[5:43] call the meeting to order.
>> Since I completely missed the time, uh,
[5:47] could you please stand alone?
>> That's right.
[5:54] To the flag of the United States of
America and to the republic for it
[5:59] stands nation
[6:04] of all.
Apologize for that. I'm still on time.
[6:10] All right. We have all five counselors
present.
[6:15] Is there anybody here that would like to
sneak on something that's not on the
[6:19] agenda this evening?
[6:23] Seeing none, we'll move on. Jim, here.
>> All right. [laughter]
[6:30] They have completed the covert on
Oldfield Road. They're just waiting for
[6:33] final inspection from uh MDOT. They
flushed coververts on Gr Street in
[6:39] Oldfield Road and roadside mowing still
continues. Police Department had eight
[6:44] arrests, seven accidents, 155 traffic
stops, and the behavioral health leaison
[6:49] helped 104 people in the last two weeks.
The car versus deer incident for the
[6:54] police reserve on August 22nd.
Unfortunately, has left that pri total
[6:58] by the insurance company. Wow.
>> So, we are looking to get it replaced
[7:02] with reinsurance money and we possibly
may need to take some money out of CIP
[7:07] to supplement the purchase, but only
going to give us value when it's worth
[7:10] down. We've had that vehicle a few
years. Um the insurance company will
[7:13] also cover the cost to take off all the
blinking lights off the current cruiser
[7:17] and put them on the vehicle that we get.
Hopefully we can get the same kind of
[7:21] vehicle. So it's the easy spot. In fire
department, there were 45 calls in the
[7:26] last two weeks with two of them
overlapping bringing us to 471 year to
[7:30] date. And both the fire and police are
gearing up for the Punkin Town triathlon
[7:34] that's coming this weekend with public
safety being um other top concern. code
[7:39] enforcement, seven building permits, two
certificates of occupancy, 13
[7:44] inspections, and they're looking into
options for online permit payments to
[7:49] make it easier for the public
contractors.
[7:52] Planning and economic development, block
party planning is underway, and that
[7:55] would be scheduled for October 24th.
Multiple meetings with business owners
[7:59] and they have a walkthrough for
potential subdivision off road this
[8:03] Thursday. transfer station. Just a
reminder, hazmat day is Saturday,
[8:07] September 19th, and we have been having
some trouble with people not following
[8:11] the rules or listening to the
attendance, which is a high safety
[8:14] concern for us. So, we have purchased a
few more signs to keep the messages
[8:18] clear, and we ask people to just be
respectful to the staff.
[8:21] Library had 1,255
visitors in the last two weeks. We have
[8:25] six public programs that were attended
by 101 people. And September is library
[8:31] card signup month. So swing by behind
get your car varations. Um since you're
[8:38] getting later into the calendar year
they have decided to delay the delivery
[8:41] of the playground for egg fields because
if we were to take the delivery of the
[8:47] equipment now and if weather doesn't
cooperate they don't get to us we would
[8:51] have to store all of that through the
winter. So we're going to order
[8:54] everything and just delay the delivery
until spring and we'll be the first one
[8:58] on their list then. Um they have
received several applications for the
[9:03] program coordinator position. Nikki held
one interview last week and has a few
[9:06] more this week to complete. Seniors
programs they went on a launch last week
[9:11] was successful. They saw a long list.
The assessing they are reviewing two
[9:16] applications. They are updating all the
ownership changes in the system from
[9:19] April 1st to current. Now that the tax
bills have been processed, clerk's
[9:23] office has been very busy. 352 motor
vehicle transactions, 20 vital records,
[9:28] 21 notorial acts. They expect to have
absentee ballots delivered on or around
[9:34] the first week of October. October 5th
is the scheduled date. The state of
[9:38] Maine is providing eight new tabulators
to replace the five tabulators that we
[9:42] have been currently using. So all that
new equipment will include election
[9:46] upgrade softwares as well. So I need to
show you me a picture of those. They are
[9:50] in our possession and are glad to have
more of them and up to date. We
[9:55] officially have four nominees for the
town council. I uh messed anyone's last
[10:00] name up. I apologize now. Anthony
Palazari,
[10:04] Ronald Kusk, Dorothy Bang, and Jane Jane
Bren.
[10:10] We have many vacancies in our
committees. If you want to be involved,
[10:13] please submit your application into the
clerk's office. Finance and HR, we have
[10:18] 72 people that have signed up for the
tax club, which is 14 more than last
[10:21] year. and we are scheduling our annual
training for staff for late September
[10:25] into early October. Admin, I continue to
gather information for the auditor,
[10:30] finalizing year end reports and
reconciliations. After some research, we
[10:34] have found that we do not need to go in
front of the planning board for the new
[10:37] playground um for Agie Fields. It was
already approved back in 1997. So, this
[10:41] has been on the books for to happen for
a long time.
[10:45] Um, I attended several meetings for a
town hall dealing with some personnel
[10:49] issues and for a town hall renovation
update. The flooring on the first floor
[10:54] was completed. The cabinets and the
bathroom sinks were delivered today.
[10:58] Windows are being installed on the third
floor today as well. Phase one is
[11:02] tenatively scheduled to have a move
dates on October 1st and second. We are
[11:07] trying to finalize that with the movers.
The new vault system is going to be
[11:11] installed on September 14th to the 16th.
So, that'll be really exciting. We're
[11:15] hoping to get a picture of what it was
versus what the new system will be and
[11:18] get that out there because it's going to
be a very big difference. Um, and that
[11:22] we may need to close the town hall for a
day or two when we have a sewer line
[11:26] done that is a clay line and they need
to get rid of the roots and do a lining
[11:31] in it. So, we obviously can't have a
public building open with no running
[11:35] water. So, we'll keep you posted on that
as I know more. And just as a reminder
[11:39] to the public, we were talking about
this earlier for next Tuesday. The town
[11:42] council is hosting a listening session
to hear from the public about the
[11:45] upcoming budget process here at the
community center at 6:00.
[11:50] » I have a question then a statement. So
question first. You said,251
[11:55] visitors at the library.
>> 1255 the last two weeks.
[11:59] » Wow.
>> Isn't that amazing?
[12:00] » That is that is unbelievable from where
we were.
[12:03] » They must be going to the cake pants.
[laughter]
[12:06] » Okay. My last one, my forearm. You can
check out cake pans at the library. They
[12:12] have a few hundred stuff.
>> Yes.
[12:14] » So, it's fantastic.
>> Now, too.
[12:17] » Yes. Um, Block Park, are they going to
use the parking lot on Paul Street
[12:22] again? So, Jay and Ruber should go visit
it because there's an abandoned
[12:28] motorcycle that hasn't moved in two
years and there's a truck that's been
[12:30] there for probably eight months with the
windows down.
[12:34] So they might want to visit that before
we have block party that
[12:40] » any questions for Jen.
>> All right. Fantastic. Thank you, Jen.
[12:46] Thank you. Uh moving on to approval of
the following minutes. First one up is
[12:51] the town council special meeting on July
20th, 2026.
[12:56] » I have a motion to adopt the time
council special minutes from July 20th
[13:00] 26 as written. Second. We have a motion
and a second. Any discussion on those
[13:04] meeting minutes?
Hearing none, we'll move to a vote. Sam
[13:08] » I.
>> Yeah. Paul,
[13:11] » Joel, I vote I also motion passes. 50-0.
Moving on to town council special needs
[13:18] minutes July 22nd, 2026.
>> Motion to adopt the town council special
[13:23] meeting minutes for July 22nd, 2026. Is
written.
[13:26] » Second. We have a motion in a second.
Any comment on those? None. S I Paul.
[13:32] » Hi.
>> Joel.
[13:33] » Hi.
>> All I vote I also that motion passes
[13:37] zero. Next one up is the town council
public hearing minutes from August 25th
[13:43] of 2026.
I would move that we accept the public
[13:48] hearing minutes
of August 25th, 2026.
[13:55] Second.
>> Got a motion and a second. Any comments?
[13:58] Hearing none. S. I'm out with stand
there. [clears throat]
[14:02] » Paul,
>> I
[14:06] » I vote I also motion passes forward with
one abstension.
[14:10] Moving down to town council meeting
minutes of August 25th, 2026.
[14:16] I will make a motion to accept the town
council meeting minutes of August 2th,
[14:20] 2026 as written.
>> Second motion in a second. Any
[14:24] discussion?
