TOWN OF STETSON
SELECTMEN’S
MINUTES
Date: May 11, 2011
I. OPEN MEETING
The meeting was opened
by Don Carroll leading the Pledge of Allegiance.
A. ROLL CALL
Donald
Carroll, Brenda Clark, Lois Hawes, and George Hockstadter. (Terry White was out of Town)
B. MINUTES OF THE MEETING
1.
Approve Selectmen’s Meeting Minutes of April
27, 2011
2.
Approve Special Selectmen’s Meeting Minutes of
May 6, 2011
Upon motion by Lois
Hawes, seconded by Brenda Clark, it was unanimously voted to approve both the
April 27, 2011 and the May 6, 2011 Meeting Minutes as written.
C. QUIT CLAIM
DEEDS
None.
D.
WARRANT
Payroll Warrant
– Approve warrant # 60
Upon motion by Lois
Hawes, seconded by George Hockstadter, it was unanimously voted to approve
Warrant #60.
Expenditures –
Approve warrant # 59 & # 61
Upon
motion George Hockstadter, seconded by Brenda Clark, it was unanimously voted
to approve Warrant #59.
Upon
motion by George Hockstadter, seconded by Don Carroll it was voted 2 (George
and Don) to approve Warrant #61, and 2 (Brenda and
Lois) not to approve Warrant # 61.
Lois
Hawes questioned the payment to the Attorney office (Farrell, Rosenblatt, &
Russell) Lois felt that the advise needed dealing with Public Information had
all ready been given by MMA Legal and the town did not have to spend another
$87.00 for the same information.
Lois
Hawes also stated that she will not approve the $720.00 that was submitted on
the bill from RJ Webber dealing with the Burleigh Road and Loon Cove.
Brenda
Clark stated that she will not approve the $1,620.oo that was submitted on the
bill from RJ Webber dealing with the Coboro Road and Mount Pleasant Road.
Results
of Warrant Approval:
All checks could be released because the above vote would allow 3 to 1
on both Farrell, Rosenblatt & Russell and RJ
Webber’s checks.
Consensus
of the Board was to transfer $100.000.00 form the checking account to the
Undesignated Account.
E.
BOARD OF ASSESSORS
Don Carroll reported
that the Assessing should be completed in the next two Wednesdays. ( May 29, 2011)
II. OLD BUSINESS
1.
Tax
Acquired – Mullen Road Property – Extension
Mr. Ready (winning
bidder) contacted Don Carroll and requested an Extension on his balance of the
bid until May 31, 2011. Mr. Ready was
aware that extensions had been given before and also needed the extension. Don Carroll stated that would see no problem
granting the extension until May 31, 2011, but if the balance ($7,600.00) is
not paid in full by May 31, 2011 then Mr. Ready will forfeit his $200.00
deposit.
Consensus of the Board was
to allow the extension until May 31, 2011.
2.
Certificate
of Occupancy
Consensus of the Board
was to table this agenda item for a full Board.
Don Carroll did report that he had spoken with MMA and was informed that
the Certificate of Occupancy will be part of the New Building Code and needs to
be in place for all building permits, not just the permits needing Bank
financing as the Planning Board had intended.
III. NEW BUSINESS
The Board signed a
letter thanking Ernest Desrosiers for his years of service monitoring Pleasant
Lake and reporting the Water Quality Summary every year to the Town of Stetson.
(Lois Hawes requested
that the spelling of her name be checked and verified by the office concerning
documents that require signatures from the Board)
IV. COMMITTEE REPORT
A. ANIMAL CONTROL Nothing.
B. APPEALS BOARD Don will put the word out in the News
Letter requesting more members.
C.
CEMETERY Don Carroll reported that the inmates have
been raking leaves in the cemeteries all week.
Two cemeteries have been completed and the Coboro Cemetery will be
worked on tomorrow. If they do not
complete Coboro cemetery, then the Board will have to hire someone to finish
the cemeteries before Memorial Day. Don
also stated that we need someone to fix the lawns at the Town Office and the
Meeting House.
Don also requested
that the office keep a file of the actual ads that are placed in the Rolling Thunder
news paper for future reference.
D.
