Minutes Board of Selectmen, Sweden, Maine August 26. 2008

Present: Audrey Mack, Linda Shane, Jean and Annette Bouchard, Ken Ford, Robert Dalzell, Debbie Dembski, Selectmen Willey, Jones, Noble and Clerk Gibbons

Meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Mrs. Shane told of the bicycle accident which her brother (Richard Knight) incurred on Plummer School Road. He was hospitalized for 3 days and had a concussion. It is assumed that his tire caught in one of the holes. Mrs. Shane volunteered to help the town with grant writing to seek funding for repair/rebuilding of roads and for the fire station. Address: Orrin Shane III PhD, 8 Fieldstone Court, Portland, ME 04103-2716 or oshane@maine.rr.com.

Robert Dalzell also testified to the decay of Plummer School Road saying that it was dangerous and not safe. The Selectmen told of the unusual expense of the previous winter storms and the diversion of funds from summer roads to plowing. Mr. Dalzell will write a letter to the Selectmen about his concern and he encouraged the Selectmen to make a point to the town's people concerning the unsafe condition of the roads.

Debbie Dempski, of Rape Education and Crisis Hotline, 1 East Maine St., Suite 2, So. Paris, ME 04281 (PO Box 300) told of the agencies educational and counseling program and encouraged the town to make a donation to their organization in the 2009 budget. The Selectmen stated that they required a financial statement of any organization seeking assistance. She said she would get one to them.

Audrey Mack spoke about work needing to be done on the Keyes Pond road which is a private road. She stated that she was asking each land-owner on the road to contribute $50 to help pay for gravel. She said that fishermen on the road cause damage in the spring and town's people use the road to access the town beach. She has requested a contribution from the town. Work will be done in the spring.

Tax Advisory Committee has been at work investigating the status of liens for back taxes. They have discovered that no liens were issued for 2003 and 2006. They ask why liens are not discharged when taxes are paid and they have found situations where taxes were not paid and liens were not issued. Some dates appear to be missing. They also question whether previous year's taxes were paid in all cases before a subsequent year. They expressed a need to go through the Tax Collector's receipt books. The Selectmen would like to have Frances Flint meet with the committee to clear up the list of discharges. Mr. Noble requested that someone else spearhead this relationship between the Tax Collector and the committee. Mr. Forde suggested that the Auditor's management report be made available at the annual town meeting.

A request has been made by the Planning Board for a fire-proof file cabinet.

Mr. Bouchard mentioned that sealant needs to be put on the Trull Brook Bridge and that the new work has held up well in the recent storms.

Roads: A bid for the ditching of Perry Hill Road has not been received. Pike had bid $79,000 and Pine Tree had bid $58,000 for paving on Perry Hill Road. Mr. Willey moved to ditch, provide culverts and grade the edges of both Perry Hill Road and Plummer School Road this season in preparation for subsequent rebuilding of the roads. Passed (3-0)

Mr. Noble asked if the town wanted a second Veterans Memorial Bench at this time. The Selectmen voted (2-1) not to acquired a second bench.

The Town Office sign has been installed on Route 93.

Meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m. Jane Gibbons, Clerk