Hearing none. Sam, I assume you're going
[14:28] to stand. Paul I don't I
>> I vote I also that motion passes forth
[14:35] with one extension. That takes care of
all the meeting minutes. Moving down to
[14:40] the treasurer's warrant.
>> Mr. Chair, I'll make a motion to sign
[14:45] the treasur's warrant dated 170 or
dated September 3rd, 2026 in the amount
[14:52] of $174,272.
[14:55] » I will second that motion in a second.
Any discussion on the treasurer's
[15:00] warrant from September 3rd?
Hearing none, we'll move to a vote. Sam
[15:06] » I, Paul I,
>> Joel,
[15:08] » I,
>> Mallerie,
[15:10] » I vote I also motion passes 5 Z. There's
no computers to my left.
[15:19] » All right. Uh, moving down to unfinished
>> unfinished business.
[15:24] » Do you need a card?
No.
[15:31] » Um
yeah, 26-50 the comprehensive plan
[15:35] amendment growth area map. Um
[15:41] so it over this right last meeting
[15:47] right down to
[15:51] » why did we not take care of this at the
time?
[15:56] comprehensive plan.
>> No, just did am I I think I'm smart
[16:00] remembering. I thought we we had like
had this on our agenda then we decided
[16:03] to put on a future agenda.
[16:09] » Yeah. To adopt the growth area.
>> Well, we had a public hearing.
[16:12] » Was that
okay Jeff can speak to the what the
[16:17] planning board has been through to get
us to this point.
[16:20] » Sure. Thanks, Jeff. Um
yeah, so they had the public hearing in
[16:26] June. Um remember the state asked for
one more couple more comments. Uh one
[16:32] was um dealing with critical uh species
habitat in in the southern growth area,
[16:40] the Punkinatown Route 236 area. So we
needed to go back and have those changes
[16:46] incorporated in order to achieve the
consistency. Um, and then we had the uh
[16:52] other matter of removing map 12, lot
one. I've got that right from the growth
[16:59] area. And so we've done that. Um, we've
added language explaining LD1829, LD
[17:07] 2173,
which is, I think, what some of the
[17:10] public commenters wanted to see. So, uh,
that's why we're back here. Um on the
[17:16] July 21st joint session um that you guys
had with the planning board, I think it
[17:23] was made clear that we wanted to bring
it back to the planning board and they
[17:28] approved. So they they brought it to you
and bring it back to you guys before we
[17:32] go to the state with consistency review.
So if you guys approve, we'll we'll
[17:39] bring that to the state. And Todd at the
state has already is already waiting for
[17:43] it. So we should be good there. So
that's the sequencing we wanted to to uh
[17:49] do.
>> So this should be the last time you see
[17:53] » any questions for Jeff.
>> So Jeff, are the the changes you made
[17:58] not to the math but to the um the
language and planning on it? I mean I we
[18:04] don't
where are those located right now?
[18:09] » So those are located on the pages in
your packet. would have the summary of
[18:13] the changes,
>> right?
[18:15] » You can see each page
um where the changes are,
[18:19] » right?
>> And then if you go to the planning for
[18:22] change web page,
>> all right,
[18:24] » you can see the proposed comprehensive
plan as amended there.
[18:28] » Okay.
>> So, you can go see what language was
[18:30] actually changed, but that summary in
your packet will give you uh
[18:34] » an idea of what was done.
>> Okay. Would it make sense to table this
[18:39] until I I haven't gone on that website
to look at the act changes
[18:44] you see
something I haven't looked at it this is
[18:49] what we're looking for our opinion on it
[18:54] I think changes I mean other than the
map the changes are
[19:02] pretty
[19:05] » other than the map the changes are um
added a new background section after
[19:10] background regarding explaining recent
state housing legislation.
[19:15] Um and it includes
language to address um
[19:22] changes required by LD1829.
There's also a reference to LD 2003 from
[19:30] a few years ago. um that so page 153 was
updated.
[19:36] Um the language on the narrative
language on the route 236 growth focus
[19:45] area or growth area
>> [clears throat]
[19:47] » um was updated to reference rare species
habitat. So the New England cotton tail
[19:54] um and coordinating that with eastern
trail planning. So that's really what
[20:00] one that state consistency comment
basically being mindful of habitat
[20:05] preservation even in your growth areas.
>> 90% of the updates were admin
[20:10] realistically.
>> Yeah. I mean, we're talking narrative
[20:13] clarifications
and then um SNPDC also updated
[20:19] » [clears throat]
>> uh just the text of policies and
[20:23] strategies primarily natural resources
and land use to talk about
[20:31] um inventories of rare species, wildlife
connectivity overlays. These are the
[20:38] kinds of things that the state suggested
we add to the comprehensive plan. Um so
[20:45] there is a new there is one new policy
under land use protection of natural
[20:53] resources and shoreline zoning on page
196. But that's pretty much summarizes
[21:02] what we're talking about.
[21:06] » Um on the
planning for change among the home or
[21:12] Yeah.
[clears throat]
[21:15] » Yeah. So it says draft conference plan
with proposed growth area amendment and
[21:21] uh the link change project page. Okay.
Here we are.
[21:26] Okay. All right. Got it. Thank you.
And we did the summary about 200.
[21:33] » Yeah, I just want to read the pages that
are noted off.
[21:40] » I'll take the council's wishes. I mean,
understanding councelor Flintstrom's
[21:45] point. Um, I have no issue voting on it
tonight rather than kick it down the
[21:49] road and add it to an agenda. Um, we can
always revisit it if he finds something
[21:54] he doesn't like, but I'll take the
council's wishes on that.
[22:02] » I'm
[22:05] making a motion to approve present a
change to be in line with LD1 1829 and
[22:09] LD 2173.
>> Second.
[22:13] » Motion in a second. Any further
discussion? Hearing none, we'll go vote.
[22:18] Sam no
>> Paul uh I Joe
[22:22] » I
vote I also motion passes 4 one
[22:27] understanding it's because Mr.
was not read it. Not that he doesn't
[22:30] agree with it.
>> Great.
[22:33] » Make sure we're clear from the public.
Uh thank you, Jeff. Has the plan
[22:40] keeps
bailing out on me. Um is that on the um
[22:46] site the plan change special
[22:51] set up to capture le29.
Okay. All
[22:58] right, moving down to new business
26127.
[23:03] Is there anybody in the public that
would like to speak about the block
[23:05] party road closure?
>> Seeing none, this go leads into my
[23:10] question I just asked you.
>> Yes, it does.
[23:12] » Uh
annual second annual block party is
[23:15] going to be October 24th, 2026.
Um they're looking for our approval to
[23:22] close Paul Street from 10:24
7 a.m. to 3 pm and Paul Street parking
[23:29] lot from 10:23 at noon until 10:25 26 at
noon
[23:36] was a great success last year. So I have
all four of this. I will make the motion
[23:41] I can do that in one correct?
>> Yes. I'll make the motion to approve the
[23:47] closure of Paul Street from 10:2426 from
7 to 3 7:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. and close the
[23:54] Fall Street parking lot on 10:23 at noon
until 10:25 at noon. Second in a second.
[24:02] Thank you. Further discussion on that
hearing none. Sam I
[24:08] » Paul
>> I Joel Hi
[24:11] » I vote I also motion passes 5 Z uh 26
>> can I make this road closure topic this
[24:18] is a little bit off topic and I was
going to correct it off comments but um
[24:21] this drives my memory of we need to take
a step to close the road for the LE
[24:25] grade uh
that's a step that I think historically
[24:30] we've often missed and so I think we're
catching it in time now thank you I'll
[24:35] go to the next
>> are we doing the same thing for
[24:38] Agumentist that we always miss and we
just do it anyway
[24:42] » which
>> we close we usually close the loops we
[24:45] put up barricade because there's someone
to keep the cards from going up
[24:50] buttonwood and
>> yeah willow
[24:54] there's too many
vote on that
[25:00] » yeah that'll keep the people happy yes
all the peoples
[25:07] All right. Uh, moving down. Thank you,
Valerie. Moving down to 26128. Is there
[25:12] anybody in the public that would like to
be calling Violet Flower Cafe the side
[25:16] brand
saying?
[25:22] » Yes. There we went one through five
there.
[25:33] Uh
[25:36] so we have a we have a committee that is
myself, Jeff.
[25:42] Uh
yeah, you J.
[25:47] » That's it currently. Right.
>> That is it currently.
[25:49] » How it stands. Correct.
