Minutes, Board of Selectmen, Sweden, ME September 9, 2008

Present: Road Commissioner Clifford, Heather Hoover, Selectmen Willey, Jones and Noble, D.J. Curtis, Steven Buker, Clerk Gibbons, Wolfgang Duve. The meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance at 7:03 p.m.

Steve Buker presented a petition signed by 22 registered voters in the town as follows: œWe the undersigned residents of the Town of Sw4eden do hereby sign this Petition requesting the Selectman to hold a special meeting open to the public to discuss a proposal from the Buker family to include the Town in the development of a water extraction and bottling business from their site on land off of Trull Brook Road in the Town of Sweden. Clerk Gibbons attested that 22 signatures were valid. The attached Proposal requests that the Bukers enter a co- venture with the town to finance the construction of a new fire station and add funds to the tax base after the station is paid for. They seek authorization of spot zoning. It was pointed out to Mr. Buker that as the Comprehensive Plan of 2004 and the Zoning and Land Use Ordinance of 2008 do not make such a provision that these would need to be changed before the town could enter into such an arrangement. Mr. Willey moved to table the Selectmen's response to the next scheduled meeting (September 23rd). Voted (3-0) Mr. Buker promised that the Buker family would pay for any newspaper notices.

Wolfgang Duve submitted his resignation from the Fire Department Building Committee. Secondly, he mentioned that the ladder on the float at the town beach was not safe. Mr. Willey stated that there was nothing in the budget to repair it at this time. Thirdly Mr. Duve called attention to the need for resurveying of the Fire Station lot to delineate the property line which he stated should be shown as parallel to the back line of the Valley Property plus 20 feet forward. He estimated that resurveying costs would be $350. Mr. Willey stated that that did not include legal fees and other costs which might come to $800 total.

D.J. Curtis stated that Denise Berube would charge $300 per day to appear at the County Commissioner's meeting concerning the Mitchell abatement hearing. Selectmen approved hiring Mr. Berube to represent the town in this matter.

Mr. Noble moved to pay the additional $450 to MMA Insurance to cover risk of contamination of wells due to winter road plowing and salting. Voted (3-0)

The selectmen briefly discussed the implications of changing the fiscal year and/or Town meeting date. No recommendations were made.

The question of a Selectman serving as the Fire Chief was discussed. Warren Noble has been elected by the Fire Association to be Chief. Mr. Jones noted that the MMA lawyer recommended against a Selectman being Fire Chief as they list the offices as incompatible. Mr. Noble stated that he would need to pay attention to abstain from a vote on Fire Department matters. Mr. Willey voted to appoint Mr. Noble as Fire Chief. Mr. Jones abstained. It was uncertain whether a 1 for, 2 abstentions was a legal vote. Mr. Willey moved to appoint Mr. Noble as acting chief until the legal issues could be resolved. Voted 2 for, 1 abstained.

Mr. Noble pointed out that the lights on the retiring Fire Chief's vehicle were owned by the town. Cost for removal and reinstallation could be $600. Chief Adams of Westbrook has done this job. The expenditure would be covered by the Fire Association's budget. Mr. Willey moved to take the light off of Wayne Miller's truck by the Westbrook Chief. Passed 2-0, 1 abstained

Meeting adjourned at 9:22 p.m.

Jane Gibbons