TOWN OF TREMONT
REGULAR SELECTMEN’S MEETING
TREMONT COMMUNITY BUILDING
MONDAY, JULY 24, 2006
6:00 PM
1. CALL TO ORDER
The Regular Selectmen’s Meeting of July 24, 2006 was called to order by Chairman Scott Grierson at 6:00 pm.
2. ROLL CALL
Present were Chairman Scott Grierson, Selectmen Charlie Dillon, Heath Higgins, Kathi Thurston, Chris Eaton, Town Manager Millard Billings, Recording Secretary Debbi Nickerson.
Members of the public present were Mark Good – Islander, Wayne Libhart – Tremont Cemetery Committee, Heidi Farley – Tremont Rec Board, Dianne Waters – Principal of Tremont Consolidated School, James Harper, Jr., and Laurie Schreiber – Bar Harbor Times.
3. ADJUSTMENTS/ADOPTION OF AGENDA
None
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JULY 10, 2006
Motion made by Selectman Charlie Dillon, with second by Selectman Heath Higgins, to accept the minutes of July 10th as written. Chairman Scott Grierson asked to have page 5 changed to “The Selectmen decided to take no action as long as Tremont gets to use the Black Box occasionally.” The motion was amended to accept the minutes of July 10th as amended. Selectman Kathi Thurston expressed concern with the wording on the last page (page 7). She had concerns about what was in the paper and if any of the article was from executive session. Mark Good, author of the article explained that he had several sources of information for his article.
It was agreed to change the wording on page 7 to better reflect the action taken by the Select Board when they came out of executive session.
Motion made by Chairman Scott Grierson, with second by Selectman Charlie Dillon, to change page 7 to “The Selectmen authorized the Town Manager to contact the Lyons. The offer would be: The Lyons would get the Hinton house on Lopaus Point and Paul’s mother’s house on Steamboat Wharf Road in exchange for $250,000.00 for each, the Bass Harbor Memorial Library and Southwest Harbor Animal Shelter and the Red Store Lot and the Hinton Subdivision Lot Number 5. The motion was again amended to accept the minutes of July 10th as amended. Motion passed by a show of hands 5-0.
5. APPROVAL OF WARRANTS
Motion made by Selectman Charlie Dillon, with second by Selectman Heath Higgins, to approve Warrants 4 – 7 and Warrants 9 – 11. Motion passed by a show of hands 5-0.
Motion made by Selectman Charlie Dillon, with second by Selectman Heath Higgins, to table Warrant 8 until after 6. B. [Rec Board funds for Backside Blast August 5]. Motion passed by show of hands 5-0.
6. NEW BUSINESS
A. UPDATE NEW TOWN OFFICE
Town Manager Millard Billings said the first floor walls and vault are in place. Except for the vault area the floor on the second level has been installed and they are working on installing the walls. Roof trusses are expected by the end of the week. The first Change Order has been issued to change the 2x4 nailer to a 2x6 nailer because the bar joist are to high to use a 2x4 nailer. CES is investigating if the vault floors should be pre-cast or poured in place. The finish on the lower level slab is too rough to accept tile. Goodwin’s will be contacted to sand or grind the floor smooth and fill in the low spots. Because the grade was changed along the side of the building when the elevation was dropped in the front, more concrete shows then original
planned. The Selectmen agreed to plant taller bushes or trees to cover that up. They also agreed to hang the vinyl siding on an angle rather then in steps as shown on the plans. Cement core samples were sent out, but the results are not known yet.
B. REC BOARD FUNDS FOR BACKSIDE BLAST AUGUST 5
Heidi Farley with the Rec Board explained they needed $2,000.00 for the Backside Blast. Clear Channel Radio needs $1,000.00, of which $700.00 has been raised, $500.00 for Danny Harper and $500.00 for food, etc. Selectman Kathi Thurston asked how much money the Rec Board had netted on the Blast last year. $2,500.00 to 2,600.00 was the reply.
Motion made by Selectman Charlie Dillon, with second by Selectman Chris Eaton, to accept Warrant 8. Motion passed by a show of hands 5-0.
Town Manager Millard Billings asked what would be the best time for the Selectmen to be at the Blast to award a plaque to Harvey Kelley for his service to the town. The Selectmen agreed to Town Manager Billings presenting the plaque at 1:45 pm.
Principal Walters asked to have 6. D. before 6. C. but the Cemetery Committee Representative objected.
C. CEMETERIES
1. ACQUISITION OF REED’S (SEAL COVE) CEMETERY
a. An agreement has been reached by the disputed Reed Cemetery lot owners (see attached).
b. The Cemetery Committee recommends the Town of Tremont acquire the Reed’s Cemetery.
Motion made by Selectman Charlie Dillon, with second by Selectman Heath Higgins, with respect to the Seal Cove Cemetery, the Selectmen find that the due diligence required by the statute has been met and there are no objections to the town declaring the cemetery an abandoned cemetery and the town, considering it abandoned, takes control of it and the proper certificate will be registered with the Registry of Deeds. Motion passed by a show of hands 5-0.
Motion made by Selectman Charlie Dillon, with second by Selectman Heath Higgins, to file the letters from the Harper’s and Reed’s and their claims to lots in that [Reed’s] cemetery. Motion passed by a show of hands 5-0.
Motion made by Selectman Heath Higgins, with second by Selectman Charlie Dillon, to leave the agenda at 6. C. 2. and go to 6. D. Motion passed by a show of hands 5-0.