>> Um we have money set aside by the TIFF
[25:53] for the downtown district area and
people can apply. Basically, it's funds
[25:58] that once they pay for it, we will
reimburse them once they come to us to
[26:03] give them some funds to dress up
downtown, make it look a little better.
[26:06] So, we looked at this grant. Uh we all
approved as a committee that it would
[26:10] pass. So, I will make the motion to
approve the wildflower cafe application
[26:14] for $250 grant be funded from the
transit downtown tip fund.
[26:20] » Second.
>> Motion and a second. Any further
[26:22] discussion?
>> Um we want to talk about what we're
[26:26] looking to do or
[26:31] » uh I could go back and email.
>> Yeah. I mean, so essentially if you've
[26:35] been to the Wildflower Cafe, the outside
where the overhang everything is not
[26:39] pleasant and like she has a lot of great
thoughts thoughts for it. So that's what
[26:43] she's going to do. Take it more
behind.
[26:48] » It was a week or so ago we looked at
this.
[26:50] » It was okay. That was like last year.
>> It passed.
[26:53] » All right. Thank you, Joe. Um, but you
know, I saw that it said the building
[26:58] owner I want to make sure the building
owner approved. I mean, she's not the
[27:01] owner of the building.
>> Right. So, he approved. I mean, I I
[27:05] couldn't somebody signed the
application. I could not tell who signed
[27:08] it or I just want to make sure that the
building owner him or herself has signed
[27:14] off on the application. Uh,
>> yeah, there's a signature property owner
[27:20] like third page, I think.
>> Yeah. Okay. and the ownersh
[27:26] I couldn't see I could read the
signature
[27:30] » the first page
right there
[27:38] question
>> general conditions
[27:40] » sure sorry happy to like happy to pass
this just in general I'm thinking in the
[27:45] middle of us wanting to do down country
finalization and all this do we have
[27:49] certain design
parameters and kind of looks and colors
[27:53] and everything. So things up are
cohesive or we don't have it done.
[27:59] » Unless I'm mistaken, nothing on lower
outside historic district.
[28:02] » Yeah. Okay.
>> For all.
[28:10] » Yeah, we still have we still reserve the
right to say no.
[28:14] » Right. That's right. For sure.
>> Oh, picture. Oh,
[28:16] » yes.
>> Yes.
[28:18] » Of what they expected to look like after
the renovation.
[28:23] In this case, she's just she's painting
surround the set window ses um adding
[28:28] some tables, some window planters. Uh
that's why I told $250.
[28:38] » All right. Any more discussion? We're
none. Sam I
[28:44] vote I motion passes five. Jim, thank
you again.
[28:48] » You've been busy lately. Yes, sir.
>> Uh 26129
[28:53] CI technologies approval. Anybody in the
public wish to speak on that?
[28:58] » All right. Hearing none. Um just a
background. June 23rd, council voted to
[29:04] wave the RFP process to allow the GIS to
continue its work. Um the goal is to
[29:09] increase the amount of available
information to improve the accuracy of
[29:12] the mapping, make the information easier
for staff and the public to find. Uh it
[29:17] was easier to stay with the company we
had honestly than go for someone else
[29:21] and re reinvent the wheel. Um funding
for this work is included in the fiscal
[29:26] 27 CIP assessing budget. So it's covered
there already voted for. So I'll make a
[29:33] motion to allow the interim town manager
to sign the GIS agreement with CI
[29:37] technologies for $30,000 to be funded
from the CIP assessing budgets.
[29:43] Motion in a second. Any discussion from
the council
[29:47] hearing? None. We'll go to vote. Sent I
>> Paul I Jo I
[29:52] » Valerie
>> Hi.
[29:53] » I vote I also that motion passes 50
26130.
[30:01] I want to ask if anybody wants to speak
on this one because of scheduling a
[30:04] public special town meeting for the
highway maintenance overrun. Jen, do you
[30:10] have a day in mind?
>> Yes, I do. I'd like to do it at our next
[30:13] council meeting. It was the beginning of
it, September 22nd here community
[30:16] center.
The warrant article was written by the
[30:19] town's attorney and we are following the
state law process.
[30:27] This is the first time I've encountered
this. Um we will select moderator. Um,
[30:33] we have one line do the one article
coming
[30:38] and we do have I do have some
preliminary numbers to make people feel
[30:42] a little bit better about the 40,000
being taken out of und designated early
[30:47] predictions. Um, you know, we haven't
had the audit yet or anything, but I'm
[30:50] expecting about 1.1 million to be
returning back to the undesated fund,
[30:55] which will pretty much offset the 1
million put in this year.
[31:01] » Sure. NASA Westerner.
>> Um, so since
[31:06] clearly some departments were under
budget. Um, and I think I read through
[31:12] and this was a little bit ago when we
first came when the council first voted
[31:15] to approve that 10% overrun or what not.
U
[31:22] within those communications from the
attorney had noted that it's possible to
[31:25] move money from another line item to a
different one. Would that allow is it
[31:30] still is it not too late to do that now
instead of a special meeting?
[31:36] » That would work. There was enough money
unspent in the departments that are in
[31:40] the same board article. But
unfortunately, that's not we don't have
[31:43] that option. I looked into that first
because it would have been easier and
[31:46] not had to go to special committee.
That's something that
[31:50] could have done
>> but unfortunately that she was not
[31:53] available for us.
>> So that's even in the same warrant. that
[32:01] » it's always something.
>> Yeah.
[32:04] » All right. Uh so I will hope to schedule
a special town meeting for September
[32:09] 22nd, 2026
at 6 p.m. at the community center to go
[32:16] over the uh request for $40,151
[32:20] for winter weather. Second. We
>> have a motion and a second. Any further
[32:25] discussion?
Al media was this year so we should be
[32:29] good to solve hope
Sam.
[32:32] » Hi Paul.
>> Hi Joel.
[32:35] » Hi Valerie.
>> Hi.
[32:36] » I also motion pass zero
>> and vote on signing the reaction
[32:42] warrants as well.
>> Uh I will make a motion to approve the
[32:47] warrant as presented. Second motion in a
second. Any questions? Dam.
[32:53] » I Joel.
>> Hi.
[32:54] » Paul. Hi.
>> Valerie. I
[32:56] » I vote I also passes 5 Z.
Moving on to 26131
[33:03] board and committee application.
[33:09] The Caleb White Grant.
[33:14] » Um I'll go ahead and make a motion. So
Caleb White Grant has applied to both
[33:20] the zoning board and the downtownation
committee. So, I'll make a motion that
[33:24] we send an interview with Caleb on
September 22nd at 5:45.
[33:31] Um, and we can then after the interview
or throughout the interview kind of gau
[33:37] interest and want to know those points
like that. Any further discussion?
[33:44] Hearing none. Hi Paul. Hi Bill. Hi
Valerie.
[33:48] » Hi.
>> I also have a motion
[33:52] 5
[33:55] 26132
[34:00] art. Any questions for council but want
to
[34:07] hear done.
Get there.
[34:20] want to quickly.
>> Sure.
[34:22] » This is you.
>> I mean,
[34:24] » but now, right?
>> Yeah. Um, so the community art committee
[34:28] met a couple weeks ago and had some
questions for the council. Um, I
[34:32] definitely have thoughts. I think we
should probably have a discussion about
[34:35] this. Have some thoughts on some of
their questions. um when we stood up
[34:40] with community art committee I think and
what was kind of built into I guess call
[34:44] the charge perhaps was um kind of some
intention to focus around the town hall
[34:50] building and filling out the town hall
with artwork from local artists murals
[34:55] etc. Um if I'm speaking as myself I
think that I would love to give the the
[35:01] committee direction to pursue that
endeavor given that the town hall
[35:04] renovation will be wrapped up in the
next year or so. Um, I think that all of
[35:09] these questions, ideas, like the way I
see this is that we clearly have a group
[35:13] of people who are interested and
energized in doing things in our
[35:17] community, which is a thing that we
should never um push back against. Um,
[35:21] so I think the ideas, the creativity, I
don't think that there's any I don't
[35:25] have any opposition to any of the
suggestions here. I think that as with
[35:28] any ad committee, there's always a final
step of approval of the town council.
[35:32] And so I think anything that they would
want to propose would come through the
[35:35] cat town council and then therefore have
opportunity to have public comment on.
