[0:12] I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic

[0:18] for it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for

[0:24] all.

[0:34] I saw him in the >> um so going to open the assessor's

[0:39] meeting. We don't have assessor tonight. >> Joanne will be here.

[0:43] » Well, okay. >> If you want

[0:46] » give her a minute. >> Oh, she's right in the

[0:51] » G.

[0:54] I can't help her.

[0:58] candy. Lots of it.

[1:02] » I don't think anything on the agenda. >> Yes, it is.

[1:06] » I came while we're waiting for >> Okay.

[1:08] » Yes. >> We're going to jump a little bit ahead

[1:12] while we're waiting for Joanne. Um we're going to go down to the old business. Um

[1:17] the town administrator public comment update. I wanted to let people know that

[1:22] um I want to acknowledge that I was incorrect in my statement um at the last

[1:27] meeting when I stated that only agenda items can be discussed during the public

[1:30] comment period. I read the shortened version that was provided by AMMA and

[1:34] did not go and look for the entire article. Um

[1:39] I did see it does state that as at a minimum public comment must be allowed

[1:46] for agenda items at a minimum. Um, and the board has full discretion to allow

[1:50] or not allow other topics during public comment. So, I did simply the board an

[1:55] email saying, "I apologize for um saying that. If I had done my research like I

[2:00] normally do, I would have seen the two-page column instead of the shortened

[2:04] version that they put in the magazine to send us."

[2:07] » Honest mistake. >> What's the catalyst behind that, though?

[2:10] What What initiated that? >> That was I found it in the MMA.

[2:15] » No. Why didn't you go looking? I didn't go look when the MMA no when the MMA

[2:19] catalog comes out since I've been here is tax collective way back the first

[2:22] thing I went to I open up the back and go to the legal notes

[2:25] » that was in there back in September. >> Okay.

[2:28] » Never really paid much attention to it. Um and then it seemed to be coming the

[2:32] meetings were I don't want to say unruly being

[2:36] interrupted by the same by the same old issue. Yeah. That had already been

[2:41] decided at previous meetings and at previous out of

[2:44] » other meetings not slack and it just seemed you know why keep beating the

[2:48] dead horse when you can not stop it but just settle it a little.

[2:52] » So where my mind goes though is like who's running the meeting?

[2:55] » Is it you or is it Carol? >> It should be the chair that's like

[2:57] » Yeah. So then that's where my mind goes. Why did you go and do that?

[3:01] » Because >> you were at that meeting and she stopped

[3:04] the comment. I guess I should have said and stop.

[3:07] » Yes, I understand. I guess she I guess I guess I I deferred to her interpretation

[3:12] of it and I was kind of like, okay. But then we immediately did research and I

[3:17] said, "Hey, that's not what it read." I I went and read it again. It doesn't say

[3:20] that. It says you have exactly what she's saying. I'd like to uh for us to

[3:25] consider this evening even for the next agenda to have at the beginning public

[3:31] comment for things that are not on the agenda.

[3:35] » Isn't that just public? >> Usually it's at the end public comment

[3:40] » but public comment is usually stuff. >> Oh yeah.

[3:45] » Yeah. >> I mean we have public comment on any

[3:48] article anyway. Well, that's a great idea and in in another couple of weeks

[3:52] there'll be a new board that you can present that to. So, I think maybe we'll

[3:55] just >> stick to this and for the last meeting.

[4:00] » Um, but we have always in the last 12 years I've been on here let everybody

[4:05] talk on agenda items when the agenda was being discussed, not at the end because

[4:09] what's the point of talking about something on the agenda at the end when

[4:12] we've already decided on something. So, I don't think I've ever stopped anybody

[4:16] from speaking. Yes, Bravita.

[4:20] » Oh, hi. Um, so I'm just Well, first of all, I appreciate so much the open

[4:25] public comment because that is such a democratic crisis in here. So, I have

[4:31] appreciated that. Um, I'm just trying to straighten something out because on the

[4:37] day of the last select board meeting, which was July 15th, I came into the

[4:41] office and registered my trailer and I paid my sewer bill. I also picked up an

[4:46] agenda and on that agenda it clearly said public comment. Then I came into

[4:51] the select board meeting in the evening and then it said on the agenda public

[4:55] comment by agenda items only. And I'm just trying to figure out between during

[5:01] the day when I was in the office to this what happened and why did that happen?

[5:07] » I can answer that. I was asked to have the article that I printed off

[5:14] everybody highlighted at that meeting. I was not asked by anybody to put that

[5:20] on there. I put that on the public comments only

[5:24] for agenda items. I did send the chair a picture of it and she was fine with it.

[5:30] » I didn't It's my fault. I didn't read it. I I've always had public comic in 12

[5:36] years and I've always called on you and John and anybody else with her hands up.

[5:41] » So then I I don't I don't know because I had been read something that said it had

[5:46] to be pertaining to agenda items and I said okay whatever and that's what

[5:51] happened and it was one meeting and it it was a mistake.

[5:54] » Okay. Well, I thank you for saying that was a mistake because ultimately

[5:58] » and you you didn't even say for public comment and you guys

[6:01] » you you want to know why that was unbelievably insulting that as a

[6:05] taxpayer I was not allowed to speak openly. Okay. But anyway, getting back,

[6:10] you know, ultimately, Carol, I appreciate what's just being said by

[6:14] both of you. Um, but ultimately, like you said in the meeting, no public

[6:19] comment. Ultimately, you were in charge. You're the sole person in charge of the

[6:24] agenda and you are leading this town. You are leading this town and

[6:29] » who's lead what? >> You are the leader of this town

[6:32] » and ultimately you know I would have hoped that you would have said I would

[6:36] have hoped you're the leader of the town. I would have hoped that you would

[6:39] have said you know what Susette absolutely no way. There is no way we're

[6:43] going to put this on. >> So anyway I thank you for both of what

[6:46] you said >> and just just to get some little history

[6:49] here. Just a sec. One minute John. When John Dan Wagner and I got on 12

[6:55] years ago on this board, the previous board, zero public comment. They had

[7:00] taken it completely off. Now, you had Yes, there there was a thing. There was

[7:06] a um >> we almost had public comment at the end

[7:09] like we have now. >> Maybe that's what it was. No public

[7:12] comments at the end. Maybe at the end. Okay. So, that I may be wrong with that.

[7:17] » Go ahead then, John. So, um, you know, I can't help to think

[7:21] that, uh, this change to the public comment section at the July 15th meeting

[7:26] came after some meetings in which, uh, the select board chair was answering

[7:30] some tough questions on her residency, um, government homestead exemption and

[7:35] also the $150 per month for the Harbor Office lease. Um, are those things

[7:40] connected? Did one lead to the was one? not to me because every time you came

[7:46] and I let you speak even though you repeatedly brought up the same thing and

[7:49] since we're discussing your um objections to things

[7:53] » in your letter in the paper I would like to make some of my own comments.

[7:57] My lease was approved of by the entire town for 5 years for the price that it

[8:04] was whether it was it was $1,800. If the town wanted me to pay more money the

[8:09] town could have asked. So they did not. It was approved of and there's really no

[8:13] discussion there because it was unanimously voted on

[8:16] » and the price wasn't included on the warrant.

[8:18] » It was included when someone asked and it was on the warrant. So if you wanted

[8:22] to know what it was, you had to come to the meeting and really people all should

[8:26] come to the annual town meeting. We never get anybody to come unless there's

[8:30] some conflictual thing on there. And secondly about my voting residence.

[8:37] My voting residence has been the same for 22 years. It's my primary residence.

[8:43] I actually ran it by the assessor yesterday. I talked to him at length

[8:48] about it because I have a prenuptual agreement which says that Ralph's house

[8:53] is his and my house is mine and we had them before we got married. I have no

[8:59] there's no other person on my deed. And the requirements for homestead is you

[9:04] have to put the sole person on your deed. You have to come and go. You have

[9:09] to live there and come and go as you please. You can leave when you want.

[9:12] Come back. You have to pay your taxes. >> I was referring to actual residents, not

[9:18] » Carol. >> Well, I'm going to I'm going to address

[9:19] all of the things that were published. >> You know what? This

[9:22] » Let me finish. >> This should be

[9:25] » All right. This should be at the end of the public comment.

[9:28] » No, they started asking questions and I'm going to answer.

[9:30] » You know what? I I am a person who is totally against

[9:37] someone out of town running for public office in this town. I've been against

[9:42] it for 33 years and I'm still against it. When you you don't have when you

[9:48] have to be in your principal residence, you're a principal residence and not is

[9:54] not on >> that. That is my voting and principal

[9:57] residence is not here.

[10:00] » I'm sorry. It's not your principal residence at Tres.

[10:04] » Let's scale it down. So, let me just define a few things for the public.

[10:09] » This has come up a couple times from not only uh the Delaneies, but other folks

[10:14] » and when we've looked into it. The principal residence is where you lay

[10:18] your taxation and property uh ownership does not designate your ability to sit

[10:23] on a board or specifically the select board. You your principal residence

[10:28] needs to be within that town. Period. That's our town charter. I didn't write

[10:32] it. That's how it's written. So, principal residence means where you lay

[10:37] your head every single night. Now, we have people that live in Whiting

[10:41] and Trescuit that continue to vote in Lubebeck politics. The way it's written

[10:46] for the state is that if they intend to return to Lubec and they don't vote in

[10:52] another municipality, they can retain that voting right in Lubec. But when it

[10:57] comes specific to select board, your principal residence has to be in that

[11:03] municipality. That's all I know.

