TOWN OF EAST MILLINOCKET
 SELECTMEN’S MEETING MINUTES
MONDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2010
2:30 P.M. 

PRESENT.  Selectmen-Chairman Mark Scally, Lawrence MacKenzie-arrived at 2:35 pm, Gary MacLeod, Mark Marston, Administrative Assistant Shirley Tapley, Attorney Lee Bragg, Attorney Rob Crawford, Assessor Bill VanTuinen,  Fire Chief/Ambulance Supervisor Les Brown, Utilities Superintendent Frank Stratton, Treasurer Bev MacLeod,  Police Chief Garold Cramp, Public Works Director Danny Violette, Louis Perreault,  Superintendent Sara Alberts, School Board Members-Dan Byron, Robert Leathers, John MacLeod, Amy Linscott, John Sheehan, The Lincoln News Shelley Farrington. At 4:30 pm the meeting was moved into the municipal building auditorium to accommodate the public, consisting of citizens from East Millinocket and Medway, school personnel and bus drivers. Meeting is recorded. 

1.  EXECUTIVE SESSION.  Motion made and seconded to meet in Executive Session pursuant to 1 M.R.S.A. § 405 (6) (E) with Attorney Lee Bragg, Attorney Rob Crawford and Assessor Bill VanTuinen to discuss Great Lakes Hydro America Abatement request.  Carried 3-0.     IN:  2:30 P.M.        OUT:  4:05 P.M. 

Action.  Chairman Scally stated there was no action as a result of the executive session-an informational meeting. 

2.  2010/2011 FIRE/AMBULANCE BUDGETS.  Budget Committee Chairman Mark Marston stated the Budget Committee was very happy with the work done by Brown as directed by the Selectmen on combining the Fire and Ambulance budgets. As a result of combining the two budgets the taxpayers of East Millinocket will see a reduction of approximately $140,000.  Marston commended Chief Brown for his good work. Marston said that the combined budget is based on revenues from contract services which Brown expects will remain constant going forward.  M. Scally said he was very pleased with the decreased budget amount needing to only raise $8,949 for the combined fire and ambulance department but wanted assurance from Brown that the revenues will be there going forward. Chief Brown said he and Treasurer Bev MacLeod worked together on the budget and that they are confident going forward with these revenue amounts.  One item that Brown said he would ask approval from the Selectmen is to budget an additional $1,200 for volunteer Firefighters and EMS employees for accident insurance coverage. This coverage is $44.61 per fire/rescue volunteer per year and covers them while they are doing other volunteer work for the town such as Flag detail or during the town’s summer celebration.  Brown said workers compensation has made many changes to coverage and that this additional coverage is needed to protect the volunteers and the town in the event of an injury.  Brown said he has twenty-five employees he would like the coverage for and it would be effective July 2010. S. Tapley said this would be paid from the Protective Services insurance account line.  The Selectmen agreed to Brown’s request for the Volunteer insurance coverage and to add $1,200 to the insurance account line for 2010/2011. 

Motion made and seconded to approve the combined 2010/2011 Fire/Ambulance department budget in the amount of $771,473 with $8,949 needed to be raised through taxation. Carried 4-0.

 

LAST YEARS BUDGET              $146,562     Fire

$560,737    Ambulance

      Total expense         $707,299

      Total revenues        $707,299

                    THIS YEARS BUDGET               $771,473  Fire & Ambulance

      Total revenues        $762,524

        Net to be raised          $8,949

DOLLAR INCREASE           $64,174

PERCENT INCREASE            9.1 % 

Motion made and seconded to approve the new name of the combined fire and ambulance departments to East Millinocket Fire and Rescue effective July 1, 2010. Carried 4-0. 

Chief Brown said he had a list of equipment needs going forward which are 2 Life pak 12 defibrillators at a cost of $38,600, 2 Stair Chairs at a cost of $5,400, 2 Computers at $2,000 and a Paging Board at $27,000. These items total $73,000 which would be paid for from the capital equipment reserve account which currently has a balance of $223,000.  Motion made and seconded to approve the amount of $73,000 from the Ambulance equipment replacement reserve account for the following: (2) Life Pak 12 Defibrillators at $38,600, (2) Stair Chairs at $5,400, (2) Computers at $2,000 and a Paging Board at $27,000.  Carried 4-0. 

3.  EXECUTIVE SESSION.  Motion made and seconded to go into executive session pursuant to 1 M.R.S.A. § 405 (6) (A) to meet with employee Les Brown for employee evaluation.  Carried 4-0    IN:   4:10 P.M.   OUT:  4:15 P.M.

Action. As a result of the evaluation Chairman Scally said that goals were discussed with Brown and the Selectmen commended Chief Brown for a good job this past year saying they are particularly pleased with the combining of the ambulance and fire departments which resulted in a reduction to the tax burden to the town if the amount of almost $140,000. 

4.  WATER WORKS.  Motion made and seconded to approve the amount of $10,200 from the Water Works Savings/reserve account for the handheld meter reading system.  Carried 4-0.  Treasurer Macleod said there is $229,000 in the Water savings/reserve account. 

5.  WARRANTS.  Motion made and seconded to approve and sign the warrants through February 22, 2010 for payment.   Carried 4-0. 

6.  SELECTMEN’S MEETING MINUTES. Motion made and seconded to approve the Selectmen’s Meeting Minutes of February 8, 2010 as written.  Carried 4-0. 

7.  AMBULANCE ADJUSTMENTS.  Motion made and seconded to approve and sign the Ambulance Adjustments in the amount of $3,226.17 and the Ambulance Uncollectible in the amount of $1,603.89.  Carried 4-0. 

8.  TRAVEL REQUEST.  Motion made and seconded to approve and sign the Travel Request for Shirley Tapley to Orono on March 5, 2010 at a cost of $98.40 for the Manager’s Interchange.  Carried 4-0. 

9.  COMMITTEE REPORTS.  Mark Marston said that the Town of East Millinocket KARE group received a framed Certificate of Appreciation from the ConnectMe Team for the contributions to the new multi use recreational bridge. Marston said he was also presented on behalf of the Town of East Millinocket with a Resolve from the Millinocket Town Council in recognition of KARE for its financial support of the West Branch Multi-Use Recreational Bridge Project.   

10.  CITIZEN’S COMMENTS.  None. 

11.  OTHER.  Motion made and seconded to approve and sign the agreement for the Police Union sidebar for wage only, all agreed to 0 % wage increase for 2010/2011 fiscal year unless non-union employees are given an increase then Union would receive the same. Carried 4-0. 

The Selectmen publicly thanked Jacob Cote for volunteering to build and install a new shelf unit in the Town Clerks office. 

12.  SCHOOL BOARD AND SELECTMEN MEETING.  Selectman Larry MacKenzie explained his position regarding the Opal Myrick School parking and bus congestion problem on Church and Park Street particularly when the weather is bad such as snow or rain storms. MacKenzie said he has concerns for the safety of the students due to the congestion and parking problems when kids are being picked up and dropped off for school. MacKenzie said he has witnessed many close calls to kids almost being hit by a vehicle and wanted to discuss options with the School Board and School personnel to try to come up with a safer process. Some suggestions discussed by the Selectmen, School Board, Bus Drivers, School Personnel and citizens are as follows:  

The Selectmen said they have aired their concerns regarding this issue. The School Board agreed to try a few things like disbursing students from a different door and request that Parents park in different areas when they pick up their children to see if this would help with the congestion problem. 

13.  ADJOURNMENT.  5:13 P.M.