[35:39] So my two cents is I'm not I don't have
any concerns with any of their
[35:43] questions. I would say yes to just about
all of them. They might not all be yes
[35:47] or no questions, but the bigger thing
that I see as a more immediate challenge
[35:52] is just our staffing situation. I think
we do probably need a staff member to
[35:59] liaz with this committee and I don't
know what how you guys are feeling about
[36:03] that. I feel like we're a little
understaffed and so there's part of me
[36:06] that wants to suggest that we provide
feedback back to the community art
[36:11] committee saying, you know, hey, can can
we kind of focus in on the town hall um
[36:15] artwork situation to start and come up
with some ideas for that while we are
[36:20] actively hiring because I believe we
have baked in Jeff, you have another
[36:24] person to hire, correct? And so I don't
want to assume that that's the case, but
[36:28] I'm thinking that somebody from that
department perhaps could kind of be this
[36:32] person. And so maybe giving the
community art committee a little bit of
[36:35] direction to kind of center their
discussions around the town hall. They
[36:39] can do that in parallel with us trying
to find this additional person to help
[36:44] support the community. That's my
concent.
[36:48] » It makes it makes clear sense. Again, we
are we are running uh bare in the town
[36:54] hall right now. Um everybody is wearing
multiple hats. Some people are wearing
[36:58] four hats. Um so if we could just leave
it to give them direction
[37:05] for a formal vote to give them direction
to basically concentrate right now on
[37:09] the town hall or
>> if you guys are ready to do that. Yes.
[37:13] Okay. I mean there's four other people
suggesting.
[37:17] » Yeah. I mean I if I recall when we gave
the charge initially it was you know the
[37:22] mural was was an issue at the time. I
think that should be still and you know
[37:26] I don't want to go down that road right
now but I mean that should be that was
[37:30] one of the initial projects that we
wanted people to focus on and we we
[37:33] still need hopefully to get that done.
Um and I do remember a lot of discussion
[37:37] about new town hall artwork. Um you know
I think that could occupy a good amount
[37:42] of the time. I do agree with Mallerie
that
[37:45] this sounds like a good task for um
whoever Jeff and Jen and I don't know
[37:53] what the timeline is for a new economic
development you know assistant which we
[37:58] had budgeted for and set aside money
for. Um I certainly don't feel it's
[38:04] appropriate to put this on Jeff's plate
right now. I mean some of these tasks
[38:08] involve coordination with a number of
other committees
[38:12] and I think you know that's that's
that's a big job. Um but I uh I I do I
[38:21] think it's great that this group
[clears throat] is is willing to dive
[38:25] into a lot of these issues because these
are you know very cool things they want
[38:29] to try to get done. So it looks like
someone that might be overlapping too
[38:32] with the downtown which was a little
talk and whatnot. And as soon as we had
[38:37] an officer said person
>> and I will just remind everybody with
[38:42] the mural. So in the spring we had kind
of what started down the path to do the
[38:46] mural on the side of the fellow building
and we had pivoted to have the downtown
[38:50] revitalization committee kind of be the
lead on that because we hadn't built the
[38:53] community art committee yet. And then
with the mural stuff kind of bubbling up
[38:56] again more recently with um the pharmacy
building um I think we just kind of said
[39:02] we laid forth the path for that. So,
we'll continue down that for the mural,
[39:07] but bathed into mentioned in the um plan
for this, there were like different
[39:13] tracks um and one of them was like a
track around building out artwork for
[39:18] the town hall and like a permanent art
art track where we'd be looking to find
[39:23] pieces that will like be there
permanently or a more like rotating kind
[39:26] of display case where it could be like
artwork from kids from Central School or
[39:30] the high school or and you know, any
number of things like that. was what was
[39:34] baked in and um
yeah, I think that that would be a great
[39:38] place to to point them to in the near
term to focus while we get everything
[39:42] else sorted out.
>> I agree that I [clears throat] mean I
[39:45] think that as far as uh
sort of limit for the sake of staff time
[39:53] limiting the interaction with other
committees at at this point seems to be
[39:58] the best path in my opinion. So that
being said, the town hall art I think
[40:02] would be a good start sort of one thing
to focus on let them figure out how they
[40:06] all work together.
>> Yep.
[40:08] » And
also like you said it's time it's
[40:12] timely. So
>> and I also think it's a little bit
[40:15] timely in the sense that we could give
that direction to the comm the committee
[40:18] right now and given that September our
budget hasn't started yet I you know any
[40:23] work that they're going to do there's
going to be some money probably that
[40:26] they need to spend in order to do that.
And so we could ask them to say um come
[40:31] up with like a approximate
a budget number or something to propose
[40:35] to the council that could be done
incorporated um budget cycle in the
[40:38] winter. I am going to though let the
rest of the council weigh in more on
[40:43] that but I will not be here when that
time comes about.
[40:45] » Yeah, we could get us the dollar.
>> Yeah, if
[40:49] us like an estimate of what they think
they might need.
[40:51] » Yep.
[40:55] » All right. Was there I don't recall in
that committee charge anything specific
[41:01] that would provide them further
direction related to town hall building
[41:05] art or
>> just let them sort of
[41:08] » take it run with it.
>> I mean I there were some suggestions in
[41:13] there for either rotating from the high
school or one on the wall. So there was
[41:18] initial Yeah, there was some initial
direction in there.
[41:21] » I think Mallerie you had thought about
on the third floor. Yeah, there was um
[41:26] I'm not finding it on the website.
There's like a whole word document
[41:30] um link inside there that I had put
together and if I need to resend it to I
[41:34] can where where I had kind of laid that
out like you know ideas for me like just
[41:39] just totally idea as a mural like right
when you walk in the entrance one up on
[41:42] the third floor. Um yeah, let's find
we'll find that present.
[41:47] » Yeah.
>> So sorry.
[41:49] » Go ahead. Okay. Okay.
>> Uh yes. So during our first meeting,
[41:54] just because I was the one who was
there, they do have all of the charge
[41:57] information, the um our town, our voices
um information that we put together for
[42:02] them along with the committee charge.
These were just additional questions
[42:06] that they had on top of what was already
given to them.
[42:09] » Cool. Okay. Thank you.
Can I suggest that maybe perhaps I can
[42:14] reach out to the committee and I'll copy
the council and kind of convey, you
[42:18] know, the council discussed we'd like
you guys to focus on the town hall in
[42:22] the near term. Come up with a
approximate budget estimate to bring
[42:25] back to the council while and just kind
of explain the situation to the
[42:29] community art committee. Does that work
for everybody?
[42:32] » Works for me.
>> Works for me.
[42:34] I'll make a motion that Mallerie will
follow up with the community art
[42:38] committee on um what we would like them
to do in the near term which is focus on
[42:42] the town hall. Second
motion and a second. Further discussion
[42:47] hearing. None. Joel.
>> Hi.
[42:49] » Sam.
>> Hi. Paul.
[42:50] » Hi. Mer.
>> Hi.
[42:52] » I vote I also motion passes. 5 Z. Moving
down to our last new business. 26 133.
[42:59] Anybody in the public that would like to
speak on nomination of council
[43:02] membership municipal procurement policy
ad hoc committee?
[43:05] » Yes sir.
>> Please step forward. State say your name
[43:08] and address. Thank you for sir. Tony
Palace Eddi Six Whitetail Drive. Um
[43:14] I I feel I need to speak this evening.
Uh first of all, as the only current
[43:21] member of this ad hoc committee, uh the
council, thank you, uh voted a some time
[43:27] ago. I also want to point out that, you
know, my nomination package went in uh
[43:32] within two weeks of the announcement of
this committee forming back in July. uh
[43:37] very anxious, very interested uh to get
started on this. At the time, there was
[43:42] some conversation about, you know, I was
considering a run for town council and
[43:47] what impact that may or may not have uh
on this ad hoc committee and my
[43:52] membership in that committee. So, I
explained, you know, I I thought if the
[43:56] committee got going right then and
there, then a lot of the work would be
[43:59] done by the time the November election
rolled around, then we could make a
[44:02] decision, you know, how we would
proceed. At this point, we're
[44:07] midepptember.
Uh we haven't appointed the town rep. We
[44:12] still haven't filled the second uh
public rep.
[44:17] And I know there's a position or two
positions for counselors to sit on this
[44:22] committee, this ad hoc committee, but
let's face it, there's three counselors
[44:28] that are going to continue after
November. And so we've got two of those
[44:32] three. And it's within the council's
purview. But I'm not going to tell you
[44:34] it's not within your purview to select
somebody at this point. But I guess in
[44:38] the overall scheme of things, the way
I'm looking at this is
[44:42] November's coming up right around the
corner and the charging documents
[44:48] present a window that keeps this open
until November of 2027.