[11:08] Anybody else? >> You shut me off.

[11:12] » Well, you're getting angry. I've been against it for years and I've

[11:17] tried and tried and tried to get this finalized that your principal residence

[11:22] is where you need to be in order to run. Poor old Wanda Corey years ago at the

[11:29] school board me uh being a school board member

[11:33] » was booted off because she moved to Truscuit.

[11:37] » James Jones was booted off >> in a family residence. they retain their

[11:41] house where they could come and go, pay their taxes, pay their income taxes,

[11:46] » uh have should be remedyed one way or the other. I'm sorry. The state

[11:52] » what I would say is what trumps which does our charter

[11:56] to interpret it. >> Does our charter trump what you have or

[11:59] does what you have trump our charter and if we need to address our charter and

[12:04] make amendments then we should do that. Well, the state said I can run. If the

[12:09] people don't want me running, then I guess they'll come out.

[12:13] » It's not and they'll vote. >> Honey, you I know what you've done for

[12:17] this town. I know that. I've been there. It's not you. It's everybody. It's

[12:22] anybody that's from out of the area, out of out of the back.

[12:26] » The state says it's my principal residence and I pay [snorts] that and I

[12:29] pay for it that way. No one no one rents. I don't rent it out. No one else.

[12:33] I can come and go as I please. and you were allowed to have one principal

[12:36] residence and that's mine and you know very well that I could at one point that

[12:41] he would say you have to leave and I would have that where that's where I

[12:44] would be so I can go and come from that residence and I paid a paid a lot of

[12:50] taxes I I I don't I don't need the work I you know I really don't

[12:56] » I know that >> I mean I spent 12 years working for the

[13:00] town you have that >> legally the state says I can run for

[13:05] office. And hey, Hillary moved to Chaplaw just to run for senator in New

[13:10] York City. New York State. She established residency in Chap.

[13:15] » I still say that a question, >> Chris.

[13:18] » Yeah, I I'm pretty sure about this that you have to be six months and one day

[13:24] where you file your federal taxes. So >> that's Florida rules different.

[13:30] » No, it's not Florida rules. >> That is federal rules. Okay. So, don't I

[13:35] mean like people like to put spoons on things and I'm positive about that.

[13:38] Okay. It's six months and one day wherever anyone files their federal

[13:44] taxes. I can be wrong. Prove me wrong, but I'm pretty positive of it. All

[13:50] right. I'm I'm always willing to learn. Okay. So, wherever you're where and I'm

[13:54] not saying you I don't even know what your situation is. I just know what the

[13:58] law is. Well,

[14:01] » um, go ahead. >> I I would like to know when public

[14:04] comment is going to happen during the meeting because there is something that

[14:08] I would like to say to the people in the room and to the select board.

[14:12] » Well, Mark wants to do it now. So, let me speak now.

[14:16] » Yeah, go ahead. I may not be here next meeting. So,

[14:19] » okay. Um, I think I'm going to stand up. I when I stand up, my voice projects a

[14:25] little bit better. Um, yeah.

[14:30] Sorry. Um, my name's >> I know there is no way. There's a poll.

[14:36] Anyway, my name's Noel Abrahamson and I live in East Machias and I

[14:43] recognize a couple of familiar faces and I own an LLC called Calypso Seaweed Farm

[14:52] and Brewery. And the reason why I came to this meeting tonight was because I

[14:57] wrote a letter of intent to the main natural resources coastal program to ask

[15:06] for money to do uh eelgrass habitat restoration. Um and before I go further,

[15:13] does do people know what eelrass or seaggrass is?

[15:17] » Can you spell it out? >> Eelass. E E L G O

[15:23] » Oh, no. I mean, [laughter]

[15:27] » that's so good. Oh, that's the best night. I'll tell you what.

[15:33] » Hooked on phonics, I guess. I [laughter] don't know. Holy crap. That is so good.

[15:38] » Oh, yeah. >> So, do you want me to describe my letter

[15:43] of intent? >> No. Like, eelgrass. What does it mean?

[15:46] Like, what is it? >> Oh, okay. What is it? Okay. So,

[15:49] » [laughter] >> E L That was so good. That was so good.

[15:56] » All right, go. [laughter] >> That was pretty funny.

[16:00] » Um, yeah, I do take things more or seriously and and I think that's

[16:06] why I came tonight is like people are like, "Who is Noel Abrahamson and what

[16:11] is Calypso Seaweed Farm and Brewery?" And I'm like, Noel, the only way that

[16:15] people are going to get to know you is if you get outside of your comfort zone

[16:18] and go out into your community and and introduce yourself. So, uh, eel grass in

[16:26] our community in Maine has that habitat has decreased uh 60%

[16:33] over like the last hundred years. And eel grass is important because it helps

[16:40] stabilize the sediment that is around it. Um, it grows by ryomes like a

[16:46] strawberry plant would, but it is also a flowering plant as well. So, it

[16:51] reproduces two different ways. Um, and why would having more eel [snorts]

[16:58] grass matter to a community like this? Um, well, I

[17:04] know you guys are really big on clams. I know you guys are really big on

[17:08] lobsters. I know you guys are really big on uh ground fish, fish that live on the

[17:14] bottom, but also fish that start their life

[17:19] in the water column, but hang out on the bottom in a place like an eel grass

[17:25] meadow when they're juveniles, and then they go back up into the water column to

[17:30] finish out the rest of their lives. So your forage fish

[17:35] and your commercially important species of fish. So eel grass is important for

[17:43] providing a home for those juvenile fish to grow up so that we can eat them

[17:48] later. Same thing with the lobsters. The juvenile lobsters hang out in the eel

[17:53] grass meadows and then they move out when they get bigger.

[17:57] And then the way that it works for clams and other kinds of um by valves, the

[18:03] shellfish like muscles and stuff is that kind of like if you were standing in the

[18:10] woods compared to like an open meadow, it's really protected from the wind in

[18:16] the woods. Whereas you were out on the mud flats or a meadow or a corn field,

[18:22] you wouldn't be protected from wind. Uh eel grass works like that in the water.

[18:28] So it slows the water velocity down so that um things like laral shellfish,

[18:36] larville fish and sediment can kind of slow down and sink to the bottom. So,

[18:44] um, you do have some local eelgrass meadows that you could get seed from or

[18:51] transplant shoots from that are that are healthy. And then look at historical

[18:57] data to be like, okay, this might be a good place to kind of do a little trial

[19:02] plot. And then if that doesn't work out, then

[19:06] try to find another spot and do a small planting

[19:09] or seed drop to see if it's going to even be a good spot to try to bring eel

[19:14] grass back. >> So, I have a couple questions.

[19:16] » Yeah. >> What do you um

[19:20] attribute the 60% reduction in eel grass in the last 100 years to

[19:24] » there? There's a lot of um theories out there. So, um, green crabs have been

[19:30] talked about really >> because they like to dig around, right,

[19:33] to get to their food, right? They also will clip the shoots off of

[19:37] » the top. The green growing shoots are kind of like ribbons. And then um also

[19:43] if the water quality is poor as if like if it's hard for light to penetrate

[19:47] through the water because it is a a plant it does through photosynthesis

[19:52] like that would reduce um a good place for ill grass to go like just light has

[19:58] a hard time going through.

[20:03] Storms [snorts] can rip it out. A big storm can yank it out. um dredging,

[20:09] uh anchors, dredging, um like anything that being is

[20:14] being pulled along the bottom. >> Yeah, we have a big scallop fishery

[20:18] here, right? >> But I mean is around the bay like along

[20:22] the shoreline. >> It's found in the inner title to

[20:24] subtitle. So minus 2 feet, so about a minus meter of typical depth.

[20:32] » So draggers wouldn't >> No, they're not going to be up in there.

[20:36] Yeah. And now is this a state or federal grant?

[20:38] » Um, this particular one, so this pot of money that I was asking to receive funds

[20:43] from was a state one and it was basically like if a company like Target

[20:49] or Walmart built on a marsh, they would have to pay into it

[20:54] » um because they're they're taking away marsh habitat. And so they put money

[20:58] into that and then um organizations like tribes, state agencies, municipalities,

[21:05] and nonprofit organizations can ask for money from that pot to do projects like

[21:13] the one I'm talking about. >> Excellent.

[21:16] » So, thank you for listening. It's >> What did you want from the board? Well,

[21:21] like I said, I my business is a non uh is a LLC. So, it is not structured like

[21:27] a nonprofit. I am not a tribe. I'm not a state mun a state agency, nor am I a

[21:35] municipality. So, when I turned that letter in to my proposal, I realized I

[21:42] didn't have relationships and partners within the area that I live that I

[21:48] wanted to do the project. So, I'm here to start having a rel relationship with

[21:54] the board, with the municipality, with the people that use the inner title. Um,

[22:00] and and pretty much eat and live there. >> And so, you might want to go to the

[22:03] claim committee as well. >> I have, which is you've been you've been

[22:07] to them already? >> Yeah. So, it's just kind of a like I

[22:11] said, put myself out there, but thank you for the suggestion.

