Minutes
Jay Select Board
August 10th 2015
Present: Absent:
Shiloh LaFreniere; Town Manager Tom Goding
Justin Merrill; Select Chair
Tim DeMillo; Vice-chair
Steve McCourt
Terry Bergeron
Guests: Donna Perry; Sun Journal, Ben Hanstein; Daily Bulldog, Darren Pollis, Clint Coolidge, Al Landry
Pledge of Allegiance: 6:00 PM
Minutes – July 27th (2) and August 4th (1)
M/M/S McCourt, Bergeron to accept as written, the following minutes of the Jay Select Board. Vote 4-0-0
July 27th Select Board Meeting.
July 27th Joint Meeting of the Select Board and Planning Board
August 4th Special Select Board Meeting – Executive Session.
Old Business - None
Board of Assessment Review – Reappoint Bill Harlow
M/M/S McCourt, Bergeron to reappoint Jay resident Bill Harlow to the Board of Assessment Review for a five-year term ending in September 2020. Vote: 4-0-0
Chair Justin Merrill informed the public that the Town is currently seeking to fill one (1) Alternate position on the Board of Assessment Review.
Franklin County Sheriff’s ACO Proposal
The Board received a memo from Franklin County Sheriff, Scott Nichols, stating that due to a need for quality Animal Control Officers in the area, he is exploring the possibility of providing ACO coverage from the Sheriff’s Office. Nichols questioned whether the Town would be open to the idea of having the Sheriff’s Office take over ACO services for Franklin County, and asked how much the Town appropriates yearly for these services.
Town Manager, Shiloh LaFreniere, explained that the Town budgets for one (1) fulltime position which combines the services of the ACO, the Cemetery Sexton and Buildings and Grounds Maintenance, therefore it’s difficult to determine what amount is designated for the ACO position alone.
The Board agreed that the residents of the Town of Jay are happy with the services currently being provided, and that they see no reason to change at this time. LaFreniere suggested that if the County does decide to offer ACO services, the Board can always reconsider at a later date, or even consider using the county as a back-up option.
Pollis Property – Special Tax Determination for Commitment
The Board discussed the process of setting a special tax determination for the two (2) properties owned by Darren Pollis and heirs of Leroy Pollis. Having been in violation of the State’s Junkyard & Automobile Graveyard Law since 1999, a Motion to Recover Costs of Abatement was granted to the Town in 2013 by Franklin County District Court. Upon completion of the process, the Town now seeks full reimbursement for the cost of the abatement, attorneys’ fees and any additional costs incurred during the abatement process. LaFreniere informed the Board that the total cost to the Town is $31,475.
According to Maine Statute, the procedure for recovering expenses incurred during the abatement process of a junkyard are as follows:
1. The Town will assess each property individually.
2. The assessed amounts will be included in the commitment, then billed along with the annual taxes for the properties.
LaFreniere explained that the 2015-2016 Tax Commitment is scheduled to be set at the August 24th Meeting of the Select Board, therefore it’s necessary that the Board determine how they wish to split the assessed costs for each of the two (2) parcels.
M/M/S Bergeron, DeMillo to split the abatement costs of $31,475 based on a percentage of the valuation of the two properties. McCourt opposed. Vote 3-1-0
Recreation Committee
The Recreation Committee, having been inactive for some time, met on July 21st at the request of the Board to consider plans for the property located at French Falls. The committee is in the process of defining goals and requested guidance from the Board as to what direction they want to go in. The committee questioned whether they should be focusing on French Falls, or are other areas open to consideration? Does the Board have specific ideas or plans that they wish to be implemented, and are there any budgetary restrictions?
Merrill suggested that while the recent rental agreement with Androscoggin Land Trust does offer additional recreational opportunities with the Town, a certain amount of concentration should go into the French Falls property.
No budgetary limitations were set, instead the Board asks that the committee come to the Board once a development plan and budget are set for a specific proposal. Approval will be determined on a project by project basis.
Other Business
MMA Dividend Payment:
LaFreniere informed the Board that the Town received a check in the amount of $4,596 from the Maine Municipal Association as a result of Jay’s good loss experience and loss prevention programs. MMA offers three (3) self-funded pools for municipalities: the Workers Compensation Fund, the Property & Casualty Pool, and the Unemployment Compensation Fund. Jay’s dividend comes from the Property & Casualty Pool.
Upcoming Meetings and Events: All meetings are open to the public
Planning Board Meeting: August 11th
Select Board Meeting: August 24th
Maine papermakers & Wood Products Celebration: August 29th
Planning Board Meeting: September 8th
Household Hazardous Waste Collection [Transfer Station]: September 12th
Select Board Meeting: September 14th
Select Board Meeting: September 28th
Executive Session: 6:33 PM
M/M/S DeMillo, Bergeron to go into Executive Session under MRSA Title 1, Chapter 13, Section 405, Subsection 6 for the purpose of discussing a Legal Issue. Vote 4-0-0
Merrill declared meeting out of Executive Session at 6:40 PM. No action was taken.
M/M/S DeMillo, Bergeron to go into Executive Session at 6:41 PM under MRSA Title 1, Chapter 13, Section 405, Subsection 6 for the purpose of discussing Union Negotiations – Transfer Station. Vote 4-0-0
Merrill declared meeting out of Executive Session at 7:03 PM. No action was taken.
M/M/S McCourt, DeMillo to adjourn at 7:03 PM. Vote 4-0-0
Respectfully submitted by,
Jill Gingras
Deputy Finance Director
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