[44:56] It also says that from the time the
first meeting happens, the committee,
[45:00] the ad hoc committee should complete
their work within nine months. So if you
[45:03] back it up, we basically have, you know,
a start date of February of 27
[45:10] to still be able to meet the November 27
deadline that's part of the charging
[45:16] documents. So looking at it all, I'm
thinking as much as I was like charging
[45:21] right at it and I really wanted to get
moving on this given the totality of
[45:25] what's going on right now, you know, the
auditors haven't finished up and that's
[45:29] a big part of the recommendations may
come up. We just heard the town c the
[45:34] town staff is short right now and this
requires a full-time person from the
[45:41] town staff, somebody who's going to be
involved in, you know, financial matters
[45:44] and a second person to provide
administrative assistance. So, we'll be
[45:49] adding that burden on the town staff as
well. So
[45:54] for consideration to the council, uh
first of all
[46:00] I'd recommend that we hold off until
after the November elections and the new
[46:06] council is seated and then the new
council can make a decision on who the
[46:10] representatives from the council will
be. It'll also give everybody an
[46:15] opportunity to determine who the town
representative is going to be to this
[46:19] committee. And lastly, it gives the town
an opportunity to continue to advertise
[46:26] to fill that second resource, you know,
from the community. So, that would be my
[46:32] recommendation that we kind of put this
on hold until after the November
[46:36] election and then revisit selection of
counselors for the ad hoc committee as
[46:42] well as hopefully be able to appoint the
other two members. So, thank you.
[46:47] » Thank you. Anybody else in the audience
like to comment on this? Anybody online?
[46:54] I'll bring it back to the council for
discussion.
[46:58] Oh yeah, Mr. Chair. Um,
with respect to Mr. um I
[47:05] don't agree that it makes sense to wait
until the election to keep going. Um, I
[47:10] do anticipate that the town will receive
an application of another resident to
[47:14] join the committee hopefully as soon as
tomorrow. Um and I hope they they
[47:21] assured me before this meeting that they
will be submitting it. So have
[47:24] confidence that they will. Um
[47:29] from staff leaison perspective I I again
we talked about being short staffed and
[47:36] down right now and overworked. Um, I
think there's still some work that could
[47:41] be done among committee members and
reported back to the interim town
[47:46] manager, the remaining members of the
finance department that would move this
[47:50] forward and still be able to uh meet the
November of next year deadline.
[48:00] So, I just want to approach on one that
you just brought up with the work that
[48:04] could be brought back. Um
that to me is a waste of effort from the
[48:11] people on the committee and it's going
to be a waste of effort on our account
[48:14] staff because
so far nobody on the committee uddi has
[48:20] a very thorough background procurement
in the federal level doesn't have it in
[48:25] the municipal level. I know neither of
you two have it at the municipal level.
[48:29] I don't have it at the municipal level.
So, anything that the count that the
[48:33] committee could bring up is in turn
going to go back to the staff that
[48:36] they're going to have to either say,
"No, this won't work because of this,
[48:39] this, and this." Um, that helps the the
interest of the resident works in
[48:45] municipal finance. Um, they're not in
front of me, right? Right. So, so my
[48:51] decision is going to be based on what
the facts that I have in front of me
[48:54] right now. Um, and again, we could
revisit this a month from now, Sam.
[48:58] Right. with if we get another one in. My
other concern is we have an election
[49:03] coming up in short of a month or so and
we're going to we could end up
[49:08] rebaselining
the committee if we have three
[49:12] counselors on there is a chance that he
could win. If he wins and it's you Joel
[49:19] and him on the committee so we have to
rebalance that committee again. It just
[49:22] does to me at this point I'm all for
this idea. I do it um I think it's a
[49:28] good idea. I just don't think the timing
is right. I don't see what's setting us
[49:32] to
after the election would change with the
[49:37] procurement policy. It's not going to
change the budget for next year. Like
[49:40] the budget meetings that you all are
looking for want to have before starts
[49:44] working the budget. I don't see where
the procurement policy is going to
[49:47] change any of that for us going forward.
That's just my opinion. It won't.
[49:52] » Huh. It won't.
>> The procurement policy. Yeah. Shut. So,
[49:56] if I'm hearing correctly,
[50:00] the council or at least you do not want
to proceed with this committee that we
[50:07] that's been born. I want to put this on
hold until after the November election
[50:13] because what was just brought to me from
the public makes sense. We only have one
[50:18] person from the public right now on this
committee. That's all we have.
[50:23] So we don't have a committee right now
to go forward with because we only have
[50:27] one resident. We wanted two. So no, I
don't think we can I don't think we can
[50:33] move forward anyway if we only have one
resident right now
[50:37] » and for and adding the two counselors
wouldn't be making progress towards
[50:40] formal.
>> No, I don't feel it is
[50:47] I don't like having two counselors on an
add-on.
[50:49] you want my personal opinion.
>> I don't like that at all.
[50:54] » Just my just my house believes there's
an application come in. I'm happy to
[50:59] remove myself
from this. So there there will be three
[51:03] people so that if this start
that's okay.
[51:11] I am not placing a vote my own personal
vote something that's not backed in
[51:16] front of me. Never have never will. I
I'm not going on a promise because I can
[51:20] tell you Jack's not in the minute.
>> I mean, right there second there only
[51:25] two people.
>> It's just one
[51:30] [laughter]
realistically.
[51:35] » No, that's what we're trying to decide
right now.
[51:39] » If I could chair.
>> Uh yes, you may speak again since we're
[51:42] discussing you.
>> Thank you. um you know discussing the
[51:46] committee and one of the concerns I have
and and I appreciate that there may be
[51:50] another person out there who's got more
experience than I you know that is
[51:54] willing to step up at this point and and
join this committee but in the charging
[51:58] document it specifically says that uh
for a second the committee shall convene
[52:04] a forum within 28 days of the
appointment of the third member.
[52:09] So the charter specifically says once
that third member is appointed, it's
[52:14] time to rock and roll. Whether we have
another person from the public, whether
[52:18] we have another counselor, whether we
have an identified member from, you
[52:22] know, the town staff, uh the charter
says once that third person is
[52:27] appointed, it's ready to go. And I think
again that's shortsighted. I think we
[52:32] need to get the players involved, you
know, in advance and then start this
[52:38] committee off right. And you're right,
it was brought up, I don't have
[52:42] municipal experience. Uh, one of the
very first things that I want to do as a
[52:46] member of this committee is sit down
with the town, look at other towns and
[52:52] how they do things. Where are the
problems? Where are the perceived
[52:55] problems and see if there are solutions
that are simple versus, you know,
[53:00] complete wholesale rewrites of policy.
But again, I need to have as a member of
[53:07] this committee, I need to have a
representative from the town who knows
[53:10] this inside and out and access to the
attorney if necessary and access to
[53:14] other towns and the way they operate and
those kind of conversations to flesh out
[53:19] what the issues really are need to take
place before anybody starts focusing on
[53:24] solutions or you know perceived
solutions. So again, I have real
[53:29] concerns, as I stated previously, about
moving forward at this point. I really
[53:34] think that the council needs to consider
holding off until the new council is in
[53:38] place and then revisit the assignment of
representatives from the town. Perhaps
[53:44] this, you know, individual who's going
to come forward. Maybe there are others
[53:47] that are better qualified than me or
this person, uh, who would be willing to
[53:51] come forward with additional
advertising, a little bit more time, a
[53:54] little bit more proddding. So I I just
think it's in the best interest of the
[53:58] town and this, you know, whole review to
hold off until after November.
[54:05] » I will chime in. Uh I I am I think that
we should pause on it, but for slightly
[54:12] different reasons. Um the biggest
concern that I have is um Mr. P what you
[54:18] were saying is that I don't see how this
committee moves forward and makes
[54:22] considerable progress without requiring
a lot of debt. in this moment. And as we
[54:27] covered, I think Jen is wearing several
hats at this moment. We also are
[54:31] actively trying to hire her a town
manager. Um, and Jen is wearing multiple
[54:36] hats. And I don't think we're at a place
right now going into audit, going into
[54:40] budget season where we should be
allocating a lot of her time toward an
[54:46] ad hoc. Um, I think that it would make
more sense. Um, not because of the
[54:51] election necessarily, but I think the
timing of it and the, um, the potential,
[54:56] very big potential if we were to move
forward this evening with putting Joel
[54:59] and Sam on this committee and then Tony,
if you were to make it onto the council,
[55:03] then now that whole thing has to be
reworked because then now we have three
[55:05] counselors on it. And so any I I just
think that waiting until after the
[55:10] election makes sense. I think the charge
is incredibly specific as you've pointed
[55:14] out and really locks us into a timeline
which I think is maybe feedback for how
[55:18] we do those things in the future to not
like lock us in quite so much. Um and I
[55:23] think we should pause but I think my
biggest concern is around Jennifer or
[55:27] Bassie.
