PRESENT: Councilor Hogan, Councilor Cheney, Councilor Friedman and Councilor Kelly; Manager Reed, CEO A. Thomas, Assistant Clerk K. Gifford, CES Representative Pete Tuell, Superintendent of Public Works Butch Free, Fire Chief Gerry Martin and Police Chief Mark Leonard. Chairman Hathaway arrived late.
ITEM 1. The August 12, 2002 Veazie Town Council was called to order at 7:00 PM.
ITEM 2. Consideration of minutes:
Motion By: Councilor Hogan —to accept July 29, 2002 minutes as written. Seconded: Councilor Cheney, Vote 2-0-2 in favor. Councilor Friedman and Councilor Kelly abstained from voting due to being absent at the Council meeting.
ITEM 3. Consideration of the Agenda: There were no additions made to the agenda.
ITEM 4. Public Comments: There were no comments from the public.
ITEM 5a. DEP Notice - Landfill
Manager Reed stated that DEP came out and looked at the landfill. They had some concerns with metal sticking out through the surface. CEO Thomas went out and looked at the site and is going to contact Jim Parker at CES to see if anything else needs to be done besides removing the metal.
Councilor Cheney inquired on how this all came about, the metal has been sticking out for years. Manager Reed explained that all landfills are suppose to be reviewed by DEP. This is the first year the Town has been noticed for having problems. Councilor Cheney stated she thought that when the landfill closed back in 1974 they had the same standards. Manager Reed stated that there was a new landfill closure act implemented around 1984. Councilor Cheney inquired on whether it was safe for Public Works to be digging in the landfill. Manager Reed stated they wont be digging they will be surface pulling and mulching over. Manager Reed outlined that Jim Parker, of CES, will be testing the air quality if required to make sure it is safe before Public Works begins the work.
ITEM 6a. Municipal Building Update
CES Representative Pete Tuell was present to give an update on the municipal building project. He stated that the new ladder truck is here and it does fit into the fire bay. Pete Tuell added that Buck Construction is proceeding as quickly as they can. The siding is progressing very well. The concrete slab has been laid for the addition to the fire bay. The steel frame will soon be started. Pete Tuell stated that Silvers Construction crew has been back. The last piece they have is to install the electrical conduits. Once that is complete Barney Silver will either have Lane Construction or Sunrise come in and do the finegrading and then the pavement can be put down. Adelphia has been here to do the cable work, Verizon still needs to come back.
Pete Tuell stated that they are now on a critical path, a decision needs to be made on the canopy. It ties in with the siding and prevents Silvers Construction from paving. Pete Tuell stated he met with David Merritt and came up with a design. Pete Tuell showed this design to the Council members. He stated that Buck Construction has priced it out and it comes to $86,000 for the canopy. However, Pete Tuell stated he just received this estimate today and hasn’t had a chance to go over it with David Merritt and ‘tweek’ the design. Pete Tuell stated that if the glass vestibule was eliminated it would save around $10,000. He added that glass and electronically time doors are expensive. Perhaps the design can be ‘tweeked’ to save the Town money.
Councilor Friedman inquired on whether the Town would really be saving money because he knows of businesses that have been sued over their wheelchair accessibility. The Council stated that it should be done right regardless of whether there is only one individual who occasionally uses the wheelchair ramp. Pete Tuell stated he would like to sit down with David Merritt and go over the design and perhaps cut the cost down. The Council stated they would be interested in seeing some different ideas without compromising the wheelchair accessibility.
Pete Tuell discussed insulating the walls in the fire bay. Manager Reed stated he is holding off right now because it would cost $19,000. Manager Reed outlined that he did not want to put up insulation liners if permanent fixtures such as lockers were going to be put up. Pete Tuell stated he could do up a cost/benefit ratio to see how much the Town would save on heating fuel. The Council was very interested in this idea because they are discussing heating costs every year.
ITEM 6b. Public Works Project Update
Superintendent of Public Works Butch Free was present to bring the Council up to date on projects that Public Works has been working on. Superintendent Free stated the sidewalk on Thompson Road is nearly complete. The street paving and sidewalk paving is scheduled for the end of this month. Superintendent Free outlined that Sunrise felt that School Street and Thompson Road could be finished before the start of school. Superintendent Free clarified that this is a goal not a guarantee.
The Ridgeview Drive beautification project is complete. The installation of two catch basins and a drainage system will prevent the ice build up and flooding near the intersection of Ridgeview Drive and State Street.
Superintendent Free stated that approximately two thousand feet of curbing has been installed through out the Town this summer. A small portion was to repair snowplow damage, but most of it was installed in new areas.
Superintendent Free outlined that there have been thirteen burials so for this summer which is a lot for this time of the year. He added that Gary Smith of Brookings and Smith stated that the Town’s cemetery was one of the prettiest and best kept cemeteries in the area thanks to Nancy Free.
Spring cleanup yielded 86,000 lbs of demo, twenty eight tons of chips, and eighteen ten yard loads of brush. There was also six 4x4 pallets of miscellaneous computer equipment and TVs collected. Crow Industries of Ellsworth picked up the pallets for recycling.
