TOWN OF EAST MILLINOCKET
SELECTMEN’S MEETING MINUTES
MONDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2010
4:00 P.M. 

PRESENT.  Selectmen-Chairman Mark Scally, James Federico, Lawrence MacKenzie, Gary MacLeod, Mark Marston, Administrative Assistant Shirley Tapley, Police Chief Garold Cramp, Rec Director Frank Clukey, Recreation Committee Members John Sheehan and Alfred Theriault, citizen Louis Perreault, Forester Chris Stevens,  Lincoln News Shelley Farrington.  Meeting is recorded.

1. 2010/2011 POLICE BUDGETS.  Police Chief Cramp met with the Selectmen to discuss the East Millinocket Police budget and the Medway Police Contract budget.

MEDWAY POLICE CONTRACT BUDGET.  Mark Marston-Chairman of the Budget Committee stated that Chief Cramp recommends that the Medway Police Contract Budget be increased by $4,000 due to the salary line has been consistently running over for the past few years. This would increase the total budget from $85,500 to $89,500.  Chief Cramp stated the contract has not been increased for the last ten years. Cramp said he has spoken with the Medway Town Office and they will make the Selectmen aware of the change and increase to the contract and that the contract will need to be updated with signatures approving the change to the contract amount. 

Motion made and seconded to approve the 2010/2011 Medway Police Contract Budget in the amount of $89,500.  Carried 5-0.

LAST YEARS BUDGET    $85,500

THIS YEARS BUDGET     $89,500

DOLLAR INCREASE          $4,000

PERCENT INCREASE          4.7%

This is a contract service budget. 

EAST MILLINOCKET POLICE BUDGET.  The Selectmen discussed the shift differential account and decided to increase it by $300 since this account has been running over.  This is the only change to the budget.  Motion made and seconded to approve the 2010/2011 East Millinocket Police Budget in the amount of $226,437.  Carried 5-0. 

LAST YEARS BUDGET   $226,237

THIS YEARS BUDGET     $226,437

DOLLAR INCREASE              $200

    PERCENT INCREASE            0.1 %

2.   EXECUTIVE SESSION.  Motion made and seconded to meet in executive session with Police Chief Garold Cramp for annual employee evaluation.   Carried 5-0.    IN: 4:15 P.M.        OUT: 4:20 P.M. 

Action.  Chairman Scally stated the Police Union Side bar wage for 2010/2011will be discussed at a future meeting since the Board was waiting for an official letter from the Shop Stewart and the Union Rep.

The Selectmen stated that they are very happy with Chief Cramp and are totally satisfied with his performance as Police Chief, stating A+.  A goal to work on as a Board is to try to get the hands-on training that is necessary for the Police Officers. 

3.  RECREATION DEPT. COPIER REQUEST.  Chairman Scally asked Clukey what options for the copier he has come up with since the last meeting.  F. Clukey said he looked at leasing a machine as the Selectmen had requested. To purchase the new copy machine would cost is $5,777.70  Lease options are as follows:

      36 months $180.78 with a buyout total of $6,508.08

      48 months $143.77 with a buyout total of $6,900.96

      60 months $123.15 with a buyout total of $7,389.00

Clukey said to add a maintenance agreement to each plan would be an additional monthly amount of $21.67.  Clukey said the recreation department has always had hand me down copiers in the past.  Clukey said he also has gone to the other two communities as part of the Recreation contract agreement and asked to split the cost for the copier between the three towns. The Town of Medway has agreed to   place an article at their annual town meeting for a third of the cost of the copier.   Clukey said he has not received an answer from the Town of Millinocket regarding his request for the three way split for a new copier.  Clukey said he was looking for direction from the Board of Selectmen.  M. Scally said he would suggest continuing using the Administration copier since with the overages of $300 for 6 months it would take a long time to justify spending that much on a new copier. Scally also said that each department should work on reducing the use of the copier to reduce the wear and tear on the machine. Scally said in this climate right now he has a real problem with spending $6,000 for a new copier. Recreation Committee member Alfred Theriault said if the other two towns would share the cost it would be a good time to buy one since it would mean getting a new machine for not a lot of cost to the town.   Jim Federico asked Clukey if there were any options to cut back on copies such as doing some things like recreation program registrations on line.  Clukey said most towns are not set up to do online registration and payments.  Clukey said he would guess maybe getting 60% to 70% online because a lot of household do not have computers.  The Selectmen agreed that if the other two towns do agree to share the cost then they will agree to re-visit Clukey’s request for a new copy machine at that time.  

Clukey said in an unrelated matter that five years ago when the three towns combined the Recreation Department that a goal of the Recreation Dept. would be to give more opportunities to the children in the three towns. Clukey said there is a meeting tomorrow with Millinocket Little League to discuss re-organization of a baseball program that would include the entire area.  

Selectman Jim Federico asked Clukey about the Skating Rink. Clukey said that they had it iced and lost it due to the warm weather. Clukey said he hopes to flood it again but that the ground may not be cold enough at this time. 

4.   MINISTERIAL LOT.  Forester Chris Stevens met with the Selectmen and said that Haynes began cutting the Ministerial lot last week and that it was going well.