>> Paul
[55:32] um
I might go halfway between both
[55:38] positions. Um I'm wondering if we just
take We don't have another applicant. We
[55:42] don't know who that applicant is. We
would need to interview them and then
[55:46] have a meeting to appoint them. Correct.
>> Correct.
[55:50] » Which probably would not if we uh get
the application next week. We would then
[55:57] have that in front of us. first meeting
to then
[56:03] » set up a meeting uh an interview with
them at the following meeting
[56:09] » which then brings us to
>> second October
[56:13] » second in October.
>> Yeah. So I I you know I don't disagree
[56:18] with the guidelines. I think it's a good
idea. I I just I I you know I'm I'm
[56:23] wondering if if Yeah.
you know, waiting until November, but we
[56:28] don't have three council members on it
um is a good idea. So, I have one more
[56:35] comment. That's good.
>> No, go ahead.
[56:37] » So, just I I hear the the charge I wrote
specifically. I mean, it's an adopt me.
[56:44] It needs to sunset. I like to put a
deadline on gold. If you can't get it
[56:48] done by then, then yeah, too bad. So in
terms of the the first meeting that was
[56:54] uh mostly intended to not end up in a
situation where you'd have to remember
[56:59] that it's like when we meet here's
kicking the can down road so to speak.
[57:04] That wasn't to say that at the first
meeting you have to actually transact in
[57:07] any you know substantive business or
anything other than meeting getting
[57:14] introducing each other um you know
trying to come up with any bylaws or
[57:19] anything with the committee um and to
Paul's point by the time we get
[57:27] assuming that this application comes
through if we're essentially landing at
[57:30] the election any
push push this kick the can down the
[57:35] road. That's all you're doing because
you're going to you're ending up at the
[57:40] election one way or another. And if we
end up there and there's three answers,
[57:45] I just feel like that's a trivial
solution. Someone leaves committee.
[57:48] » But it does not say that as soon as
there's a quorum, then that clock starts
[57:52] ticking. So if we
>> if we were to this, correct me if I'm
[57:56] wrong, but my understanding is as if we
were to team with the actual presenter
[57:59] this evening that we have three people,
then we have a forum, then that clock
[58:02] starts ticking. that we then need to
start moving on it. And so if we just
[58:06] simply wait to take this action when
along along the same timeline as this
[58:12] new person that potentially might apply,
then we just do it all at once and then
[58:15] the clock starts ticking at a more
reasonable timeline than even right now.
[58:22] » Yeah. I guess I I'm just not worried
about a 9month block, you know, so it's
[58:27] three members meet within 28 days and
then it's 9 month correct me if I'm
[58:30] wrong. Nine months from then that we
have to present to the council deliver
[58:35] » and it can't be any later than November
of next year.
[58:37] » Yeah.
>> So it's
[58:40] sort of re I mean so I guess if we table
this or go down then you're saving a
[58:46] month.
>> Yeah. If we table it, you lose in a
[58:50] month.
>> You don't table it.
[58:52] » Yeah. Huh?
>> We don't table it.
[58:53] » If we don't get it.
>> Yeah.
[58:57] » I said that's why there's five of us
sitting here. Um
[59:01] » I would like to make no trip.
Uh I would like to table this until the
[59:06] first meeting of the town council after
the election, November 17th.
[59:09] » Second.
[59:13] » We have a motion in a second. We're
going to go to discussion. You might
[59:17] want to rethink your date, but I'm okay
with it.
[59:20] » First first meeting is very hectic
because you got two brand new counselors
[59:24] coming in
>> and elective chair, vice chair, plus all
[59:28] the stuff coming in. But it's your it's
your goal. I won't be here, sir. So, I'm
[59:32] okay with your motion.
>> I personally don't think this is a huge
[59:36] agenda. We're out of time.
>> We have a motion in a second. Any
[59:41] further discussion?
>> The meetings will be the 10th and the
[59:43] 24th.
>> Yeah. Then we got our topics
[59:51] » so the second
[59:57] » and I have done so a lot of my homework
um procurement policy for the federal
[1:00:01] dollars it's federal mandated the way
it's written so that's already been
[1:00:04] written out by the lawyer and the purch
[1:00:09] with date and I have given my
recommendations and started to
[1:00:14] discussion So I think a lot of the
homework to get started has been
[1:00:19] supplied already.
>> I I I agree with everyone else too
[1:00:24] though. We don't want to overtask like
maintenance
[1:00:30] and obviously it's important. That's why
I brought this up. But like
[1:00:34] considering our situation, it's not
[1:00:40] » anybody else.
>> Um Oh, I had one more thing to add. Go
[1:00:44] ahead. Y
>> um so 11:24 and then
[1:00:50] I would say just on on top of that and
obviously application in here but we
[1:00:54] would still consider we would roll that
with consideration as that comes in
[1:00:59] right as
>> Yes. Yeah. Okay. Oh yeah, 100%. If we
[1:01:02] get whatever we get for applications,
we'll take we'll do the invitation.
[1:01:05] We'll do the invitations. We'll do the
interviews. We'll roll them through.
[1:01:09] We'll get everything going through. So,
it'll all start on that day.
[1:01:16] » Huh? We got a motion on. Um, anything
else? Hearing none. Sam,
[1:01:22] » hi.
>> Paul,
[1:01:23] » I
vote I also motion passes 5. We're going
[1:01:28] to the fun part evening. Council member
comments. Let's start with Paul.
[1:01:34] » Wow. Um, believe it or not, I don't have
anything right now.
[1:01:40] » Okay, that's that's fine.
Don't put me in the shop. Say,
[1:01:44] » actually, I'm sorry.
>> Okay.
[1:01:49] Well, um I do want to inquire about the
comprehensive plan implementation
[1:01:53] committee and whether we need to sort of
solicit additional members for that
[1:01:58] committee because um we have two
>> I would Okay. I just I I don't know, but
[1:02:04] we need to get word out. Talk to
Suzanne.
[1:02:07] » Talk to Suzanne about all the openings
that
[1:02:09] » I mean, now that we adjusted the growth
area map, although I'm not sure how much
[1:02:13] that committee would be involved that um
but um yeah, that would be something I
[1:02:19] would like to
>> and we've had both
[1:02:23] um verbal and also email exchange with
Suzanne to get that going. Okay, great.
[1:02:29] Thank you. Happy
[1:02:34] Are you sure? Yes. All right.
Um I got I got a few things. Um,
[1:02:41] one thing was the revitalization
committee in February sent us a letter
[1:02:45] related to streetscape design standards
and um I don't I think we sort of you
[1:02:52] know acknowledge receipt so to speak but
didn't do uh anything else on that
[1:02:58] considering the um downtown traffic
light plans and progress we made there.
[1:03:06] Um
there's going to be a meeting October
[1:03:10] October 6th.
>> Yes.
[1:03:11] » 6th.
>> Um I feel like it's important that um
[1:03:17] the town start taking action related to
those streetscape design standards and
[1:03:23] putting something together so that in a
cohesive manner the town can give main
[1:03:28] dot sort of instruction or direction.
Maybe not not maybe not direction of
[1:03:33] construction, but you know, we have our
ducks in a row with how we want our
[1:03:37] streetscapes to look. um that project's
going to be, you know, 50 plus year
[1:03:42] infrastructure and I'd hate to
um Eastmail
[1:03:48] um together something at the last minute
and end up with a traffic light, but the
[1:03:54] same type of non multimodal uh situation
downtown that doesn't attract or
[1:04:01] interest more in economic development,
which I think such design standards
[1:04:07] would accomplish.
Um,
[1:04:11] I don't know what the next step would
be. I guess it would to some for the
[1:04:14] council maybe to somehow
um request that those become a priority
[1:04:19] to put out an RFP for those design
standards to be formulated. Um, but just
[1:04:25] wanted to bring that to life.
