. Approximate cost is $1,000.00 to hire an engineer to address the solution. This cost will be shared between Casco & Otisfield. Meeting on August 15th on site to discuss the issue. *Motion that Otisfield appropriates $500.00 for half of the fee. HF/RM – Unanimous.
E. Report of Assessment review from property tax division submitted into public record.
12. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD
A. Heniger Park Site walk review: RM: Lot 4 (the shore front lot that has abandoned building on it). Someone walked away from the lease and it has been vacant. The BOS, CEO, Mike Morse from DEP and Town Forester; Bill Newcomb met at property last Wednesday. Our intent is to lease this lot out and generate income. A driveway entrance is needed. Trees need to be cut. The dwelling shell and the shorefront are non delineated wet land, but it is wet. BOS are trying to develop a plan on where to go next. A point system on tree cutting will be done and brought back to DEP for approval. *Tabled until an upcoming meeting.
B. Saturday Pond Dam discussion on plank removal. RM: No final update. Really needs further investigation. Sat. Pond Watershed Assoc. wish to discuss water levels and quality of Saturday Pond. A scientist form U. Maine Farmington suggested it would be best to lower the water level by 2 feet. The intent of this is to prepare for spring run-off. The potential effect of killing nuisance plant life could be also be beneficial. BOS and Dam Keeper Dan Peaco fear that if it doesn’t rain enough for it to be replaced, then we will have people complaining about what we did to their lake front property. *Tabled until an upcoming meeting.
C. ConnectME Grant update: RM: FairPoint has been awarded a grant from Connect Maine for $186,000.00 to upgrade Otisfield broadband in approx. 98% of the town! FairPoint is adding $201,500.00 for a total project cost of $387,500.00. Timeline is one year. Email said the project must be completed by July 22, 2015 and RM will check to see if that is a typo and report back at an upcoming meeting.
D. Kristen Roy complaints: HF: Attorney thinks we should discuss her concerns in public. If she wants to go through her issues she needs to discuss with BOS at a public meeting. It should be discussed one complaint at a time. I think we invite her back to discuss in public. RM: If we do that, I suggest we offer her the opportunity to come back at her convenience, either on the agenda or off the agenda. It needs to be clear that we will only address the issues one to a time. No other format will be allowed. All agree. An email will be sent to her giving her this info. If she is on the agenda she can have more than the allowed (5) minutes. HF is going to send her an email on behalf of the Board inviting her to come back in at her leisure to discuss what she would like addressed.
E. Town Kiosk: HF: Kiosk has been installed at Two Ponds Trail. Builder, Glenn Snow has done an excellent job with these and they are going to last a very long time. Richard Bean and Hal Ferguson met with Glenn to do the install Saturday. Bob Blake is going to do the painting and looking into plexi-glass. HF will discuss with Richard about putting 2nd kiosk in at Heniger Park and coordinate with Glenn.
13. ADJOURNMENT. *Motion to adjourn at 8:59 PM. HF/RM-Unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Tanya Taft, Secretary
Approved by:
Hal Ferguson, Chairman
Rick Micklon
Lenny Adler
Approved on August 20, 2014
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