The tree selection is good and the town should begin to receive payments very soon. Stevens said he has had a request to ask the town for use of a portion of a town owned road to access a piece of land for cutting by Haynes.  There are two options to access the area, one being to use the snowmobile road which is not a good choice since the road is not plowed and the other option is to use a short section-about 1,000 feet of town road.  Stevens said there should not be any problems using the town road and would draw up an agreement stating any    remedial work if any is needed, would be repaired per his direction.  Stevens assured the Selectmen that he would shut down the operation if there was any question at all.  The Selectmen agreed to allow the request and Stevens stated he will get an agreement with a sketch to this office to show the section of road needed by Haynes.  Motion made and seconded to allow Haynes access to a portion of town owned road so that they can access a section of their land for harvesting.   Carried 5-0. 

5.   WARRANTS.  Motion made and seconded to approve and sign the warrants for payment through February 8, 2010.  Carried 5-0. 

6.   SELECTMEN’S MEETING MINUTES.   Motion made and seconded to approve the Selectmen’s Meeting Minutes of February 1, 2010 as written.        Carried 5-0. 

7.   AMBULANCE ADJUSTMENTS.  Motion made and seconded to approve and sign the ambulance adjustments in the amount of $106.47 and the ambulance uncollectible in the amount of $233.39.  Carried 5-0. 

8.   TRAVEL REQUEST.  Motion made and seconded to approve and sign the Travel Request for Frank Clukey to Northport on April 7, 8, 9, 2010 for the MRPA Annual Conference at a cost of $164.50 to the Town of East Millinocket.  Carried 5-0.  Tapley added that Frank Clukey will be speaking at the Conference on the Town’s Recreation Contract Service. 

9.   TRAVEL REQUEST.  Motion made and seconded to approve and sign the Travel Request for Danny Violette and Lee Powers to Fairfield on February 17 for Trenching and Excavation workshop and on February 25, 2010 for a Protect Workers from Silica workshop at no cost to the town, sponsored by Safety Works.  Carried 5-0. 

10. TRAVEL REQUEST.  Motion made and seconded to approve and sign the Travel Request for Shirley Tapley to Bangor on March 18, 2010 for the DOT Supervisory Drug and Alcohol Training  at a cost of $105.00.  Carried 5-0. 

11. VETERAN’S WIDOWS EXEMPTION.  Motion made and seconded to approve and sign the Application for Exemption for Widow of a Veteran for Lorraine B. Crandall.   Carried 5-0. 

12. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEES.   Selectman Mark Marston stated he attended the Maine Woods Coalition meeting this past week.  Some items for discussion were Roxanne Quimby’s recent land purchase of 29,000 acres, the Great Maine Forest Act, Climate Change issues and Carbon Credits. Marston said he will keep the Selectmen updated. 

13. CITIZENS COMMENTS.  Louis Perreault asked if the Shell Building in the Industrial Park is currently being heated. Mark Scally stated there is no heat in the building. The building is winterized. 

14.  OTHER.  There will be a Kare Joint Board Meeting on Wednesday February 24, 2010 at 5:00 P.M. in the East Millinocket Municipal Building Auditorium.

Selectman Larry MacKenzie said he found out he was wrong and that there was a committee that shut down the area of Beech Street in front of the Opal Myrick School. MacKenzie said he has not found out if it was the school or the PTA that came up with the committee to look at shutting the area of Beech Street down.  MacKenzie said that after looking over the area this past week he has noted that the teachers park their vehicles on Church Street and Park Street and that there are very few parking places left for pick up and drop off of kids. MacKenzie said that the buses –anywhere from one to three buses come in and it creates a bottleneck.  MacKenzie said if the Beech Street area is not re-opened then the Selectmen should at least look at creating a parking area-maybe behind the school on the Birch Street side for teachers parking to free up areas for drop off and pick up of children.  MacKenzie said he has talked with Public Works Director Danny    Violette and he said a parking area for teachers can be done.  MacKenzie said he welcomes any comments from citizens.  Jim Federico said he was not sure about creating a parking lot out back since that it is where the kids have recess and he said if allowed; it would need to be fenced off.  Federico said that the buses seem to be part of the problem, particularly where they are stopping. Federico wondered if the buses could at least have access to the front doors on Beech Street to load and unload only. MacKenzie said he felt that if the buses and the teachers parking areas were relocated then it would be much safer for the kids.  Mark Marston asked if this matter should be going through the School Board. MacKenzie said this is a town matter that the Selectmen should address. MacKenzie said there is a bus and parking problem and he does not want to see a child killed due to the traffic in the Opal Myrick school area.  Mark Scally said Stearns Schools has a set up that has a buses only area.  Scally said that Chief Cramp has stated that the State said that setting up cones to temporally block off and then open the areas sends a mixed message to kids and discouraged doing that.  S. Tapley stated that the area in front of the Opal Myrick School is currently mapped for E-911 as a discontinued street. M. Scally suggested a workshop session with the School Board Members to discuss this matter.  Mackenzie said something needs to be done before someone, a child or an adult is killed.  Tapley will notify the School Board to try to set up a joint meeting to be held on February 22, 2010. 

S. Tapley stated the there is no Selectmen’s Meeting next Monday due to the Town Office is closed in observance of Presidents Day; February 15, 2010.     

15.  ADJOURNMENT.  5:14 P.M.