>> Mr. chairman. So we we don't the
[1:04:30] standards haven't been we haven't
>> we Scarland at the time does not have
[1:04:36] any streetscape design standards and
that would
[1:04:40] correct me if I'm wrong that would
include like street street light post
[1:04:44] types uh sidewalk profile like all the
stuff that makes up what makes space
[1:04:53] » yeah if I may um you're correct as I
understand no kind of formal whole
[1:04:57] streetscape design document.
Um there's really two timelines here.
[1:05:03] There's the development of general
standards if if if the if you guys want
[1:05:08] to do that. And then those general
standards can help inform future
[1:05:13] projects. But we also have a some what I
would consider a more time-sensitive
[1:05:20] task, which is what to advocate to do to
include in their their project because
[1:05:28] after all,
>> they'll be ripping up the sidewalks
[1:05:30] anyway. They'll be putting new conduit
in for the signal. It'll be they're
[1:05:36] already proposing some curb extensions
and um um design features. In my
[1:05:43] opinion, they're omitting some
blockability features that should be in
[1:05:46] there. So the more timesensitive
question is what do we do specifically
[1:05:50] about Main Street between Norton and
236. So I think if you do develop those
[1:05:58] generic street safe standards,
including going out with an RFP, have a
[1:06:03] consultant develop them, it's going to
be a little late to then apply those to
[1:06:09] the Main Street project specifically.
So, I think that now is really the time
[1:06:13] for the town to engage with DOT on the
details of those plans because we have
[1:06:20] um draft 60% plans.
There's the meeting on October 6 that
[1:06:25] you mentioned to really say what do we
want to include in this project in terms
[1:06:30] of streetscape elements for main street
because as you point out this really
[1:06:35] sets the table for
building the building what the street's
[1:06:40] going to look like. One of the things is
all sidewalks should be a minimum of 5t
[1:06:44] wide. They've appropriated that plan.
We have talked about nice looking street
[1:06:51] lights in that area.
>> Is there any like recommended path
[1:06:57] forward that you have for that? Like
considering the time it sort of is kind
[1:07:02] of trying to be reactive
to the October 6.
[1:07:05] » Yeah.
>> I would say this. I we're already as a
[1:07:09] staff going to develop a set of comments
to give to DOT. As I understand that the
[1:07:15] downtown revitalization committee will
also be developing comments to pass
[1:07:19] along to DOT and then I would just defer
to the council. Does the council want to
[1:07:24] come up with a list or endorse what the
staff is commenting on and give that to
[1:07:31] the OT? So, it's really up to the bas.
And yeah, it's it's a really important
[1:07:39] opportunity. Now's the time.
[1:07:45] » So yeah, that was funny.
>> All right. Oh, that was that was that
[1:07:48] that one. I I do have one other one that
I do want to bring up that has been sort
[1:07:51] of downtown um related to and I know it
was like a year. It was actually last
[1:07:57] year when the um
uh block party was happening and I think
[1:08:03] it I think it was D Carlo made a comment
to me about the boundaries of that Paul
[1:08:07] Street lot and you talked about the the
abandoned car stuff and he he sort of
[1:08:13] was asking what not asking but
questioned whether we knew where the
[1:08:17] town's property was on that fall street
lot.
[1:08:21] » They do because we bought it. I mean
they have a survey. We we bought that
[1:08:25] house. There was a boundary survey.
>> Oh, yeah. That Yeah, there was when they
[1:08:30] bought it on a war miracle. There sure
is.
[1:08:33] » So, that was that was there's like sort
of three areas in town. I'm wondering
[1:08:37] about such boundary surveys. And this is
a more this is more just a question. The
[1:08:42] other one was Scott's port because I
know there's the um concerns right now
[1:08:46] about the propane tanks that um I guess
could be I they're I don't who who knows
[1:08:54] where they Are they in the public right
away or are they in the building owner's
[1:08:57] property? Like is there a survey that
the town possesses that the link that
[1:09:01] actually defines where the town's
property is to help push that along? And
[1:09:07] also I think knowing that the exact
location of that right away could help
[1:09:13] again with
um that block building and figuring out
[1:09:19] more long term what if anything the town
can do to assist with each of those
[1:09:24] tenants to make those
more I guess developable for lack of a
[1:09:31] better term
or with utility is
[1:09:36] organ izing it essentially that
what is in the deeds listed as a private
[1:09:43] rightway but the public right away you
know so
[1:09:49] um
so the town's rightway is very well
[1:09:52] delineated and the building owner just
bought that his property lines those
[1:09:58] tanks are on his property they they are
clearly on his property by every survey
[1:10:03] he possesses even though they're not his
tanks
[1:10:07] But they are on.
>> So, so the town has nothing to do with
[1:10:09] that then
>> unfortunately.
[1:10:11] » Yeah.
>> Okay. I guess that was I guess that was
[1:10:15] that if that's the case and that answers
my question as to whether for town, you
[1:10:19] know, ought to be involved in that
situation to begin with. It's not not
[1:10:23] exactly involving the town right away.
So, that was Yeah,
[1:10:28] » that was what uh
>> we've had several meetings with all the
[1:10:32] different players. Jeff even had another
meeting with them last week trying to
[1:10:36] help smooth it out from our side.
Cameron Street says 26 feet more or less
[1:10:41] 63 feet more or less.
>> So that's where I think a professional
[1:10:46] land surveyor would be able to put a pin
in the ground and say this is the
[1:10:50] property line. This is this is
>> yeah
[1:10:56] there are four dot surveys
that clearly show it. There's a deed
[1:11:02] from 1933 that says it goes two feet off
of the foundation of civil consultants
[1:11:10] building as well as off of that pharmacy
building. Um
[1:11:15] » that's the problem.
>> So that Yeah. So that
[1:11:17] » and you have Mark Lauren arguing it.
>> Yeah.
[1:11:22] Okay. So
>> that meeting
[1:11:25] » Yeah. Then I got dropped and on the Zoom
call. But I I mean he was really being
[1:11:31] ganged up on from what I was hearing
online and
[1:11:37] my personal experiences
the professional that's supposed to be
[1:11:42] able to read these signs,
but the DOT really has it clearly laid
[1:11:48] out and the survey goes back to the
written description. So they found it,
[1:11:54] too. I found it. It's all mine.
So we're it's it's a catch 22 and right
[1:11:59] now Cameron's being nice. My suggestion
was hook a truck to pull. They're on my
[1:12:04] property. They wouldn't be there.
>> Yeah. Cameron's being more from
[1:12:07] » Yeah. Can I add a little bit more
effective services?
[1:12:10] » Yeah. More from the I say the
perspective of finding, you know, where
[1:12:14] where the town owns so that the town
knows what what they are or are not
[1:12:18] getting into.
>> And we don't want to take away other
[1:12:21] businesses either.
[1:12:26] if I may. Mr.
>> Yeah, you you can because I'm biting my
[1:12:29] lip on what Jen just said, but I I
respect it too much to answer that back.
[1:12:33] Um, so yeah, as Jen mentions, we've had
discussions. We've facilitated
[1:12:38] discussions. They've been really
constructive. I want to acknowledge
[1:12:42] thank everybody who's been involved. Uh,
and yes, there's a part of this that is
[1:12:49] between businesses. It's a private
matter. I have seen the town role as
[1:12:54] three three things. One is as a
presumptive owner of Scottsport.
[1:13:00] Number two, any changes made, we want to
of course make sure they are to code
[1:13:05] within our authority. And number three,
we have a general economic development
[1:13:10] interest in making sure our businesses
are happy and that disputes are
[1:13:15] resolved. There's a sense of urgency
here because of the specific
[1:13:20] communications that have occurred
between from one business to others with
[1:13:26] regard to a worry that
gas could be cut off abruptly to a
[1:13:32] business and to tenants who are uh who
are you know about to experience cold
[1:13:39] weather. So that's why we wanted to
respond to that sense of urgency, get
[1:13:44] all everybody in the same room to
discuss it. And I don't see
[1:13:51] I don't see the I actually see the the
debate about where the property line is
[1:13:56] as as secondary to this discussion
because after all it's not just the
[1:14:02] tanks. The gas line is affixed to the
wall of the pharmacy building and it
[1:14:08] seems very clear that Cameron owns his
own wall. So even if you debate about if
[1:14:14] the tanks are his property or not, the
gas line is. So uh I see it as something
[1:14:20] that can we facilitate a relocation and
so what was discussed was
[1:14:28] uh a couple of things. One, putting the
tanks behind the building behind Scots
[1:14:34] Court by the old hardware warehouse.