[22:14] » Where where are you looking for to establish these trial areas? Are you

[22:18] just looking for private? >> I really liked um was it is it do you

[22:22] pronounce it? Mal Mry Beach.

[22:26] » That looked like a good uh potential site where there's been erosion

[22:30] happening and there has been historical eel grass meadows there in the past. And

[22:36] there might even be a present eelgrass metal off of Woodruff uh point in there.

[22:42] So you could take from what's there and put it nearby. And then there was

[22:46] another spot past the bridge, Black Duck Cove,

[22:52] and I think it might be in a different township. Um, but it's a property

[22:58] off of that's a part of Cobskook Shores. Um, Red Point, they might have a healthy

[23:04] eelgrass meadow tucked up in Cobskook Bay as well. So,

[23:09] » what's your contact info in case someone wants to reach out to you?

[23:12] » Sure. Um, so my phone number, I just got a 207 area code. It used to be a

[23:18] Minnesota phone number. Um, 207483

[23:25] 7581

[23:29] and you want to know my email because it's long and it's a scientific name.

[23:35] Uh, >> oh, spell it out.

[23:36] » Spell it out. [laughter] >> There's going to be a spelling be

[23:40] afterwards. Didn't you say spell out earlier?

[23:42] » Yeah. >> E A L

[23:47] A N O P H Y

[23:53] L L I A E L E.

[23:59] » Dude, >> G [laughter]

[24:02] A N Sgmail.com.

[24:09] And my mom said, "Noel, don't pick an email that's hard to spell." I'm like,

[24:13] "Well, if they care anything about me or what I'm doing,

[24:17] » they will write it down. Make sure to get it right."

[24:21] » Noel S. [clears throat]

[24:24] » L I A. After that was E L E G A Ns. >> Um, or two G.

[24:30] » L I A, right? >> Yep.

[24:32] » E L E G A N S. >> Yeah. Okay. Okay.

[24:37] » You said G twice. So make two G's or >> there is some giggling going on

[24:43] » the next shelfish meeting. >> Thank you very much.

[24:47] » It's Thursday. >> Yep. Thursday the 6

[24:50] » because of the ties. >> Yeah. Which is that's next week, right?

[24:55] » Yeah. And I'm going to give them a short little talk. I don't want to bore them

[24:59] too. >> Thanks so much.

[25:00] » Thank you. >> Thank you for your time and laughing

[25:02] with me. >> So since we we decided to try public

[25:06] hearing first. Anything else?

[25:11] And uh John and Brigita, just to address your issue and yours as well, uh I think

[25:17] that we'll have Susette send the wording of the charter and the ruling of the

[25:23] state and have them decide what they feel.

[25:26] » Which one's the preference? >> Which one? Oh, what what well I just

[25:31] think they have to interpret our chart or you know on a non you know like um

[25:36] non nobody has a vested interest like I understand where you're coming from you

[25:40] move somewhere in a small community you don't belong here but then there's a

[25:44] legal standing that so we just need to have I I'm more than willing to have the

[25:51] lawyer decide the primary residence wording in the charter coincides with

[25:56] what the state ruling has given these these guys for the past how many years

[26:01] » and will you be willing to take their opinion and I would be [clears throat]

[26:04] willing to take their opinion? >> Um I I think another option is to let

[26:10] the voters decide. >> That's also I'm more than willing to let

[26:13] the voters decide. Absolutely. If you're willing to have let the voters decide.

[26:17] I'm on the ballot. I'm willing to let the voters decide.

[26:20] » I think having a legal clarification >> a legal clarification might help the

[26:24] voters as well. >> Yeah. So, uh, I don't know whether

[26:28] they'll they'll find that out, but certainly they can call the town office

[26:32] if Susette gets the answer within the next few days.

[26:35] » Is there another I'd like to know myself. Anybody else for public comment

[26:39] and we can go into the regular meeting, >> but which was where are we?

[26:44] » We had um one assessant. Well, we have one assessor abatement, but he's not

[26:50] here, but he asked us to abate >> six.

[26:55] I'm sorry. What is your name? >> Hey, uh Charles D. Um I figured while we

[27:00] had public comments since I came last week, um just was applying to card uh be

[27:05] a part of the planning board. >> Did we get that down the bottom, don't

[27:10] we? >> I know. I guess he's asking to do it

[27:12] now. >> Oh.

[27:13] » Oh, I thought Okay. I didn't know you guys had it on your list.

[27:16] » We do have it on the agenda and he's he's on there.

[27:20] » All right. Actually, it was just had office employees. Just

[27:24] » she has she just has all your office employees, but

[27:27] » we have Do we have >> I have planning board ones made out.

[27:31] » You have the planning board ones made out?

[27:32] » Yes, I do. >> So, it is on the agenda. Are you okay?

[27:37] » You don't want to be here the whole time and then decide it's not going to be on.

[27:40] I got it. And I'm sorry about the mixup last week.

[27:43] » Yes. I apologize. >> Okay. Uh we have to do you have this? Uh

[27:49] » no. They We just gotten it. He didn't send it earlier.

[27:52] » Okay, just pass it down. It's $84 for Downy's dogs.

[27:58] » What? >> Down.

[28:01] » Isn't it Downy's? >> Can I say Downward on?

[28:04] » I didn't touch it. He I didn't type anything. [laughter]

[28:11] » Okay. Just

[28:16] » And nobody's seen it. So, >> yeah. I'm just

[28:19] » down.

[28:26] gets the marker. I'm going to make a

[28:32] » I'll make a motion to go along with this debatement.

[28:35] » Okay. [laughter]

[28:40] » Don't get touchy.

[28:44] » It's a full moon, you know.

[28:49] You don't want to take on ne? >> No. When she's ugly on a full moon.

[28:55] [clears throat] >> I used to work at a nursing home. I know

[28:57] how crazy it can be. >> You want to do that again?

[29:00] » What? >> I just did it here.

[29:03] » I make that abatement a motion. Yes. >> Okay. All in favor.

[29:11] » All right. So, we're going to go back to the

[29:14] » select board meeting. We need a motion to sign the warrants. Do you want this

[29:16] sign? >> Motion.

[29:18] » Uh yeah, Republican. >> Yes. Mark pass it the other way.

[29:24] » Motion to sign the warrants by move. Second

[29:28] » uh discussion mark. Any discussion on the

[29:31] » I asked my question earlier of Ruby. So >> Oh, good. Did

[29:35] » did I notice it is um payment for the fence? The guy that installed the fence

[29:40] is that on this week I was asked about it.

[29:43] » Yeah, cuz you came in and provided his information.

[29:45] » Okay. Yeah, thank you. >> All in on paper then

[29:49] warrants. >> Okay.

[29:52] » Motions approve the minutes. >> So [clears throat] I read

[29:57] » as written. I read the whole thing. >> Did you make any boo boos?

[30:00] » No.

[30:04] » No. I just say them out loud.

[30:09] We have second.

[30:13] [clears throat] >> All in favor?

[30:16] » The minutes. Yes. >> Minutes.

[30:18] » Okay. There's your um >> abatement.

[30:20] » Abatement.

[30:38] This is the

[30:47] [snorts]

[30:54] Okay.

[30:57] Playground issue. We have a couple of sides to talk on.

[31:02] Anybody else? Come on. >> I don't know how you want to handle it.

[31:05] I don't know if it's like a status update or if you want me to.

[31:07] » You can come up and explain your issue. >> Did you want you asked quickly to put it

[31:13] on there? We This is just the only other person that wasn't able to speak. A few

[31:18] people you you were wanted to speak. We wanted an appointment and you guys

[31:21] wanted to speak. So, >> Sure.

[31:23] » Go ahead. >> Sure. So, uh my name is Sandra Tran. I

[31:27] am both a trust kit and a Lubec property owner and taxpayer. Um, so I'm here

[31:32] tonight uh because what began as a dispute over access to the Lubec

[31:36] Community Playground has revealed a much larger issue that deserves the attention

[31:40] of this board and the community. On June 9th, shortly after 2 p.m., I was told by

[31:45] multiple individuals associated with the Lubec Consolidated School that I was not

[31:49] allowed to bring my children on the playground during school hours and that

[31:52] the playground was closed to the public while school was in session. And to

[31:56] enforce those statements, I was sought out by two of those individuals, once by

[32:01] a staff member on the playground and then again by the principal, which

[32:06] eventually led to an unpleasant encounter in a building outside their

[32:09] school jurisdiction and in front of my seven and nine-year-old sons.

[32:14] Had there been a clearly written and publicly available policy supporting the

[32:17] staff's claims, this discussion likely would not be necessary. In the absence

[32:21] of illegal land use agreements, solid contracts and policies, what protections

[32:25] do community members have from harassment and threats from school

[32:28] staff? Select boards and school boards are generally risk averse. So behaviors

[32:34] like that should immediately be addressed, even if it's only for legal

[32:37] reasons. To prepare to be here tonight, I spoke

[32:41] with the founders of the original project. I spoke with Melissa Lee. I

[32:45] spoke with members of the playground committee. One of them is here tonight.

