Selectmen’s Minutes, April 14, 2016

TOWN OF SEDGWICK

SELECTMEN’S MEETING

April 14, 2016

 

Opened the meeting and declared a quorum.  Selectmen present:  Ben Astbury, Neil Davis.  Also present:  Nelson Grindal, Melody Lewis-Kane, Richard Kane, Dorothy Carey, Victor Smith, Bob Publicover, Robert Jones, Road Commissioner Paul Carter, CEO Duane Ford, Treasurer Cindy Reilly, Tax Collector Elizabeth Gray, Dennis DeSilvey, Assistant Barbara Grindle.

 

Read and voted 2-0 to accept the minutes of the last meeting.

 

Reviewed and signed the treasurer’s warrant for $81,996.14; school expenses $73,661.19, animal control for $50, road expenses $7,089.

 

PUBLIC BUSINESS:  Taxpayers from Rope Ferry Road concerned about traffic at an educational gathering at Strong Brewery.  Road Commissioner will place signage keeping vehicles back from the corner of Rope Ferry and the intersection so visibility won’t be as restricted.  The visibility from Blue Hill and Deer Isle areas isn’t very bad, but the visibility from the Penobscot area is not at all good.  There were objections to the event, which is to train people how to slaughter and butcher pigs in conjunction with a Halcyon Grange event Saturday April 23 at the brewery and April 24 at the Grange Hall in North Blue Hill.

 

OLD BUSINESS:  Selectmen received a letter from FEMA regarding the new FloodPlain Ordinance which was voted on at town meeting in March.  CEO Ford will be attending a meeting with the group next week and will take care of the letter.  The ordinance is on the town website but Sedgwick has very few changes in the maps, which are available for viewing at the town office during office hours.

Planning board chairman and selectmen will get Site Plan changes to assistant for printing and then will meet again to review the changes.

Davis attended the school board withdrawal meeting on Monday, April 11.  No decisions have been made either in the matter of withdrawal or in the search for a superintendent, which was also on the agenda for the meeting.

Walker Pond Public Access:  Schedule established for the employees starting this Saturday, April 16.  Nelson Grindal volunteered to help with the caretaking and maintenance, coordinating with Andy Gray for work with the cutting and chipping of wood for the paths.  Discussion on how the chips could be utilized and stored.

Harbormaster is getting equipment and floats in the water for the Town Landing.  He will do what work needs to be done for the summer while the grant plans and bids are being administered.  Actual grant work may not start until the fall.  Harbormaster Bill Grant and Deputy Harbormaster Duane Ford are talking care of the oversight of the project, the engineer is still working on finalizing the plans.  The final plans will not be ready for the harbor meeting on April 21, but tentative plans will be available for discussion.

 

NEW BUSINESS:  Peter Dauk is cleaning up the sides of the roads in his home area, especially the tires.  Wanted to know if there was a way he could utilize a discount for the tires.  Selectmen will check with treasurer to see how much money left in the town account at the transfer station.

Hearse House shingling should be started by the middle of May.  Exact date will depend on the weather.

 

CEO REPORT:  Town needs to work on updating the Shoreland Zone Ordinance. He will try to get a colored version of the state’s changes for the planning board to work with.  Provided real estate sales for the past year to assist the assessors in finding changes. The assessing agents will be in town to work on upgrading assessments for taxes to be sent out in July or August.

 

ADJOURN:  There being no further business, the motion was made, seconded and voted 2-0 to adjourn at 7:06 pm.

 

Ben Astbury, Selectman