CODE
ENFORCEMENT OFFICER Nothing.
E. E911 Nothing.
F. EDUCATION
Don reminded the Board and the Public of the
informational meeting taking place May 12, 2011 at 7:oo
pm at the Meeting House and encouraged all to attend.
G.
EMERGENCY PREPARENESS COMMITTEE Nothing.
H.
EMT/RESCUE Nothing.
I.
FIRE DEPARTMENT Nothing.
J.
MEETINGHOUSE Lois Hawes stated that the church that is
renting the Meeting House should be thanked for the excellent job that they are
doing at keeping our building clean and taking care of it the way we would all
like to see.
Connie Merrill being present,
stated that the Meeting House Trustees would meet as often as the Board of
Selectmen would like them to meet.
K
PARKS & RECREATION Nothing.
L. PLANNING BOARD Nothing.
M.
PLUMBING INSPECTOR Nothing.
N. RECYCLING & SOLID WASTE COLLECTION
1. Gat
report
Don Carroll reported
that towns have until July 1, 2011 to change their present GAT (Guaranteed
Annual Tonnage). Don suggested that the
Town of Stetson lower their figure. Don
explained that the Town is not penalized for going over the amount committed
to, but are penalized if we are below the amount committed. In 2009:
772 Tons was reported,
in 2010 657 Tons was reported.
Last year (2011) the Town went with 835 GAT and we did not meet that
number.
Consensus of the Board
was to table further discussion for a full board to be present.
O.
ROAD COMMISSIONER Not Present
P. STATE
LEGISLATIVE CORRESP Waiting
on proposed laws regarding Foreclosures and GA and how they will affect the
towns.
Q.
TREASURER Nothing.
R.
WELFARE
DIRECTOR Nothing.
S.
MEMORIAL
COMMITTEE Nothing.
T.
OTHER
Appointment of
Election Clerks:
See attached list:
Consensus of the Board
was to appoint the list provided by Diane Lacadie.
V.
TRAINING
None.
VI.
PUBLIC
COMMENTS
Carolyn Merrill:
questioned when the holes will be patched on Lapoint Road. She noticed that some holes have been done,
but when being done there is a lot of water and the patching does not stay in
place. Connie also stated that when MEN
are present at a meeting, their hats should be removed! Connie reminded the Board that Mr. Webber is
not the Road Commissioner, John Biggar is and noted
that the Merrill Road is in terrible shape.
Don Carroll: stated that the present
detour is destroying our roads, and he has contacted Michaud and Collin’s
office to request a temporary waiver for the weight increase on the interstate
from the present 80,000 lbs back to 100,000 lbs.
Charles
Leighton:
stated that he feels the Boards priorities in dealing with the roads are
off. Charles felt that the purchase and
the placement of culverts are not an emergency and could be completed at a
later date when and if more funds were available. Charles questioned the work on the Blasidell
Road being a dead-end road, questioned
the end of Mt Pleasant road being done twice, and questioned the shape of the
Coboro Road from all the new homes on is a disgrace. Charles also stated that the roads are not
being graded properly, the water is setting in the middle of the roads, the roads should be crowned.
Charles
also questioned how the “Road Maintenance” and “Road Improvement” differ in how
they are dispersed. Don Carroll
explained that the amount of monies set forth for the “Road Improvement Acct”
is decided at Town Meeting. Don went on
to explain that “If you change a culvert to a DIFFERENT size, then it is Road
Improvement, if you change a culvert to the SAME size, then it is Road
Maintenance. Don also informed the
public that John Biggar is the one to decide what he needs to complete the work
at hand. Charles stated, “that may be true, but reminded the Board that it is up to
the Board of Selectmen to hold the purse strings and should watch those purse
strings in the best interest of the Town”.
Don
Carroll:
informed the Board that Terry White (not being present) had received a
complaint on the Merrill Road to be graded, and stated that it is going to be
done in the near future. Don also stated
that he will pass the concerns of the priorities and will keep a
closer eye on the dollar figures.
George
Hockstadter:
Stated that Coboro, Mt. Pleasant, and Blaisdell Road need work and the
Board should sit down with John Biggar and discuss and set priorities.