[32:48] And I spoke with the superintendent of the school. I I reviewed the history why

[32:51] the playground was created and what purpose it was intended to serve. And my

[32:55] discoveries confirmed what I already knew to be true before I even went to

[32:58] the playground that day. What consistently emerged was a Luvac

[33:01] community playground was established as a community resource created through

[33:05] community effort and shaped by the ideas of local children dedicated to the

[33:09] families and citizens of this town. And it was built to celebrate Lubec's

[33:12] maritime heritage and provide a place where children and families could gather

[33:16] as a community. It is under management by the town and it belongs to the

[33:20] community. And that history matters because when a playground's created by

[33:24] the community and for the community, access should not depend on the personal

[33:28] interpretation of any individual. Public access should be governed by policy, not

[33:33] assumption, by written authority, not verbal declarations. We are now

[33:37] subjected to a system in which citizens are confronted, excluded, or threatened

[33:41] because of the construction. Because after the construction of the community

[33:45] playground, an entity emerged and decided to create their own authority.

[33:49] People are being led to believe they're violating rules. And when citizens ask

[33:52] for those rules and restrictions originated or what modifications have

[33:56] been made to them, there appears to be no clear answer. And that should concern

[34:00] all of us. Community assets lose part of their public value when access can be

[34:04] restricted by unwritten rules or informal interpretations that change

[34:08] depending on who is speaking. Nobody should be positioned to defend their

[34:12] presence or be apprehensive of visiting a playground that was created for them.

[34:16] No town or school employee should be left in the position of enforcing rules

[34:20] that did not originate from the founders or townointed managers of the community

[34:24] playground. It's not fair to residents and it's not fair fair to school staff.

[34:29] It should never be a place where citizens feel unwelcome in their own

[34:32] community, especially when the necessary funding and maintenance has always come

[34:35] from the individuals seeking its benefits. Those who founded and

[34:39] participated in the res in the restoration deserve to be honored

[34:42] through the preservation of the principles upon which it was created.

[34:46] Those being community benefit which clearly [cough and clears throat]

[34:49] exists. It's the only community playground in Lubec. Community

[34:52] participation that was very obvious and strongly displayed with the restoration

[34:56] efforts and community access which has been threatened for far too long. So

[35:01] tonight, I respectfully ask the select for board along with the school board,

[35:05] the playground committee to work together to resolve this issue to create

[35:08] a clear, definitive, legally constructed policy regarding who has authority over

[35:14] access to the playground, what rules govern its use, and how those rules will

[35:18] be communicated to the public. Um, and I also want to mention as well here too,

[35:26] miscommunications with malicious intent should never be a part of a community.

[35:30] And the public employees who do this should be addressed in a public forum.

[35:36] The individual who I asked to join me here tonight would not come.

[35:41] » Okay? They're not here. >> I'd like to hear from Melissa Lee

[35:45] » on this. Thank you. >> Do you want me to sit or I can stand or

[35:50] talk or whatever. >> Um,

[35:54] when 27 years ago when the community playground concept came up, there was an

[36:02] amazing ground swell from the community of support, of effort, of work, of

[36:09] money. There was a a committee and for two and a half years we raised money. We

[36:15] had all these silly fundraisers and the community came out to support them. Um,

[36:21] we worked with a company called Leathers and Associates and one of their

[36:28] rules for working with us is that 90% of the money had to be raised locally. Only

[36:35] 10% could be grant money. And it was. And we got enough money.

[36:42] Again, one of their rules was that we have an endowment, you know, money set

[36:47] aside for for ongoing maintenance. So, all of that happened and at the time it

[36:55] was such a an amazing process. 5,000

[37:01] people over a five-day period participated

[37:05] in building it. It was so that the there were verbal agreements between the

[37:12] school board [snorts] and the town for um you know this is town land but it's

[37:19] school property and you know as uh Dicki said last time there's just one line in

[37:27] a school board meeting saying we give permission for it to happen there. But

[37:32] the reason that it wasn't more clearly state out stated is it was so obvious at

[37:39] the time it was so obvious that this was for the community for a community

[37:46] resource. It was not a school playground. It was a a community

[37:51] playground. And in my mind, having been there from the beginning, it is so black

[37:59] and white. It's not gray. It's not a gray issue. It's a community playground.

[38:05] It's for the community. The school has their own playground. I'm so happy that

[38:10] it's being used so heavily by the school and by the after school program and by

[38:16] the summer wreck, but it's it's meant to be a an inclusive,

[38:25] welcoming community asset.

[38:29] » Thank you. And I sure hope it stays that way.

[38:32] » Dicky, have you guys discussed this at the school board?

[38:35] » We next week, next Thursday night at schoolboard meeting.

[38:39] » The agenda just came up today with that. >> Okay. I'll plan on going as well.

[38:43] » Yeah. So, >> I also was with Melissa the whole time.

[38:49] » Oh, go ahead. >> And I'll tell you, I and I reiterate

[38:52] what she said. It was just a community involvement. I mean, it was crazy. We

[38:58] had tents up. They had food lines. It was just amazing.

[39:03] » And I don't think anyone down there ever thought that it would be just, you know,

[39:08] an item for the school to run. I mean, no, it was it's a town involvement. So,

[39:15] this community involvement seems pretty >> This line now playground is open to the

[39:20] public only when school is not in session. So, you don't approve, you

[39:23] don't agree with >> No. Can I Can I address that? I would

[39:26] really like to address a lot of the miscommunication

[39:29] » on the back of this. This was what the superintendent sent me.

[39:35] Um, and that was the sign. Um, so I have talked with people in the Lubec the the

[39:40] playground committee. Um, Alex Henry is here tonight. Um, and another individual

[39:45] who I've talked to regarding this sign let me know that at the bottom here,

[39:51] line number seven, playground is open to the public only when school is in

[39:54] session. This, as far as I know, was agreed upon

[39:58] and this was discussed between Alex, the playground committee, and other

[40:04] individuals at the school. It was the playground committee who blacked that

[40:09] out. >> Who made the sign to begin with?

[40:12] » I'd like to know that sign authorization trump that sign.

[40:17] » Who had the authorization make that? To me, those are arbitrary rules. Nobody

[40:21] knows where they drive from and they should not be there. My understanding

[40:26] » come forth to say who >> this is after the show we could find out

[40:29] and remain >> Mary Ellen Day I I believe um she

[40:33] communicated with me as well I have these emails that Dicki actually took

[40:37] that sign down to remove that paint and put it back up. That was the intention.

[40:42] » The intent was to re to reveal what was underneath it. Yes.

[40:45] » Okay. >> So who made the decision to put this

[40:48] » I I'm sorry. I have to bring this to the attention here. Dicki as a town employee

[40:53] who gets paid by the town should not be going over the authority of Alex Henry.

[40:57] It's disrespectful and embarrassing. That's Alex's Henry's job. He was

[41:01] appointed by the select board along with other people on the committee. Dicki

[41:05] should not be going over Alex Henry's head and removing things like that and

[41:09] in interjecting himself into something that has nothing to do with

[41:12] » I am I also let's direct the the comments to the board.

[41:15] » But here's the thing as well. The school board policy here,

[41:20] Dicki, nothing should even be addressed to you

[41:24] at all. The school board policy here states board member conflict of interest

[41:32] or me board members financial interest. A board member who has financial

[41:36] interest in a question or contract under consideration when he or she a member of

[41:40] his or her immediate family may derive some financial or other material benefit

[41:44] or loss as a result of board action. And then here uh down

[41:52] everything that I highlighted. Basically Dicki is to because he gets paid he has

[41:56] a financial interest from this town. He is to remove himself from discussing

[42:01] or appearing interested in in discussions like this. He is not even to

[42:06] vote for the school board. And I believe this is the reason why it was it was

[42:11] requested that you not be involved >> because he's part of parks and

[42:15] recommended >> because he is part of the school board

[42:18] because he's an employee of this town. He is it is a conflict of interest. The

[42:21] school board knows this >> but only in the back that this is

[42:25] considered a park. Is that right? >> And that I guess they're saying you need

[42:30] to recuse yourself on a vote. What do you think?

[42:33] » Come up. >> Well, you know

[42:34] » that's a good point. Hasn't come up yet. I tell you what I think about this. I

[42:39] believe like Melissa and Dwyn both saying, this was a community project for

[42:45] our community for our kids. It's for our kids.

[42:49] » And I told Alex, I said the school shouldn't have anything to do with this.

[42:54] The parking belongs to the town. I don't know who the property, but it's a

[43:00] community and they have two of their own. And I mean that's down there for

[43:06] our students to use anytime they want. But if anybody else comes in, I don't

[43:11] know who's made up all this. >> Yeah, I don't know.

[43:13] » It's too bad we >> I'm sure that's the school board school

[43:17] board meeting of minutes and and the school board should find that.

[43:20] » We should find out who authorized this and that person should be held

[43:23] accountable for creating so many problems.

[43:26] » Absolutely. That person should be held accountable for creating so many

[43:29] problems in this town and in this community. That is despicable. And I'm

[43:33] sorry. I don't want to get involved in the whole, you know, Alex and Dicki

[43:36] situation, but I believe that that is like he deserves an apology. Alex

[43:42] deserves an apology. I I don't think that it's appropriate for anyone here in

[43:45] the town to go over Alex's head. He's the one who was appointed by this town

[43:50] uh to to lead the efforts with the community playground. It's under the

[43:53] town's management. >> So, what what exactly happened? The sign

[43:56] got taken down. Dicky took it down with the intent of removing the the the

[44:02] blacked out line number seven that that was done by the playground committee and

[44:07] with the intent of putting it back up as a school board member.

