NG Selectmen Meeting
• February 1, 2010
Feb 2, 2010 – The Board of Assessor's meeting was called to order and attendance at the meetinghouse last night at 7:00. On the agenda was the issue of whether to allow a tax abatement for the past four years for a New Gloucester couple, and all present voted in favor. The meeting was then adjourned, and the meeting of the Board of Selectmen was called to order and attendance. The first order of business was to schedule the next meeting, which will take place at 7:00 on Monday, March 1st at the meetinghouse. It was noted by Chairman Steve Libby that there will be an important meeting open to public participation. On February 10th, at 7:00 PM, there will be the Morse Road Redesign Forum II, taking place at the fire station, and citizens of New Gloucester are encouraged to participate.
Steve Libby and Town Manager Sumner Field spoke regarding the budget review, mentioning many issues facing the town's budget. Some but not all of these included less money coming from the state, the continued and growing need for money by the town for necessary projects, and several options the town can take in order to reduce its costs. Mr. Libby mentioned that town employees had not received a pay raise in the last year, and there was also the option on the table of cutting the position of Assessor's Agent. Nancy Pinette, the Assessor's Agent, spoke, asking if it were true that there was $4 million currently in the town's coffer, and asked if such emergency funds could be used in the case of saving a town employees position. Mr. Libby reiterated that the amount currently in the fund was $4 million, but that in the last few years, the town had been taking out more money than it had been putting into the fund. He also said that all options were being looked into.
Next, the board voted to approve a Mutual Aid request from the Town of Baldwin Fire Department. There was then a motion to approve a Lucky 7 Game of Chance Application from the Lunn-Hunnewell Amvets Post #6, and it passed, 5-0. The board then voted to approve a Joint Resolution on Route 115 with the town of Gray, which would allow the towns to work together to rebuild the first two miles of 115 from Gray Center to Walnut Hill, a piece of road badly in need of repair. Next, the board approved FY10 Warrants and Payrolls 27, 28, 29 and 30. The minutes of the January 7th Board of Selectmen meeting were approved.
Town Manager, Sumner Field mentioned that the Assistant Town Planner had given notice. He spoke with Steve Libby regarding the fact that there had been a request from the Department of Commerce Census Bureau regarding using town space for training. Mr. Field also mentioned a letter from Superintendent Victoria Burns from SAD 15, thanking Mary Rich and her team for her help with the H1N1 flu shot clinic for students. Mr. Field also noted that the auditors had recently recommended eliminating some revenue accounts, and Mr. Libby requested that a spreadsheet will be needed to show numbers. Mr. Field then brought up that there had been an accident at the town garage that morning. No injuries had been incurred, thankfully, but there was some damage to the building, so repairs will be begun immediately on Tuesday morning. The board voted to move to executive session at 7:40 PM.