Brenda
Clark:
Coboro Road is graded and smooth, Scott Webber done a good job, but
there are piles of sand on both sides.
Brenda also stated that by Mr. Babcock’s is not graded, and Brenda has
had to replace struts and rims on her vehicle.
Brenda feels that a lot of the Town’s money is out in the ditch.
Randy
Randall:
Stated that Coboro Road has a pile of dirt on both sides a foot
high. The road is worse this year than
last year. Randy also reported that the Coboro Road sign and pole are missing,
it was just leaning over, but since the road has been graded, the sign is
missing. Randy also questioned if there
is a way to provide a ride to the hospital for his grandmother instead of
calling 911. This type of instance does
require a 911 call and an ambulance to arrive on scene.
Connie
Merrill:
reported that Kelley Merrill had called Terry White about grading the
Merrill Road, Everett’s landing, and Albert’s point. The residents have waited a week and the road
has not been done. Connie requested that
Kelley Merrill be aloud to grade the road?
Marlene Webber spoke up and stated that it has been extremely wet, but
Mr. Webber will be there by the end of the week to grade the roads. Connie stated they cannot wait another week
and she would prefer that Kelly Merrill do the work.
Consensus
of the Board was to allow Kelley Merrill to do the grading work on Merrill
Road, Everett’s Landing and Albert’s point; the town does not have a contract
with Mr. Webber for all road work.
Carolyn
Merrill: also
questioned if Mr. Webber has a contract with the town for grading. Carolyn was told “No”, John Biggar hires the
road work, and anything over $5,000 goes out to bid.
Randy
Randall:
stated that the roads were a lot better when Mr. Merrill was doing them.
Delores
Butler:
stated that there is no way Mr. Webber worked 9 hours on the Coboro Road grading on April
29, 2011 as his bill stated.
Brenda
Clark:
stated that Mr. Webber was on Coboro Road at 8:30 am and gone by 4:00
p.m.
Don
Carroll:
stated that Thibodeau, Merrill and Webber all have graders in town. Maintaining dirt roads is not an easy job and
we have had the same complaints for the past 20 years and will continue to have
the same complaints.
Lois
Hawes:
stated that Thibodeau had a gift for grading but believes he is now
retired. Lois stated that there is also
someone in Corrinna that does a “cracker jack” job.
George
Hockstadter: stated he also sees piles of dirt on
the side of some roads.
Don
Carroll:
will talk to John Biggar and Richard Webber. There is a school for grader drivers, and the
school will actually bring the grader to your town and it operators of
surrounding towns and teach them the proper way of grading. This information has been given to Mr. Biggar before, but it
has never been taken advantage of.
Charles
Leighton:
questioned the “$5,000.00 bid limit” and asked how many times this
process has been taken advantage of and the work actually gone out to bid? Don Carroll replied by stating, “Blaisdell,
Burleigh, and Coboro have gone out to bid in previous years. Charles again questioned how all the work is
being kept under the $5,000 bid mark???
Tina
Randall:
also stated that the Coboro Road by Mr. Babcock’s is atrocious even
since the road has been graded. She
stated that there is ledge sticking up from the road surface and she is going
to loose her oil pan on her car if it is not fixed.
Don
Carroll: stated that the amount of money for
Road Improvements is designated at Town Meeting, and that presently there is only
enough money in the budget for maintenance and emergency repairs. Don stated that the weather is bad for work
on dirt roads, and will pass all of this evenings concerns
on to John Biggar and require him to be at the Selectmen’s meetings to address
and answer the concerns of citizens.
VII.
SELECTMEN
COMMENTS
Lois Hawes: addressed a complaint
she had received that when culverts are put in and the tubing is removed from
the new culverts to put the tubing in the trash, not to leave it on the side of
the road.
VIII.
EXECUTIVE
SESSION
None.
IX.
ADJOURNMENT
Upon motion by George
Hockstadter, seconded by Lois Hawes, it was unanimously voted to adjourn the
meeting at 8:10 p.m.
_______________________________Donald
Carroll
_______________________________Brenda
Clark
_______________________________Lois
Hawes
_______________________________George
Hockstadter
_______________________________Terry
White (not present)
Minutes
recorded by
Diane
Lacadie