[44:11] » No, no, that's not true at all.

[44:16] » Because I have the email in writing.

[44:22] » Sorry. >> It had nothing to do with school.

[44:24] » You need to if you want to direct was just asked to find out what was

[44:28] underneath the blacked out thing because the question was asked and nobody could

[44:32] tell anybody what was underneath it or who blacked it out.

[44:36] » Well, somebody who asked you must have known what was underneath it.

[44:39] » Yeah. So, who >> There's a lot of wise miscommunication.

[44:42] » I I apologize that the school board hasn't looked this up. I talked to our

[44:47] chair today and and I hate to say she didn't have you know she didn't know

[44:52] what this was all about and I don't call her at all

[44:56] » who our chair of our school >> but you know we

[45:01] » and it's going to be on your meeting it's going to be in your next meeting

[45:04] Thursday

[45:07] » next Thursday >> so Sandra just to follow up with thanks

[45:12] for doing all that research appreciate it because the community deserves

[45:16] accessing. >> Absolutely. And I I just want to make a

[45:18] statement, too. I'm not looking to be like, "Oh, this is this is community's

[45:21] playground and it has nothing to do with the school."

[45:23] » I'm just looking for people who go to the playground to not be told to leave

[45:28] by the school. There's room for everyone. Everyone can get along with

[45:32] everyone. The boogeyman's not hiding in the bait shop at the playground.

[45:35] » So, you know, it's >> it's it's it's not my intent to cause a

[45:40] problem. I just want this to be resolved.

[45:42] » I mean, I was directing my question to the chair, but But I will ask Mickey and

[45:46] all this with the sign. Who asked you to >> take the sign down?

[45:51] » It came down. I took the sign down as working for the town because I was told

[45:57] it was a town playground and I brought it up here to look at the through the

[46:01] folder from back from when the thing originated or wherever it was. And the

[46:06] only thing we could find was the sign that had all seven numbers with no black

[46:11] paint on it. So then I was like, well, I'm not doing

[46:15] anything else. >> Annie,

[46:16] » I I do have to tell you this whole board, Joanne may have been on the board

[46:20] back then, I do believe, but oh boy, >> 27 years ago when this playground was

[46:26] built, my daughter and I were part of it that built it. And there was no signs

[46:31] and there was no intention for anybody to ever be

[46:35] » left out ever, no matter what time of day it was.

[46:41] » Community placement. I I also like to say um

[46:47] I don't really want to focus in on the individual thing that happened to me

[46:51] with my kids because I got really thick skin. I don't care about that. But there

[46:56] is >> there's there's a lot of people here in

[46:59] this town who have the ability to to take action on things like that because

[47:06] what happened to me was actually like harassing and threatening and it was

[47:10] done to be to to be intimidating. I'm well aware and to protect myself I

[47:16] recorded it. So, I'm just letting you guys know that like as a select board

[47:23] and a school board who should be very riskaverse in a small town and they you

[47:28] guys don't have the funding for lawsuits and legal stuff like that. It really

[47:33] should be something that the town fixes and someone should be in charge of some

[47:37] sort of uh uh maybe insurance policy and everything there as well. That would be

[47:42] something to figure out. But this probably should get resolved legally as

[47:46] long as the individual who causes all these problems is in the mix. So I'm

[47:51] just going to be very firm in saying that.

[47:52] » Appreciate all of your points. >> Thank you. Thank you.

[47:56] » I'll be at the school board meeting too because I definitely follow up on this.

[48:03] » Intent to build ordinance fee discussion.

[48:06] Alice, is that you? >> Well, yeah. I think it's a conversation

[48:10] for all of us. Let me give a little briefing.

[48:14] » You'll have a as everyone knows, we're voting on the intent to build ordinance

[48:19] amendment at the uh town meeting and um well, it would be advisable that there

[48:28] were um proposals for the suggested square footage prices so that people

[48:34] have an idea as to what what they're what to expect so they can vote on that

[48:38] appropriately. Um, so there should be something in there. Joanne, you have it

[48:43] there. Those are the prices, square footage that Cutler uh had at least as

[48:48] of a year ago when I when I put that draft document together. Um, so they

[48:54] separated into residential, commercial, and then accessory buildings and the

[48:59] fourth category demo, which is they do it as free. So those would be sort of

[49:04] four categories that you would I would think the select board would um come up

[49:08] with some prices suggested well actually >> proposed prices right

[49:13] » to go along with with the vote >> fees

[49:16] » fees yeah >> um and um like I said those are cutlers

[49:20] so I don't have a suggestion for you as a CEO those are just the next town over

[49:26] and what the prices what the [clears throat] prices are here

[49:29] » the the planning committee is working on this correct It has been or is it?

[49:34] » No. No. I just made the um as you recall, Carol or the board made a

[49:39] request that um I make these amendments so that they could be voted on. So, the

[49:45] planning board hasn't discussed this and um especially these

[49:49] » I think basically it's just like the clam the clam uh ordinance used to have

[49:54] the clam license in in it and we removed it so that the clam board could uh on

[50:00] occasion review the prices as >> as needed and then of course we approve

[50:06] of the it all comes to the select board. So really they're only voting on taking

[50:10] the fee out. >> That's correct. Correct. And by doing

[50:13] that and I think >> and turning over the the

[50:16] » turning over the fee structure to the slot world, which we've done with almost

[50:19] everything else. >> Correct.

[50:20] » Every the >> We've been talking about this for a

[50:22] couple years. That's correct. >> And this is so basically they're just

[50:25] voting to take the fee structure out. And I'm not sure why you have

[50:30] any of the any fee in there at all. >> Well, that's not part of the that's not

[50:34] part of the ordinance. That's just a document that Suzette and I put in your

[50:38] » But is that going to be at the meeting as well?

[50:40] » No. So they they just need to understand that the fees coming out so the the

[50:45] public and >> my board and the rest of the citizens

[50:49] can determine whether people should pay more than $20 to build you know a

[50:53] McMansion on the water. >> So how when somebody brings you a permit

[50:57] in for construction? How much time does it take you? How much time do is

[51:03] consumed for you to review it, go to it, do what you do to get your stamp of

[51:08] approval? It's going to vary if it's in the shoreland zone or not, but let's

[51:11] just say between an hour and three. >> Yeah. Um, what I wanted to say was that

[51:17] paper's in there because, um, wanted to give you an idea as to what you're

[51:20] looking at. But if you guys picked some proposed prices, we could put that down

[51:25] on a sheet of paper and and set it next to the intent to build forms at the town

[51:31] meeting so that they would people would have an idea as to what that would look

[51:35] like and what >> we would have to vote.

[51:37] » This is what we've been talking about. I mean that if that's what Cutler does,

[51:40] why not do that? >> Yeah, I'm making money.

[51:42] » Well, it is it's the idea that we're trying to gain some revenue from those

[51:46] that actually use the business. >> Yes.

[51:49] » But we have offsets. >> Yes.

[51:52] » He was not here tonight. It sits in front.

[51:56] » We won't mention D >> and he will and he will hang.

[52:00] » But no, we we have to, >> you know, I was talking I don't know who

[52:04] I was talking to. Can't remember. somebody I was just bouncing this idea

[52:08] off with and I had this idea that could because because there's you know when

[52:13] you have um building codes you also have a board of appeals and you can go and

[52:18] you can request a variance on a lot a lot size or side you know whatever

[52:23] » correct >> could we not have in this

[52:27] an opportunity for the local person who is building their house paycheck by

[52:33] check paycheck to ask for a um not to have to pay something less like to

[52:40] appeal appeal this if you come in and you have like a million dollars and you

[52:44] can spend 300. So I don't see why we framework is for

[52:49] » that was stained as one objection that a local person who who's building their

[52:54] house like it takes him 10 years. I know Ralph took 10 years for him to build

[52:57] this house. He built it paycheck by paycheck and that would be cost

[53:02] prohibitive for him to pay this amount of money for someone but then someone

[53:06] who just moves in and has the money to pay. There should be an avenue to appeal

[53:12] » that you can't pay that amount. If you figure 2,000 square foot place is $150.

[53:17] I mean, >> yes, it's $150, but

[53:20] » it's more than $150. >> 25

[53:24] 2,000 square foot. >> But Carol, you're you're right about the

[53:28] vote is not on the price. [clears throat] It's on removing the fee

[53:32] from the >> Right. Yeah. But I'm just I wanted you

[53:36] there should be a way to request >> perfect

[53:40] » help that I I just can't afford this. The other the other thought I addressing

[53:46] » 500 >> forous said

[53:48] » the $500 is somebody's savings for 3 months when there minimum wage. Would

[53:54] there be a clause perhaps that states if you've been a resident

[53:59] for over a certain period of time with that or maybe you've been here for 20

[54:03] years that you would then be >> excluded to that fee to pay the

[54:12] » because again if you're building bit by bit you should be getting you should be

[54:16] getting permission bit by bit. So, if you're doing a 200 foot edition, you're,

[54:22] you know, paying $20, you know, it's only $20 anyway.