Superintendent Free outlined that for the past twelve years Foreman Gary Hammond and himself have been attending an assortment of highway-oriented seminars to earn enough credits to qualify as “Road Scholars”. He was proud to announce that they both now qualify for that award and a plaque will be presented at the annual Public Works Banquet this coming spring. Manager Reed pointed out that this is a high achievement in Public Works, it is comparative to a certification.
Superintendent Free stated that the School Street beautification project is now complete thanks to Tom Broad of Casco Bay who purchased several trees and donated them to the project and to his crew of many who helped with the planting.
Currently he is waiting for the Sewer District to complete their work so that the paving process can start on School Street. Superintendent Free spoke with Superintendent Gary Brooks and stressed that he would like to have School Street paved by the start of school. Superintendent Brooks stated that they will be speeding up on the process of raising the basin covers and risers.
Councilor Cheney inquired on how much of School Street will be paved. Superintendent Free stated it will be paved from the Chase Road down to the corner of Oak Grove. Councilor Cheney inquired on whether the railroad tracks would be paved. Superintendent Free stated that they will be paved. Manager Reed added that they will have to get a permit from the Maine Department of Transportation to do work on the road and tracks. Superintendent Free stated they will probably grind the area down so there isn’t so much of a dip when they are driven over.
Superintendent Free stated that the department is currently working with the water district to purchase the required metering and backflow preventer for the new water-reel. He outlined that he would like to make the unit portable so it can be used for other things besides the sport fields, for example, the cemetery and the lawn in front of the school. Superintendent Free is going to talk with Fire Chief Gerry Martin about purchasing fire house to make this possible.
The winter salt/sand pile is now in process. Foreman Gary Hammond will be hauling all of the eight hundred yards of sand from Orono as the department was unable to take delivery two weeks ago due to the deconstruction of the parking lot.
Along with these projects the department has been busy with their regular duties. Superintendent Free stated the department has also been working closely with Hill/Martin on the construction of the new plow truck. He has made two trips to Berwick so far and will need to make at least two more before the completion in September.
Lastly, the department has been working very closely with GZA, an independent agency hired by the Town to advise the department about the requirements of the EPA and DEP. An all day class will be attended this week by members of the Public Works Department and Fire Department.
Councilor Cheney had a few questions for Superintendent Free. She outlined that it had been pointed out by a citizen that most of the trees on School Street will die because they should have been planted in the spring. Superintendent Free stated that they should have been planted in the spring but the trees were not received until well into the summer. Superintendent Free stated that the trees are watered daily and he has noticed that several of the trees are turning brown.
Councilor Cheney also inquired on the curbs that have been put down. Her concern is that they will be dug up in the winter by the plow. Superintendent Free stated that there are curb protectors on the plows and they have also purchased markers and reflectors. This should hopefully minimize damage to the curbing. He noted that on the cul-de-sacs they used a different style curbing called Cape Cod which is designed so that the plow will go up over it.
Councilor Cheney also inquired on a catch basin on the Chase Road. It appeared that a mower had cut off the top of the catch basin. She added that it has been repaired and wondered whether it was Public Works that fixed it. Superintendent Free stated that he didn’t fix it and would look into it.
Lastly Councilor Cheney inquired on whether Public Works does the street sweeping on State Street in the spring. Superintendent Free stated that it is a State roadway and the State maintains it. Councilor Cheney pointed out that there is a big pile of gravel between the Stucco Lodge and the Chase Road.
Chairman Hathaway inquired on the sand/salt pile and why the department wouldn’t contract out and have one of the big wheelers bring it in. They are double the capacity and it would save wear and tear on our trucks. Superintendent Free stated he would look into it.
ITEM 7. Manager’s Report:
7a. The Fire Department’s monthly report
7b. Enclosed was a memo from Allan Thomas, CEO, updating the Council on a subdivision project. The former Susan Grover project located off of Chase Road looks to be moving forward. Manager Reed stated he believed that Sue Grover has sold the subdivision to Stan MacMillian. Councilor Cheney inquired on whether they would be putting a gas line in. CEO Thomas stated that there is no gas line on the Chase Road but they can still put one in the development.
7c. Enclosed was a copy of the flyer that was put out in the stores pertaining to the vacancy on the school committee. The deadline was extended to the 21st of August due to the fact that the cable system is still down due to the building project. Councilor Cheney inquired on what the process was if there were three or four people interested in the position. Manager Reed stated that then the Council would have an interview process.
7d. Enclosed was a copy of the bill of sale to William Pontbriant. He agreed to dispose of the trailer once the sale was complete.
ITEM 8. Requests for Information/Council Comments: There were no requests for information or comments from the Council.
ITEM 9. Warrants: Town Warrant 3, 3A & 3B Town Payroll Warrant 3, School Warrant 3 and School Payroll Warrant 3 were circulated and signed.
Councilor Friedman wanted it noted that not one person on the school committee signed the warrants. Councilor Friedman asked Manager Reed to convey to the school committee that the warrants need to be signed.
ITEM 10. Adjournment: Motion: Councilor Hogan —to adjourn August 12, 2002, Town Council Meeting. Seconded: Councilor Hathaway, Voted 5-0 in favor. There was no further discussion. Meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Karen Gifford
Assistant Clerk
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