Selectmen’s Minutes, April 7, 2016

TOWN OF SEDGWICK

SELECTMEN’S MEETING

April 7, 2016

 

Opened the meeting and declared a quorum present.  Selectmen present:  Ben Astbury, Neil Davis.  Also present:  Bob Publicover, Marti Brill, School Committee chairman Susan Ford, CEO Duane Ford, Treasurer Cindy Reilly, Tax Collector Elizabeth Gray, Assistant Barbara Grindle.

Moved, seconded and voted 2-0 to accept the minutes of the last meeting.

Review and signed the treasurer’s warrant for $44,795.35; Tarring and roads $4,545, final payment on the snow contract $26,062.18, fire department bills $1,851.04, general assistance $794.08, and administration $7,959.97.

PUBLIC BUSINESS:  School Committee chairman Ford and school committee member Brill reported on the Interim Superintendent’s resignation and the special meeting of the school committee to discuss several items and present the agenda for the meeting.  Some of the subjects on the agenda relate to possible withdrawal from the Union and options to be considered if they decide to do so.  Also on the agenda are options to do with hiring a superintendent.  Ford will keep the selectboard updated on the work being done by the committee.

OLD BUSINESS:  Discussed appointments after a phone call from Selectman Pert gave them the OK.  Moved, seconded and voted 2-0 to sign the appointments listed on the appointment sheet.  Astbury abstained from signing several because of a possible conflict of interest.  Pert will sign them when he comes in next week.

Doomsday, April 1, found no one in to declare changes in tax situations.  Several had been received in the previous week.  Reviewed one application received for a veteran’s exemption and placed it in the assessing agent’s basket.

Assessing Agent Caldwell and his team will be in town in May to review changes in assessment prior to sending tax bills in August.  Davis spoke with him about addressing delinquent tax payers and how to fairly address the issue.  Astbury suggested some ways to come up with a ‘metric’ that will treat all taxpayers equally.  Suggestions made to involve CEO and Assistant as well as Selectmen in the assessing process.

NEW BUSINESS:  Began discussing items for the next years’ agenda.

Clerk Reilly and Collector Gray discussed notary public applications (Reilly is up for renewal and Gray would like to become a notary so that there is always someone in the office to notarize if needed).  Assistant will check application process and it will be discussed next week.

Town Dock committee met on Apr. 6 at6 the office.  Ford updated the board on progress.  Next meeting will be set for April 21 at 5 pm at the town office.

CEO REPORT:  Working on sales records as a help in assessing home improvements, position as LPI also a help in finding improvements that have not been reported with a building notification form.  He is also getting shoreland zoning material from the state to assist the planning board in its review of the ordinance.

ADJOURN:  There being no further business, it was moved, seconded and voted 2-0 to adjourn at 7:25 pm.  Pert is feeling better and hopes to be in the office next week.

 

Ben Astbury, Selectman