[54:26] » So, we're talking, we're talking $20 to $500 on a 2,000t home. So, I think if if

[54:31] anything could be addressed to a longtime resident,

[54:35] if that were to come up, would be that perhaps they could be to the planning

[54:39] board. Perhaps it goes to to exclude them from that fee due to their how long

[54:44] they've lived here in town. Well, I don't think I can think of to answer

[54:48] that response. Personally, I'm all for this. So, I don't

[54:52] » I'm I am too, but I just think there needs to be an avenue for an appeal for

[54:55] someone who can't afford it, who has a legitimate reason why

[54:58] » if if you're Well, I mean, I would say if you're building a [clears throat]

[55:01] 2,000 foot home, if you can't afford a what would be a $500 fee to build,

[55:07] » you have a foundation for a 2,000 foot home, but it may take you 10 years to

[55:11] build a house. I I can if you would like I can ask MMA if this if there's a legal

[55:17] framework that would allow for what you guys are suggesting. It would exist

[55:21] outside of the ordinance probably along with the fee schedule or some separate

[55:25] document. So it wouldn't impede >> this vote, but um I can I can ask MMA

[55:30] and see what they have to say. >> So you're just throwing things out to

[55:33] address >> that. I ask them stuff all the time like

[55:35] this. So I'll see what they have to say and I report back to you. I think you're

[55:38] making this a lot more complicated because if you get into that, you're

[55:42] going to get into income. >> You're going to figure you're going to

[55:46] have to figure out what your what the person's income is. [clears throat]

[55:49] » I agree. I'm just saying I'm just addressing the question.

[55:54] So that this is big objection. >> What about giving them like six months

[55:58] to pay it? >> Well, that's that's another thing.

[56:00] [clears throat] You could have a timeline or a year or

[56:03] time. Yes. Payment over time is not is a good idea.

[56:06] » I mean, you you're not playing favoritisms and you everybody's

[56:10] » this is probably outlined by the state the stat

[56:15] » I think the only thing that really we could look at for discounts would either

[56:19] be for seniors or for veterans or a combination of both

[56:23] » that's true seniors and veterans that's >> or if they had homestead or if they had

[56:29] homestead exemption on their property already then we could verify that easily

[56:34] » and you only have to be here a year to get that

[56:37] So that's not really a great one. >> But I just my followup comment before I

[56:41] go is thatbody if you guys just if you guys

[56:45] » however you want to do it come up with some proposed prices. I could put that

[56:50] on piece of paper. >> I'm I'm for the ones you have. I just

[56:54] think >> I mean I think there

[56:55] » those are the numbers we've talked about three years now.

[56:58] » Make want to make a motion. >> Second. We have a second.

[57:03] » Second. >> All in favor. All right, I'll put it

[57:06] together. >> We're going to do that.

[57:08] » Thank you, Al. >> You're welcome.

[57:09] » Okay, next.

[57:14] » Cemetery stone damage. >> It's a little bit of Dicky and I both.

[57:18] » Okay. >> Is it the foot stones, Dicky?

[57:21] » Yeah. >> And is it a metal weed whacker or is it

[57:24] an actual push mower? >> It the the first one was by a weed

[57:29] whacker. The second one looks like it's a scratch right across the top of the

[57:34] the stone. Is it one individual or is it the group?

[57:38] » It's just in that one spot.

[57:42] » Yeah. Right there in Bay View. >> Yeah.

[57:45] » Yeah. >> No,

[57:47] down. >> Oh, cuz there's a couple in Bay View,

[57:49] too, that have been cut right off. I talked to you about it last year when I

[57:52] was laying recently Christmas. >> Yes, them ones. Those were because of

[57:55] the old >> Yeah. The stones porous,

[57:59] » right? >> But the corners are now shaped up.

[58:01] » So, we changed the wire. Okay. >> Yeah. All right.

[58:05] » Thank you. >> Um, I will add to that. I spoke to our

[58:08] insurance company. Um, they informed me to, I'm going to use a quote, file a

[58:13] claim, but it's not a claim. It's an FYI. They don't charge FYIs. After two

[58:18] weeks, they drop off and they send a letter to the I'm going to call property

[58:22] owner saying that it's not covered by the town to see the person, the company

[58:27] that did it, their insurance to cover it. And we should also have um we call

[58:32] them COIs, certificate of interest from anybody that does work for the town.

[58:37] » Always going to work. >> So we've talked about it's $949.

[58:42] » Yes. Dicky and I Dicky and I have been talking about this. So weird.

[58:46] » The other part about that is the the person whose stones have been affected

[58:51] has been adamant apparently with the town about staying off of his plot, his

[58:57] family's plot. They were forewarned to be careful around it.

[59:00] » Is that what you're saying? >> But he told me to my face that I've told

[59:03] the town stay off the plot and he's put four flags on the corners and [snorts] I

[59:10] don't know how we could make it more noticeable. I think um I don't know.

[59:15] » Well, was that conveyed to the cemetery moment?

[59:19] We we spoke with them. Dwayne and I spoke with with the group right now.

[59:24] » But before or after it got damaged at >> both. Yeah.

[59:30] » This is 949 bucks. But there's also damage of baby.

[59:36] [clears throat] >> There's maybe no one's complaining about

[59:37] it. No, >> but it should be addressed, right?

[59:40] » So, uh where's this coming? If we decide to pay

[59:43] » We're not paying it. >> We're not paying it.

[59:44] » No. Insurance companies said not to. We're not liable. the Arise program

[59:49] » willing to work with. >> Yes.

[59:51] » Okay.

[59:56] » It was more of anformational

[1:00:01] » you pointed that out to Zach and the bunch about where the flags are on the

[1:00:04] corners. >> Thank you.

[1:00:08] » Numerous times.

[1:00:13] » It's hard to say. >> This is very hard for me. I've owned

[1:00:17] cemeteries forever, 50 odd years. And I'll tell you, it's very, very easy to

[1:00:26] do this. Whether you trying not to or not, it's very easy to either do it by

[1:00:32] lawnmower or do it by weed whacker. And I'm sorry that this has happened to

[1:00:38] whoever, but it happens a lot. And nobody means to do it. Not at all. But I

[1:00:45] don't really think that it should be the town's responsibility.

[1:00:50] You don't know who's I mean, somebody could be down there mowing. This person

[1:00:54] could be hiring. We have people that hire their own people to do it. Even

[1:00:58] though we mow it perpetually, they still hire people. So, you know,

[1:01:04] who's to blame? You know, you can't really

[1:01:07] » I know Joanne, we ordered a spool of the big coil of wire last year. When it was

[1:01:12] brought to my attention that that was was doing the damage, we stopped using

[1:01:17] it. We went back to the >> regular. Well, it's it's very easy to

[1:01:20] do, believe me. >> Have you ever had anybody in your years

[1:01:24] of wearing a cemetery? >> We have had nobody issues come and tell

[1:01:28] us that, you know, you need to replace this stone, you need to fix it. We've

[1:01:33] been very fortunate. But we have and I myself being on the mower has hit a

[1:01:40] stone before >> and I have cut the corner off

[1:01:44] » and yours are flat too. So >> and my eyes are flat. They're not, you

[1:01:47] know, they're not high. >> They're not stacked. They're flat.

[1:01:50] » But I have done it before myself. >> So So it's justformational and Elijah's

[1:01:56] going to try to work with this one person. So to answer your question that

[1:01:59] it's happened before, it happens. >> It does happen. Nobody intends to do

[1:02:03] » Nobody's intending to do it. >> Okay.

[1:02:09] » Uh we're into appointment papers. So we will appoint I'll let you do that.

[1:02:16] » You wanted to point him. As a matter of fact, if you wouldn't mind reading them

[1:02:19] all, Dan, there's one in there with me. I can't read the town employer

[1:02:26] that you can't read. >> I can't that I can't read the

[1:02:29] appointments. >> Okay. So, Charles Day to be nominated

[1:02:36] to a planning board uh seat. Do we need to vote on that?

[1:02:42] » Yes, please. Just read them all and Ruby Fry uh tax collector,

[1:02:49] » Susette Francis, registar of voters. Uh Susette Francis, town administrator.

[1:02:56] Um, Ruby Fry, treasurer. Ruby Fry. Um, let me see. General

[1:03:04] assistance administrator. Penny Sprag, town clerk.

[1:03:09] Um, Penny Sprag. Um, what is this?

[1:03:14] Oh, 911 addressing officer. Yep. Um, Alex Henry, CEO, and Mark Perry for

[1:03:22] assessor's agent. I guess it's not.

[1:03:26] » That's okay. Is that it? >> Yeah, I didn't see

[1:03:29] » That's okay. I didn't know what was in there, but I think you were doing that.

[1:03:32] » So, I'll make um I do make a motion that we uh appoint all those people

[1:03:36] » for the upcoming year or >> Well, yes. Started. Uh all in favor.

[1:03:44] So, those people just have to uh Well, she just

[1:03:50] » swear Chris. Chris, go ahead, Chris. Yeah,

[1:03:53] » we don't do all of them at once. >> I noticed u the last meeting there was a

[1:03:58] question I don't know Mr. Day. He's probably a really nice guy. Um I have

[1:04:03] been on going to the planning board meetings for over a year and a half and

[1:04:07] I was asked by uh God rest his soul was uh Mr. Rule uh to attend and to possibly

[1:04:15] be on the planning board which I wound up going to many meetings. In fact, I

[1:04:20] was at the last meeting And I know that it has to go through the

[1:04:25] select board, but I've been I've never even met Mr. Day at any one of the

[1:04:31] planning meetings and I've been going for a year and a

[1:04:36] half [clears throat] and not consecutively,

[1:04:39] but probably about at least twothirds of it and I was an associate member of uh

[1:04:46] on the uh planning board. >> You are an associate member right now.

