Minutes Board of Selectpersons of Sweden, ME

October 27, 2009

Present: Selectpersons Ridlon, Jones and Smith; DJ Curtis, Warren Noble, Rob Drew, Jean Bouchard, John Clifford and Jane Gibbons The meeting was opened by Mrs. Ridlon with the Pledge of Allegiance at 6 p.m.

The warrant was signed. The bid for salt from Eastern salt company is at $67.67 per ton. Mrs. Curtis explored the ramifications of investing in CDs on a temporary basis. 1. A three month CD would pay .25%, minimum required for CD is $100,000. 2. A six month CD would pay .40%, minimum required for CD is $100,000. 3. The current Sweeps checking account costs about $175 per month and pays approximately $25.00 per month in interest. The town could reduce its monthly bank service charge by about $50 and receive a .40% interest on its checkbook balance by changing from a Sweeps account to a NOW account. It was moved and passed to change to a NOW account with Key Bank.

Roads: Mr. Clifford said they were grading on Smarts Hill Road. A bid for crack sealing on Tapawingo and Webber Pond Road has been submitted for $11,815 by Sealex of Scarborough, ME. It is hoped we can get other bids before proceeding. Another bid had come in even higher. Three culverts have been installed on Plummer School Road. Mr. Clifford expressed concern that this was not the time of year to shim Plummer School Road. Mr. Drew will suggest names of people to bid on the Hardscrabble Road project. Pike had submitted a bid of $325,000 for grinding and base. Gravel, culverts, shoulders, and sealing could add up to $550,000. Mr. Bouchard recommended that we seek engineering advice from a State engineer to set a standard for roads in town. This would mean that when bids were sought, there would be specific standards to be met and bids would be on similar specifications. Mr. Bouchard volunteered to help John Clifford with this process. Mrs. Ridlon was to talk to Mr. Clifford about talking to D.O.T. Mr. Drew brought in his bond for Winter Roads.

Mr. Noble presented a mutual aid agreement with Baldwin for National Disaster Assistance. It was voted to approve this (2-1). The Selectpersons signed the document. The fire department will be exceeding its budget. Mr. Noble stated that part of the increase was a doubling of the bill for pump testing, for hiring a consultant to advise him on how to do paper work to meet Federal Standards, and the bill from Adams Emergency vehicles for transferring the lights to his truck. He said the town is threatened with law suits if paper work is not done correctly. There was discussion as to whether a special town meeting needed to be called to meet the short fall. No decision was made. Mr. Noble also stated that Mr. C. Wayne Miller indicated to someone that he was not continuing to be Emergency Management Director after Dec. 31st. No letter of resignation has been received. Mr. Noble also stated that he would continue handling the General Assistance applications as he had taken the classes for it.

Mrs. Curtis presented more information on the budget for 2010. As per the Selectmen, all salaries, (with the exception of the Fire Chief) have been removed from their perspective accounts and put into a new separate account. Currently the building fees charged have been put in a Planning Board Account and the CEO's salary has been paid out of those fees. It was suggested that his salary be included in the salary item and that building permit fees be deposited in the general fund. Other: Mrs. Ridlon was to write a special letter to one resident who left his trash at the Lovell transfer station on a day when it was closed. It was learned that Hayes True Value allows several people to sign for the town. The list will be revised. Mr. Bouchard recommended a purchase order system which would allow town purchases to be controlled from the office. The Planning Board has agreed to meet on the 3rd Tuesday of the month in the office when it is closed to the public. Mrs. Ridlon reported that Mrs. Flint is following up on the tax payer who claims that we deposited his check. Mrs. Ridlon will ask to see the check, both sides as we are eager to reconcile the issue. The minutes of the Oct. 6th meeting were corrected to say that Jean Bouchard had expressed concern that the treasurer's books ought to be in the office. The minutes of the Oct. 13th meeting were corrected to say that Darling Sterling had expressed concern about the taxes she pays on a property on a road not maintained by the town. She owns property on Evans Hill Road. It was reported that a neighbor had placed stones on the road to block her access. Mr. Smith also corrected the Oct. 13th minutes to say that the bank officer referred to is the Vice President of Norway Savings.

The minutes were approved as corrected.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m.