Members Present: Rob Browne, Lauchlin Titus, and Phil Haines
Others Present: Mary Sabins, Mary Grow, Jim Ashton, Jane Aiudi, Tom Richards, Russell Smith, and Gene Field.
1. Call to order – The meeting was called to order by Chairman Haines at 7:00 p.m.
2. Minutes – On a motion made by L. Titus, seconded by R. Browne, the Board voted unanimously to accept the minutes of the 4/7/15 meeting as written.
3. Cemetery mowing bids (taken out of agenda order) – No cemetery mowing bids were received. Sabins stated that she had researched today the option of using a temp agency to find labor to mow the cemeteries. Bonney Staffing Agency has agreed to provide labor for a fee of $16 per hour, and the Agency assumes all liability for payroll taxes, and worker’s compensation and unemployment insurances. The Town would have to provide the mowing equipment, and move it from cemetery to cemetery for the worker as work was completed, because the Agency’s insurance company prohibits the worker from doing that. After much discussion with the members of the Cemetery Committee and Public Works Director Gene Field, the Selectmen decided this Temp Agency option was too burdensome on the public works staff and would inhibit their work productivity this summer. Instead, the Board chose to reduce the scope of mowing work to be performed this summer in an attempt to be able to afford to have the mowing completed by one of the contractors who had submitted an earlier solicited price that proved to be beyond the Town’s budget and financial means. After lengthy discussion and on a motion made by L. Titus, seconded by R. Browne, the Board voted unanimously to authorize the Town Manager to enter into a contract agreement with a mowing contractor up to the amount of $24,000 for the 2015 mowing season, and to amend the mowing specifications as needed to accomplish that task.
4. Review of Town Meeting Warrant Articles – The board members had previewed the draft of the warrant prior to the meeting. Chairman Haines noted a typographical error in Article 4 and brought that to Sabins attention for correction. Article 20 was lacking the Selectmen’s recommendation. On a motion made by L. Titus, seconded R. Browne, the Board voted unanimously to approve the article that would require the AOS92 Central Office budget to be available in the form of warrant articles at least 30 days prior to the date of the annual vote on the AOS 92 Central Office Budget. On Article 25, Chairman Haines requested that a note be added to the article to provide clarification that the CDBG grant would be used for the Sanitary District Sewer Project. Article 26, designed to combine old CDBG funds with TIF revenues was also supported unanimously by the Selectmen on a motion made by L. Titus, seconded by R. Browne. Lastly, the references to the School Committee recommendations had been changed at the request of the AOS92 Finance Director to School Board, but after research it was determined that the proper terminology in the Town of Vassalboro is School Committee and the articles will be re-worded to reflect it. The Select Board agreed by consensus to make these changes. A final review and signing of the warrant will be at the next Board meeting on May 7th.
5. Quitclaim Deed for Ivers Greenleaf – On a motion made by L. Titus, seconded by R. Browne, the Board voted unanimously to sign the quitclaim deed after receipt of the last three years of unpaid taxes.
6. Reports – a. Road Report - On a motion made by L. Titus, seconded by R. Browne, the Board voted unanimously to accept the report as presented. b. Financial Report - On a motion made by L. Titus, seconded by R. Browne, the Board voted unanimously to accept the report as presented. c. First Responders’ Report - On a motion made by L. Titus, seconded by R. Browne, the Board voted unanimously to accept the report as presented.
7. Treasurer’s Warrants – On a motion made by L. Titus, seconded by R. Browne, the Board voted unanimously to approve warrants #66, #67, and #68.
8. Other – 1. Sabins presented a list of building permit fees increases as recommended by the Planning Board. On a motion made by L. Titus, seconded by R. Browne, the Board voted unanimously to accept the Planning Board’s recommendation for increases, and to increase the fees as recommended effective July 1, 2015. 2. Sabins presented a list of town office building maintenance tasks that should be accomplished, and two appliances that should be replaced. After discussion, and on a motion made by L. Titus, seconded by R. Browne, the Board voted unanimously to approve the list of maintenance tasks to be done and appliances to be purchased at an estimated cost of $5,842. 3. Sabins informed the Board that the training line in the Administration budget is overdraft due to the interest in attending training classes by the staff, which Sabins encourages. The Board agreed that training is important, and supported the staff’s attendance when training is offered. Since there are extra funds in some of the other expense lines in the Administration budget, and a department overdraft is not anticipated, the Board stated they do not have a problem with over-expending the seminar/training line. 4. Selectman Titus stated that he had been made aware by some residents in the North Village area that a letter from Al Hodsdon concerning the status of the Vassalboro Sanitary District infrastructure was circulating in the neighborhood. The Hodsdon letter states that repairs can be made to the existing system cheaper than the proposed new sewer line to connect to Waterville would cost. No Board action was taken.
9. Adjourn – There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
/mss
These minutes were read and accepted by the Select Board on 5/7/15 with the following amendments: None.