[1:04:50] was an association member and wound up happening. There was a spot that was

[1:04:54] over. >> I need to interrupt there for a minute.

[1:04:56] He never came in and got sworn in so he has never been a member. That was that

[1:04:59] was pointed out to me the other day. >> Are you referring to Mr. Ra?

[1:05:02] » Yes. >> Thank you.

[1:05:04] » Okay. Sorry. >> I don't know. Did you I think at the

[1:05:06] same time you both associate. >> I I'm pretty sure was never an

[1:05:13] associate. I just got >> Was I at Was I at any other meetings?

[1:05:20] » Yes, you did meetings. I don't have control over whether

[1:05:23] » No, I'm not. >> And I know you

[1:05:27] want to say that I have participated and I don't know how people can wind up

[1:05:33] getting on a board who don't participate and what's their background. I did and I

[1:05:39] did send a letter of my >> say it publicly

[1:05:41] » to the committee of my stand.

[1:05:47] » I think that usually the uh chair of the planning board comes and gives us

[1:05:51] suggestions as to who needs to be on there. So if you've been going then we

[1:05:56] can defer. I think there's a new chair. Is not Rachel the new chair?

[1:06:00] » Yes. And they were very in the last meeting they were very uh they didn't

[1:06:04] even know about this gentleman being presented because Mr. Daily circumvented

[1:06:08] the situation. >> Circumvented?

[1:06:11] » I don't think he did. I think that we just had a

[1:06:13] » I just nominated. >> Yeah. The last

[1:06:16] » I'm not I'm not picking on you, Dan. I'm just saying that you know what the it

[1:06:20] goes. It has to be a nomination has to be done by the planning board and it

[1:06:25] wasn't done that way. And they were even unaware of this gentleman.

[1:06:30] » Well, they are aware of him now because I spoke to the chair myself and they

[1:06:33] knew that last at the meeting.

[1:06:37] Rachel knew that he was being appointed. >> It was a week ago, this past Monday

[1:06:42] » and they said that they felt that they put me in for it.

[1:06:45] » Uh, are there more spots on the planning board?

[1:06:49] » I don't think so. >> It was for [clears throat] Jean. Uh,

[1:06:51] » this five plus to open right now. Regional animal. Thank you, Chris.

[1:06:57] Regional animal control officer discussion. That's you.

[1:07:01] » So, you know, it's interesting on that. Um I actually listened in on Heron's

[1:07:05] pitch to the commissioners >> about this.

[1:07:08] » Yeah. Okay. >> And it was really well received.

[1:07:10] » It was very wellreceived. They um >> he pitched it to I forget the date but

[1:07:15] it was you know the county commissioners meeting and it was just another way of

[1:07:18] just sharing resources because this acco was kind of a revolving door.

[1:07:22] » It is >> and the last one just kind of absconded

[1:07:25] it without telling anybody. >> You can't left a lot of people.

[1:07:28] » We need to get a this is still a draft. We the group that's got together um we

[1:07:32] thought we had time to work on it like the next budget year. Um but then a

[1:07:37] couple three weeks ago her received an email from the um ADA stating that he

[1:07:43] would not prosecute any cases brought to him by Jessica Lewis or her assistant

[1:07:48] » Jessica. We can't. >> So even if so um her appointment ran out

[1:07:55] she done um I actually the board is appointed

[1:07:59] » you send her a letter. Yes, because you haven't shown up.

[1:08:04] » Your lack of absence. So, we take that as a resignation. I believe that we

[1:08:09] » um and intram is Doran Hkins. He really doesn't want the job, but he's doing it

[1:08:15] to fill in because we need one for state law.

[1:08:17] » We have to have one. >> So, I think with that ADA letter, this

[1:08:20] might take creep up quicker than we thought.

[1:08:23] » It's a very good idea to join together and hire one and [laughter] that way

[1:08:27] it's a full-time job. I'm reading over. I do have a few questions for Heron. Um,

[1:08:33] and it would be a personnel issue, so I don't want to discuss it in public.

[1:08:36] Actually, I probably could because the personnel person had their meeting in

[1:08:40] public. >> Um, it Kevin Brody,

[1:08:44] » he had his meeting in public, so it's all public knowledge.

[1:08:46] » Um, someone said in their meeting that maybe he would apply for the job. I

[1:08:52] talked to MMA about it with workers comp and our insurance and all that to find

[1:08:55] out if we need anything else. and they pointed me in some directions of what to

[1:09:00] do to help cover ourselves. >> Appointment papers can be specifically

[1:09:06] » I want to be part of that group. >> Yeah.

[1:09:08] » Then you're not going to have an ACL. >> Well, can we work this angle with her?

[1:09:12] » I'm going to talk to her about it. I've got my notes written down.

[1:09:14] » No, he had so many causes. >> I know. But

[1:09:19] » her is working with the UT's and he's working with Matias and a couple of

[1:09:23] other >> So I would let that play out if we can

[1:09:29] then we're technically not >> Yeah,

[1:09:32] » right. That's true. >> We're employing He's [clears throat]

[1:09:36] waiting and see how that runs out before we say anything. Why don't you like with

[1:09:40] » I just got Yes, I got suggestions from MMA, too. But

[1:09:43] » yeah, >> I looking that over though. I mean, if

[1:09:46] we do go this route, I mean, I wouldn't, >> you know, it says the IRS standard

[1:09:50] mileage rate based uh for businesses pay on 76 cents a mile. I mean, I wouldn't

[1:09:56] even put the figure in there. Whatever. >> That's federal.

[1:09:59] » Yeah. Whatever. Whatever numbers you don't yourself into,

[1:10:04] » right? >> Yes. It should be yearly. Yearly

[1:10:08] audience. >> Just a quick comment. Um, when we uh

[1:10:12] when you talk to Heron Susette, um, can we I think it would be prudent to send

[1:10:17] along or have her collect all the town's uh, ordinances, animal control

[1:10:22] ordinances, it would be I would love it. I'm saying that as a citizen, if our

[1:10:27] acco right off the bat had that and and knew that they needed to read our

[1:10:32] ordinance, I feel like um, that was lost in some previous some previous ACOs. uh

[1:10:38] because there's a lot of stuff in there that doesn't get enforced. We just want

[1:10:41] to make sure that the new acco actually reads our ordinance.

[1:10:46] » And maybe if we go through a acco several towns, shouldn't it be the same?

[1:10:55] » Well, yes, they can't five different ordinances,

[1:10:58] » right? something that >> I mean

[1:11:03] » okay so that >> so I just have something to say table

[1:11:12] » no it's just a it was justformational let you guys know that we're talking on

[1:11:15] it >> so in other business luckily we did get

[1:11:19] some good news at 7:00 this morning the lawyer's assistant emailed Susette and I

[1:11:25] saying that 63 Pleasant Street the owner has been served served. They found him.

[1:11:30] He was legally served, which means they put the hearing at the 26th because we

[1:11:35] can't do anything the next meeting because it's going to be a new board or

[1:11:39] » revised board. And then that would be the first meeting. So, if he doesn't

[1:11:42] show up by either Zoom or here, then it will be I believe deemed abandoned and

[1:11:47] then you guys can go in and clean it up >> and you know with help from I can give

[1:11:53] you all that contact information if you need it.

[1:11:55] » Yeah. So, um,

[1:11:57] » committee updates and [clears throat]

[1:11:59] » what was the what was the address of that?

[1:12:01] » 63 Pleasant with the fence around it. >> The fence.

[1:12:07] » I have another question maybe for Susette if I could. I'll wait till

[1:12:10] afterwards until you guys are done though about a different house.

[1:12:14] » Okay. >> That's on the like the derelict

[1:12:16] buildings or whatever. The challenger house, but I'll wait.

[1:12:20] » Okay. That would be more to Alex. >> Well, yeah, it's more to Al.

[1:12:24] » You can ask Alex, but we're done. We kind of went through total comment,

[1:12:28] didn't we? Annie, come with the update. >> Sitting right next to you.

[1:12:36] » Thank you. >> Thank you, dear. How was Mark's speech?

[1:12:39] » It was good. You know, you know whoever. Oh, I know.

[1:12:43] » I wish I had I was in Bangor at the time.

[1:12:47] » Oh, he's in a Oh, yeah. >> What? He did. He did.

[1:12:52] » It was like a big banana. >> I wish you would have wor yellow.

[1:12:57] » Hi everyone. Um those you don't know me, I'm Annie, the chair of the Lost

[1:13:01] Fisherman's Memorial. Um we did our event on July 21st. Everything went

[1:13:07] really well. Um >> yes, you did. Um this year's ceremony

[1:13:11] brought together families, commercial fishermen, elected officials, sponsors,

[1:13:16] volunteers, um visitors from across Maine. During the ceremony, we dedicated

[1:13:21] the newly engraved names of Thomas West and Steven Johnson Jr. this year. The

[1:13:27] response from the community and those who attended has really been

[1:13:31] overwhelming positive this year. Um members are expressing their

[1:13:37] appreciation and compassion has been reflected. Um the ceremony this year has

[1:13:45] the reflections have been re really really well. Um the media

[1:13:51] turnout was really good and it has reached honestly globally at this point.

