Town of Otisfield
Board of Selectmen Meeting Minutes
April 5, 2017
1. CALL TO ORDER: The regular meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM. Chairman; Hal Ferguson, Lenny Adler & Rick Micklon present.
2. FLAG SALUTE: Audience and Board members saluted the flag.
3. ACTION ON MINUTES:
A. Meeting Minutes from March 15, 2017. *Motion to accept minutes. RM/LA – Unanimous.
4. SPECIAL EVENTS:
A. Single Source Recycling: After July 1st, Oxford County is not going to do a pick up. The Town is investigating other options. AVCOG designed our transfer station and they are considered experts regarding the possible options. Becky Secrest- AVCOG representative is here to discuss future recycling options along with Karen McNaughton, Pine Tree Waste's Municipal Sales representative. Currently Otisfield uses Casco Bulky Waste for our bigger items, ie: lamps, TVs, metals, tires, shingles, etc. The solid/household waste goes to the incinerator in
Auburn and Pine Tree Waste hauls that for us. The hauling contract is up, September 30th of this year. RM: We would like to come up with 2 or 3 options to bring to the tax payers at Town Meeting. We want this to be as simple as possible and the least costly. Discussion: All agree Pine tree Waste can help in the interim. AVCOG will put in a request for services from providers and will evaluate and analyze options so the BOS can make an informed recommendation for Town Meeting. *Tabled until an upcoming meeting.
B.Otisfield Trail Blazers’ATV Club: Bill Sprague: Asking for BOS approved road use again. Would like to have the same roads as last year, along with a section of Ahonen Road. The club hasn’t heard back from some of the property owners in areas that he will need for connecting access. If he hears back from some of the land owners, the Town roads may not be needed. RM; Is this to be used for grant monies as well? Bill: No. Grants are based on mileage and goes in 5 mile increments. HF: See if you can get in touch with the land owners and if you don’t, please put something in writing stating you’ve been refused. LA: I have no problem with what we did last year. RM: I have no issues with what we did last year and think that for the new roads you’re requesting, we can try it for a year like we have in the
past and as long as we don’t get inundated with complaints, I see no reason to not move forward. Bill: Requesting a couple night rides this year as well and will keep AP informed of when that might be.
5. BOARD & COMMITTEE REPORTS:
A. Board of Appeals:
1) HF: Board of Appeals Ordinance needs to be tightened up. BOA members will workshop this again Thursday, April 20th at 6:00 PM.
2) Application received from Otisfield resident, Brendan Bedell. *Motion to accept Brendon Bedell as a Board of Appeal, Alternate member. HF/RM (2), (1) LA abstained. Discussion: LA: It’s not personal, I like Brendan but I do not feel he has enough experience at this point and the Appeals Board is a complex board. RM understands what LA is saying, but the way the BOA Ordinance and standards go, it’s so difficult to get an appeal that as a new person on the Board, with state required training and as an alternate, I feel he would learn quickly. Normally I would say 18 is young, but I would be supportive of him doing this. LA: Variance Appeal is almost impossible to get, but an administrative appeal is not. RM: If I felt he wasn’t good for the committee I’d say that but I think Brendon is smart and he’d make a good
member of any town board or committee. HF: We have no policy on age. All agree, that if he doesn’t work out, every board member and committee member serves at the will of the BOS and a discussion can be held at that point.
B. Conservation Committee:
1) Application received from Marc Corriveau. BOS would like for him to come in to the May 3rd BOS meeting to discuss.
2) Chair - Maureen Howard: We are going to do a cleanup day, but it will not fall on Earth Day as originally discussed because the snow banks are still huge. Conservation Committee is partnering up with TLEA on this and the very first Saturday in June is most likely when it will take place with a rain date of the 2nd Saturday. Insurance and names will be worked out ahead of time to be sure all volunteers are covered.
C. Finance Committee has a meeting tomorrow night, April 6, 2017 @ 7:00 PM.
6. DEPARTMENT HEADS:
A. None.
7. QUESTIONS/COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC:
A. None.
8. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT ITEMS:
A. Tax Abatement for Craig B. Adams. Didn’t get the homestead exemption he should have received on his property for $201.00 for the 2016/2017 tax season. A refund will be mailed if he paid his taxes in full, if he has unpaid taxes a credit will be applied to his account. *Motion to sign the abatement for Craig Adams. LA/HF – Unanimous.
B. Old Ambulance – Currently at the Spurrs’ Corner Fire Station. All agree it should go out to bid. AP will write something up with sealed bids being due May 17th at 7:00 PM. LA will move ambulance down to the Town Office parking lot with information provided on site.
C. Municipal Warrant for unlicensed dogs. *Motion to sign. LA/RM – Unanimous.
9. ADJUSTMENTS TO AGENDA
A. None.
10. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. Pleasant Lake Dam.
11. SELECTMEN’S ITEMS TO BE DISCUSSED & VOTED ON
A. Town Warrant: *Motion to sign Warrant # 18 to pay the town bills. LA/RM - Unanimous.
12. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD
A. Pleasant Lake Dam. An inspection was done last week. Another final inspection will be done in a few weeks to try the gate. T-Buck did a great job and 90% of the sandy bottom has been dredged and trucked away. An invoice for $18,228.00 above and beyond the last invoice was just received. This is to be split with Casco.
B. Western Maine Transportation Services Transit Feasibility Study Steering Committee: RM: I would like to thank Quen Henderson who has agreed to be our representative for this committee: Quen: The first meeting is tomorrow night at 4:00 PM.
C. Heating Maintenance: After a request from the BOS, James Reid Heating, Inc. out of Hebron has agreed to take over the Town of Otisfield heating maintenance. James has gone over all of the systems and would like to look at the Town Garage at no charge to see the set up. He’s going to meet with Harley Johnson at the Community Hall to alleviate the thermostat issue that was happening. HF: I like Charlie Bradbury, but the Town pays the bills. *Motion that we have Mr. Reid as the preferred heating contractor. HF/LA – Unanimous. AP will contact Mr. Reid to let him know and notify Charlie Bradbury as well
D. Spurs’ Corner septic: HF: While doing fire truck checks at the Spurrs’ Corner Station Monday, we realized the septic was backed up. Contacted Gary Dyer to have the snow and ice removed from the septic tank. Septic tank covers were uncovered and the tank is full. Contacted Harley Johnson to investigate further. Harley determined that there was no power to the pump and when an extension cord was used the pump did not respond. A new pump was ordered. Dyer septic pumped out septic yesterday. We’ll get Seth Field involved when the weather is better to correct the electrical issue. All agree that an audible alarm is needed.
13. EXECUTIVE SESSION:
A. *Motion to enter into executive session @ 8:45 PM to discuss personnel issues pursuant to 1 M.R.S.A.§405(6)(A) HF/LA – Unanimous. *Motion to close executive session at 9:14 PM. RM/HF – Unanimous.
14. ADJOURNMENT. *Motion to adjourn at 9:15 PM. HF/LA -Unanimous.
Respectfully submitted,
Tanya Taft, Secretary
Approved by:
Hal Ferguson, Chairman
Rick Micklon
Lenny Adler
Approved on April 19, 2017
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