D. COMMUNITY BUILDING RENOVATIONS FOR SCHOOL
The Selectmen suggested to Principal Waters eliminating the foyer and having entries from each room into the gym. Principal Water agreed. A door between the two rooms was also well received. Chairman Scott Grierson reiterated that the town is commissioning the work and the school is reimbursing the town. Principal Waters agreed. Principal Waters was also concerned that the renovation would go over budget. Chairman Grierson assured her that would be avoided if possible. Also, the mats in the gym will be moved down to the far side of the gym except during lunch time.
E. AGENDA ITEM 6. C. 2. SURVEY OF INTERIOR LOTS OF RICH CEMETERY
Town Manager Millard Billings asked for authorization to put out to bid the mapping of the Rich Cemetery (see attached).
Motion made by Selectman Heath Higgins, with second by Selectman Charlie Dillon, to authorize Town Manager Millard Billings to put together Rich Cemetery bid packets. Motion passed by a show of hands 5-0.
F. AGENDA ITEM 6. C. 3. DETERMINE SALE PRICE OF LOTS
The town has been using a 14 year old fee schedule and Town Manager Billings requests authority to raise the price. The Selectmen agreed to have Town Manager Billings ask different towns their going rate for cemetery lots.
G. AGENDA ITEM 6. E. SALT/SAND BIDS
The Selectmen approved of the bid package and ad Town Manager Millard Billings put together (see attached).
H. AGENDA ITEM 6. F. APPROVAL OF URIP FUNDS
The Selectmen need to certify and sign the URIP distributed by MDOT (see attached).
Motion made by Selectman Heath Higgins, with second by Selectman Kathi Thurston, to use URIP monies only for Capital Improvements on public roads. Motion passed by a show of hands 5-0.
7. OLD BUSINESS
Chairman Scott Grierson recounted his trip along some of the Tremont/Southwest Harbor Town Line with Mike Blaney with Acadia National Park. Chairman Grierson felt he had a productive talk with Mr. Blaney and he stressed that the towns have not changed the Town Line, the Park has.
8. TOWN MANAGER’S REPORT
A. Town Manager Millard Billings visited Gott’s Island again and the road had begun drying out. But with the recent rains the work may be postponed.
B. Town Manager Millard Billings has contacted Eric Strauss and he is willing to sign an agreement to ditch some of the water from the road on Gott’s Island to his property. Mr. Billings has spoken to George Silver, who would like to see where the ditches will be before he agrees to the process.
C. Town Manager Millard Billings has left a message for Jon Cullen of DEP to see if the town can drop a wheeler load of clean stone off the end of a barge on the beach to then move by loader bucket up onto the road on Gott’s Island. Selectman Chris Eaton suggested talking to Mr. Weinberg to see if the town can quarry on his property.
D. The Public Works crew has spread inch-minus on both the Turner and Carter Roads. Gott’s is being called to get a big machine up there to grade.
E. The Public Works crew is moving the ledge rocks around at the garage to make space to stockpile salt/sand and channel the run-off towards the marsh.
F. Town Manager Billings is concerned about setting rocks on top of the steep bank at the new town office site, because someone would roll them out onto 102A. He feels a guard rail will be needed there. Selectman Chris Eaton suggested pinning the rocks to the top parking lot.
9. SUGGESTIONS/COMMENTS FOR NEXT MEETING
None
10. OTHER
Chairman Scott Grierson is concerned about motorcycles on the loose gravel on the curve near the town office. Town Manager Billings has called DOT.
Selectman Kathi Thurston stated that Scott Harper spoke to her about a culvert on Flat Iron Rd. Town Manager Millard Billings explained to the Board that the land on the other side of the road is above the culvert. The Town Manger explained to the Board that a permit would be needed from DEP and drainage easements from the abutters to get the other side of the road lower than the culvert. The Town Manager suggested having Jon Culler come down to see about getting a permit by rule to dig in the wet land. Charlie Dillon agreed that having Mr. Culler come down would be a good idea.
There was further discussion about the letter not being received by the Lyons before they read the article in the newspaper. A member of the Select Board had checked at the Post Office and found that a substitute Postal Worker had been working that day and the letter was delivered to the wrong address. Chairman Scott Grierson stated that “Millard did what we asked him to do”, and Charlie Dillon agreed.
Motion made by Selectman Heath Higgins, with second made by Selectman Kathi Thurston, to go into executive session under acquisition of real property or economic development subsection 405 (6) (C). Motion passed by a show of hands 5-0. The Selectmen went into executive session at 7:40 pm.
Motion made by Selectman Heath Higgins, with second by Selectman Chris Eaton, to leave executive session and reconvene the regular meeting. Motion passed by a show of hands 5-0. The Selectmen came out of executive session at 8:20 pm.
Motion made by Selectman Chris Eaton, with second by Selectman Charlie Dillon, to give Millard the authority to negotiate with Bernard residences pertaining to shore related access. Motion passed by a show of hands 5-0.
Town Manager Millard Billings voiced concerns about negotiating without stepping on the toes of the negotiating committee. After some discussion it was decided to let the committee approach landowners.
11. SET DATE FOR NEXT MEETING
August 7, 2006
12. ADJOURN
Motion made by Selectman Charlie Dillon, with second by Selectman Chris Eaton, to adjourn. The motion passed by a show of hands 5-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:28 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Debbi Nickerson
Recording Secretary
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Scott Grierson Charlie Dillon
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Heath Higgins Katharine Thurston
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Chris Eaton
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