[1:13:58] Um so the turnout was good. the response has been really really good um

[1:14:06] coming back and um I'm really hoping that everything goes

[1:14:13] well at the upcoming annual town meeting. This is going to be

[1:14:19] um an important milestone for us this year. So the town vote when everybody

[1:14:24] comes out this year [snorts] is going to be really important for us. So that's

[1:14:29] when the town's going to decide if you guys are going to take stewardship

[1:14:33] [snorts] of this memorial or not. Um because if not, it's going to be the

[1:14:38] next decision of who is going to take ownership of it. So this is a decision

[1:14:45] that we're going to need to make. Um the if the town takes stewardship, it's

[1:14:51] going to remain a permanent place for protection, a place of rememberment, re

[1:14:55] remembrance, education, and reflection for us. So um I hope that it does remain

[1:15:02] with the town. On behalf of the committee, I extend my sincere thanks to

[1:15:07] the select board, the town staff, our volunteers, sponsors, don donors,

[1:15:12] citizens of Lubec for their continued encouragement and support. And together

[1:15:17] we are ensuring that the sacri sacrifices of Maine's commercial

[1:15:21] fishermen will never be forgotten. So, thank you truly for all of you for all

[1:15:26] you've done. >> Thank you so much. [applause]

[1:15:40] We are getting seed for the upcoming year. We're going to be purchasing

[1:15:45] seedlings and um they had talked about getting a

[1:15:50] grant maybe for purchasing seed for this upcoming year. The grant has not come

[1:15:55] out. Uh but I was wondering what you guys think about that since the grant

[1:15:59] has not come out. We do. Julie can talk to you more about it. Um cuz she has the

[1:16:06] information. >> I reached out to Chris Bartlett Crant

[1:16:10] and they do have a grant. It's like the talk is $5,000.

[1:16:17] I don't know if it's a match or not yet. It hasn't been released, but paperwork.

[1:16:24] I believe we need the town's blessing going forward to look into the ground.

[1:16:30] the letter. >> Yeah, it would just be to look into the

[1:16:33] grant itself before doing anything. >> They just have to apply um on behalf of

[1:16:39] the town because the money would come into the town. So, it kind of like has

[1:16:42] to be our grant although they I think they're going to do all the work.

[1:16:45] » Yeah, >> it just has to have the town's blessing.

[1:16:49] » I'll keep updating. >> We should make a motion to do that.

[1:16:52] Mark, >> I'll make a motion. We support the um

[1:16:55] clam committee and the endeavors for this grant.

[1:16:58] » Second. All in favor?

[1:17:02] » And if you need a letter, I'm sure they

[1:17:07] » uh any other committee updates. >> Landa,

[1:17:12] » I just wanted to let the board know that the um the uh celebration committee has

[1:17:19] declined um in next year will be responsible for

[1:17:25] July 4th. But for any other days, everybody's kind of gotten old,

[1:17:31] » sorted out, >> tied out,

[1:17:32] » tied out. So, I hope that somebody will pick up. We do a lot for like four days.

[1:17:39] And I'm hoping somebody will step up to the plate for the kids most of all, but

[1:17:45] we'll always be for the fourth. >> So, the actual day of the fourth, but

[1:17:49] not all the days. Is that what you're saying? Just the day of the fourth.

[1:17:52] » Yes. Yeah. >> So, we need to get that out there that

[1:17:55] we need to get some new >> younger energy into the committee. Well,

[1:18:00] anybody who wants to >> participate in the uh celebration

[1:18:04] committee, we'd love to have you come up to the town and

[1:18:07] » we will certainly put you on. >> I want to thank you for everything

[1:18:11] you've done.

[1:18:15] » Do I just go to the town office to get on the celebration?

[1:18:19] » Oh, do you are you volunteering right now?

[1:18:21] » Nominated. >> [laughter]

[1:18:27] » Thank you, Jennifer. Excellent. >> Love that.

[1:18:32] » Yes. You know, and I was thinking of whole thing around clam like a clam bake

[1:18:39] or something around the July 4th. Not to give you any ideas, but [clears throat]

[1:18:43] seeing as you're so involved with the clam committee to begin with, and would

[1:18:48] be really great to have that incorporated in one of the days, I

[1:18:51] think.

[1:18:54] So if there's nothing else here, can I ask one thing? I I'm sorry for now, but

[1:19:00] Susette, you guys have made out a a little form or something about how the

[1:19:06] town votes going to be different. >> Yes. Actually, not the town vote. The

[1:19:10] town warrant articles are >> just more put together.

[1:19:14] » They're more condensed. >> Yes. And just condensed

[1:19:18] » instead of having like 15 articles. This is does LCO not LC

[1:19:23] 500 blah blah we can get stuff like that all into one

[1:19:26] » but the ability to to change each individual we'll say department under

[1:19:33] that article number is still there >> okay

[1:19:35] » so it's not like it's locked in if it says 100,000 here it doesn't mean that

[1:19:39] you can't change down here >> in in an effort to help my board member

[1:19:43] to my left who really has to go someplace right now I would suggest that

[1:19:47] we might either let her go or ajourn >> adjourn.

[1:19:51] » If we could let her go, if I could ask if you could please give the dates of

[1:19:56] the meet the vote [clears throat] and all those important dates.

[1:19:59] » August 11 and August 12th. >> August 11th is 8 to 6. It's town office

[1:20:04] for the board positions. In August 12th, it's a town meeting at 6:00 p.m. at the

[1:20:09] cafeteria. >> Go ahead.

[1:20:11] » I just want to gauge an interest in this. Um, so it came to my attention

[1:20:15] like a couple weeks ago that the Challenger House, um, which is one of

[1:20:20] like the Derelick buildings or whatever that's been a problem and it's been on

[1:20:23] Alex Henry's list for a really long time.

[1:20:25] » Which one is the >> It's the big green one. I think it's on

[1:20:28] Pleasant Street. >> Pleasant Street.

[1:20:30] » Normally,

[1:20:34] » it's been in a a terrible state obviously for a very long time. Um it's

[1:20:40] my understanding through verification um through

[1:20:45] the the county the deed records that that there's been uh sewer leans for 16

[1:20:51] months almost 17 months on that property. Um I'm pretty sure that the

[1:20:55] taxes are paid, but there are sewer leans and I wanted to verify that with

[1:20:59] Suzette. I meant to come into the town office um last week, but I didn't get to

[1:21:03] it. Um so here I just have this idea for you guys. Here in the state of Maine,

[1:21:08] you can do a a statutory uh uh foreclosure basically obviously

[1:21:14] for taxes and for unpaid sewer. Um that has been it's now under HUD. It's under

[1:21:20] it was relinquished to HUD through Castle Rock REO and Tikville partners. I

[1:21:24] I verified that with the contact that I had there. It will sit in HUD forever.

[1:21:29] And there >> Yeah, it will sit forever. So, the

[1:21:33] contact that I talked to last week told me that his suggestion would be for the

[1:21:38] town to immediately send the letter of intent to foreclose for sewer back back

[1:21:42] fees for sewers. It's a statutory foreclosure. It does not require legal

[1:21:48] anything. Doesn't require court appearances. It doesn't require an

[1:21:51] attorney at all. And it is literally a way to get that out of the hands of HUD.

[1:21:56] Um, and I think that that that notice of intent would have to be filed probably

[1:22:00] within the next like two weeks. Um, but it's I think it's 18 months that it can

[1:22:06] be basically >> lean

[1:22:08] » taken. Go for 18 months. Yeah. >> Yeah. So I I would that would be like my

[1:22:14] suggestion. Gage that and get it out of his hands.

[1:22:17] » I love this. >> Get it out of the hands of HUD. I'm not

[1:22:20] like trying to be like about it. But Gate really needs to go back under the

[1:22:25] care of a private owner and everything. Someone in the town who can invest in it

[1:22:29] and and do something with it. It's the oldest house in Lubebec. Maybe if no one

[1:22:33] does anything with it, at least it can just get out of the state that it's in

[1:22:36] and get off of the town's plate. >> As recently as this week, I talked to

[1:22:40] Alex about the number of um contacts he has out there for derelite buildings and

[1:22:48] I [clears throat] think you said only five.

[1:22:50] » I keep a I've got a priority list of five. That's right.

[1:22:53] » So, and because I asked, you know, that that there we ought to keep a rolling.

[1:22:58] No, we shouldn't just set at five and add more to that. And I agree that

[1:23:03] building is gonna >> fall right down around itself.

[1:23:07] » I have experience with that home as well.

[1:23:09] » Um >> yeah,

[1:23:10] » contacting someone in the state of Maine for HUD. You're never going to get

[1:23:13] anyone. It's all managed through Boston, I believe. Um the state of you'll never

[1:23:17] get a live body in the state of Maine. Um and I talked to someone last week as

[1:23:21] well. They don't even have a record of that being on their like federal list of

[1:23:26] anything. So, I think now's the time for the town to just take it.

[1:23:30] » Well, thank you. Thank you very much. I think that Susette's going to follow up

[1:23:33] on that and anything we can do to deal with we want to do especially about Yes.

[1:23:41] » motion to all in favor

[1:23:46] three wins. >> Oh, shoot. I did that back.

[1:23:49] [clears throat] >> I don't have anybody else. couple

[1:23:52] questions can ask.

Select Board Meeting 7 29 2026

Transcript