There are a number of challenges with
[1:14:39] that. Um so there the alternative was to
get those tanks 2 feet off of the wall.
[1:14:46] And again that is presuming for the sake
of discussion that Cameron owns two feet
[1:14:53] off the wall. Again we can debate that.
We can look to deeds, but it's probably
[1:14:57] a court of law that would be the only
one who could definitively establish
[1:15:02] that. So, but if we assume that he does,
then we can talk constructively. So,
[1:15:09] moving the tanks two feet off the wall
or more,
[1:15:12] still maintaining adequate clearance on
Scott's Court for all kinds of vehicles,
[1:15:19] and then trenching the line in Scott's
Court. Um, so that's off his wall, goes
[1:15:25] underground, and uh goes back to 279
Main Street where the gas meters
[1:15:33] currently are so that those tenants can
not have a disruption of their gas
[1:15:38] service. So that's what we talked about.
We are hoping that the parties can, you
[1:15:45] know, express a preference for what they
want to do. We think that there's a way
[1:15:50] to reconfigure those tanks to basically
address everybody's needs for the most
[1:15:57] part. I think we're just waiting for Mr.
Mercier to, you know, give us his
[1:16:04] preference for what we discussed.
>> I think he did like about hundred times
[1:16:08] not
[1:16:12] » he doesn't want him there. He can't he
can't heat his own building because he
[1:16:17] can't flood the condenser where the
heating company
[1:16:22] has proposed putting it because it's
less expensive for him, the guy that
[1:16:27] owns the building and his tenants
upstairs right now don't have heat
[1:16:31] either. So, but there is a another fuel
company that quickly proposed another
[1:16:40] option. However, the building owner
doesn't want to look at that.
[1:16:45] » Which building owner?
I'm confused about what building owner
[1:16:51] » not Cameron. Not Cameron.
>> Not Cameron.
[1:16:53] » Okay.
>> And not Cat either. The owner of
[1:16:57] something.
>> Yeah. It's [clears throat] not It's not
[1:16:58] Cat.
>> Yep. Well, I I thank you for that
[1:17:02] summary. I appreciate it. And you guys
work to try and help resolve that. Um,
[1:17:09] I'm wondering
uh I was thinking when I started
[1:17:13] thinking about this, I was thinking too
about the f just like the future and
[1:17:17] trying to make that a little easier to
develop because obviously this is this
[1:17:24] is a decade old thing, right? So it's
like um my initial thought and why I
[1:17:32] brought the boundary survey up was that
that would be to behind the building
[1:17:37] because everyone's property bust that
rightway behind the building and if that
[1:17:41] rightway was wide enough and there was
some sort of way the town could
[1:17:47] if it if it was wide enough for
emergency vehicles grant some grant some
[1:17:53] an easement behind the building instead
of to that side for those uh tenants and
[1:17:59] owners to place their utilities. Um that
was
[1:18:05] my brief thought and uh again thank you
for the discussion but sounds like
[1:18:11] everything's working towards
it's it's working good.
[1:18:16] » Yes, Joel.
>> Okay. um uh reporting my last talk with
[1:18:21] the counselors that I had on August 29th
had over 13 residents attend uh people
[1:18:26] had a lot of thoughts on our thing. It
was a great conversation. We do have our
[1:18:30] next one scheduled for September 26th
and I don't know if we have anyone
[1:18:35] for that yet.
>> I volunteered.
[1:18:37] » Okay, we have Paul
>> nobody knows that.
[1:18:39] » That's okay. That was one of one of one
of the plays was uh get the information
[1:18:44] out there sooner be anything like that.
of 2012.
[1:18:49] » What's the date?
>> 26th.
[1:18:52] » Uh 9 9:30 9:30. I I had to do 10 because
I wasn't available before then. Um Jesus
[1:19:00] just earlier budget listening session
next Tuesday. Um 6 p.m. in this room.
[1:19:05] Very excited for that. Strawberry
Festival is looking for volunteers.
[1:19:09] There's a meeting here at 6 p.m. on
October 19th. And also if you are
[1:19:13] interested in being a pole worker on
November 3rd, please reach out to Monus
[1:19:21] » Valerie.
>> Um I just have something that a resident
[1:19:24] had brought to my attention that I think
the council the planning board like all
[1:19:28] everyone should be aware of. Um there is
a proposed project in Berwick just over
[1:19:33] the border of 500 Portland Street. It
involves AT process technologies, a
[1:19:37] company developed and testing modular
equipment used in the product production
[1:19:40] of energetic materials. Um, I will just
be very transparent that I do not have
[1:19:45] all the specific information on this.
I'm just alerting us to this. Um, based
[1:19:49] on the company's job descriptions and
job postings, the work appears to
[1:19:51] involve hazardous chemistry, pilot scale
production, testing, and safety systems
[1:19:55] associated with energetic materials. I
want to be really careful not to
[1:19:59] overstate what I know, what we know, or
suggest that Southgard has any
[1:20:02] jurisdiction over this because this is
technically a Burwick land use decision,
[1:20:06] but potential impacts don't necessarily
stop at town lines. And I think that
[1:20:09] this is something that we should as a
community be paying attention to. Um,
[1:20:13] there's reasonable questions about
trucks, hazardous material routes,
[1:20:16] emergency response, delayed groundwater,
service water impacts, air emissions
[1:20:20] noise, and what would happen in the
event of an accident. There is a public
[1:20:24] hearing in Berwick to um on the third,
what day is it? The 8th on the 10th and
[1:20:28] two days from now in Berwick um for this
issue. I would really encourage
[1:20:32] residents um who are interested to
review the application um and attend um
[1:20:38] or at least pay attention to the public
hearing. I'm hoping to be there. Um and
[1:20:42] simply just from a conference
perspective, I just think it's
[1:20:44] appropriate for us to determine
and this is a maybe an open question.
[1:20:49] This is a situation that I've not
experienced. Is it appropriate for us to
[1:20:53] formally request information from
Farwick about this project given the
[1:20:58] proximity? Um
yeah who anyone just wanted to bring
[1:21:03] this to everyone's attention. Um I don't
know Paul is with your past experience
[1:21:08] is there anything?
>> Um I think we can do that anytime but
[1:21:11] particularly if anything crosses well we
saw the town line it crosses the line if
[1:21:15] they break the property does affect
cost. Would it be appropriate for us to
[1:21:20] like I don't know if it's a council or
as a town or the planning board or one
[1:21:25] of our organizations to reach out to the
bar planning department requesting
[1:21:29] additional information on this project.
I'm just like really unsure of how we
[1:21:33] navigate and and move them if we need.
>> I can start call the target agenda.
[1:21:40] » That would be great.
>> And if anyone has any other suggestions
[1:21:45] um I will try to attend on Thursday if I
have possible. If not, I'll try to catch
[1:21:48] it after the fact.
>> What's the name of the project?
[1:21:51] » Um, ATP AT process technologies. This
was there was a post on a Burwick
[1:21:57] Facebook page about this just to also be
transparent about it. Um, so like the
[1:22:01] information that I've got is fairly
limited. Um, but again, just want to
[1:22:04] make sure it's on everyone's radar.
>> It's on Facebook. It's true.
[1:22:09] » And that's that's all that I have.
>> All right. Uh, I have two. So, just
[1:22:14] letting the public know. Thursday night
5:30 we will have a executive session
[1:22:18] Zoom meeting with MRI. They are the firm
that we hired to go out and search for a
[1:22:23] new town manager for us. Um that meeting
invite will be sent out. Thank you
[1:22:29] ladies. I appreciate that. That way it
gets done right and I don't mess it up.
[1:22:33] Uh second thing going down that road, uh
Valerie and I again are done in in three
[1:22:39] meetings. the way this is lining up for
the town council. Uh
[1:22:45] we're not going to be here when it's
voted in. I know we've had talk about us
[1:22:50] sitting in as consultants, which is
great. We both agreed to that, but I
[1:22:55] would like to turn over the
responsibilities of dealing with Allen
[1:22:59] at MRI to uh councelor Schumacher. He
has 30 plus without dating you years in
[1:23:06] the municipal government with SNPDC and
that way it stays consistent with when
[1:23:12] Mallerie and I leave. He's your guys be
on going forward with MRI if that's okay
[1:23:19] with the rest of the council.
[1:23:24] » Beautiful. You're tag. I already told
that one. Uh
[1:23:29] » moving on from there. That's all I have.
We are ajourned. Thank you, Hershey.