MINUTES OF MEETING
Present: John
R. Swindlehurst, III,
Chairman
Charles Graybill
Merton Mann
Janice VandeBogart, Town Administrator
Janice VandeBogart: Reported that a fence was put up at
The board was informed that
the town’s “Motion to Dismiss” had been granted by the courts regarding the
Dancewicz non buildable lot agreement.
A message from the Road
Agent was relayed to the Board regarding the reclamation of Gorham Pond
Road. Reclamation will be complete next
week and paving is scheduled to begin July 19th. Jacqueline Drive will be next on the list of
paving projects which will hopefully be done that same week.
MILFOIL – GORHAM POND:
Lou Costa and Lou Deberio
and residents of Gorham Pond were in to discuss the milfoil problem. They requested that an article be put on the
town warrant for the 2005 town meeting that would provide funds for the milfoil
control at Gorham Pond. They asked how
to get an article on the warrant, by petition, etc. The Selectmen advised them that they would
not need to petition, the selectmen would be glad to support an article. The group asked about the wording of the
article and were advised that the town administrator, Janice VandeBogart, would
check into the wording for them and let them know.
Chuck Graybill stated that
he asked the Conservation Commission to
write a procedure for all water ways to control milfoil. The Commission sent that in to the Selectmen
about four weeks ago and Selectmen agreed with verbiage. He also stated the he thought that the
Conservation Commission should come forward and pay the 50% that the state
would not pay out of their funds instead of the taxpayers paying for it. The Commission also would be responsible for
getting the grant from the state. Mert
supported Chuck’s stand that the Conservation Commission should pay the towns
portion or the town could take it out of surplus. He went on to say that the Selectmen want to do
this and it is only the question of who will pay and where the money will come
from.
Lou Deberio stated that
members of the Conservation Commission had met with the Lake Gorham Association
and denied that they would pay for the milfoil clean up. They also felt that the Commission should pay
from their funds. They went on to say
that the cost would be around $8,000 (cost at this time) but could be more next
year. The DES could give an
estimate. The town would pay 50% and the
state 50%.
The Selectmen stated that
the article would be placed on the town warrant and it can be decided then how
it will be divided up and who will pay.
Also, the article wording can be changed at town meeting.
Lou Deberio stated that the
milfoil problem could be an on going problem and wanted to know if they would
have to come to town meeting every year.
He was told that that was quite possible. The procedure is that the
Conservation Commission would have to go
for the grant every year and it could be presented every year to the town to
keep it under control. Lou Deberio also asked if there was any way to close the public boat ramp. He knew that they would have to go to
the State with such a request but thought that if would have more meaning if the Board of Selectmen acted on it for
them. JR Swindlehurst stated that they
could contact Ted Gaddis, our representative.
Lou and others felt that as long as the boat ramp is open the problem
will continue.
Lou Deberio wanted to know
where to go if the town should vote against the article. The Selectmen confirmed again that they would
support it. Chuck Graybill stated that
the only way he would support it was if the Conservation Commission paid
for the clean up from their funds.
Anne Marie Merrill inquired
as to what the purpose of the Conservation Commission was and to whom do they
answer. The board stated that the
Commission follows state laws, members are appointed by the board of Selectmen
and 50% of the current use penalties collected is deposited in the conservation
fund, which was voted in at town meeting a few years ago. The Commission has stated that the money is
to be used only for land acquisition
however, the purpose of the conservation fund was set up for “conservation
purposes”.
Lou Deberio stated that
there is a pipe going into the lake from the Whitney lot which pumps water from
the pond to flush their toilet. Someone
needs to contact them to pull the pipe out when the lake is treated. The State
did not want to use the pellets to treat the milfoil because they believed that they were using
the water to drink. Who would contact
them. ??
It was decided that the Association will contact them.
Hiring a contactor to treat
the pond was discussed. Brett St.Claire
from the Conservation Commission would contact people and the state would be
the ones to hire. It was advised that
the Gorham Pond residents contact the state to find out how they wanted us to
do it.
The Policy regarding milfoil
was discussed. The Selectmen indicated
that it has not been officially adopted
by the board. Mr. Deberio pointed out that the policy refers to them as
the Lake Gorham Association and they wanted to be referred to as Lake Gorham Residents.
It was asked if there was a
tax abatement available for people who live there due to the milfoil problem. Chuck stated that there was no abatement in
place at this time. This question will
be asked of the Board of Assessors as we are going through a revaluation of the
entire town in the year 2005, starting in 2004.
Ms. Mahoney of Holiday Shore
Drive, K1-7-8, was asking if there were any plans to pave that section of the
road. This was be taken under
consideration but the town has no plans at this time.
TERRY JELLEY, CHAIRMAN,
CEMETERY TRUSTEES: Terry advised the
Board of Selectmen that Patrick Bowne
has given his written resignation as a Cemetery Trustee due to personal
reasons. Terry recommended that Robert
Josephsen be considered as he his name was on the ballot this year for this
position. The Board agreed that Terry
should contact him and see if he was still interested. Terry spoke about the painting of the
cemetery fences and that Geoffrey Johnson was all set to start. The Trustees would get the paint soon and it
was recommended that they purchase a good, water based paint that would
last.
JR Swindlehurst made the
motion to accept the resignation of Patrick Bowne, with regret, as a Cemetery Trustee. The motion was seconded by Chuck Graybill and
the vote was in the affirmative.
DONNA FLEMING AND BRAD
ASBURY: They stated that they live at #9
Jacqueline Drive and had concerns about and questions about what is going on
with one of their neighbors. They stated
a neighbor was running a logging company out of his home, and trucks were going up and down the road all
day long. Others working for him were
also driving trucks back and forth and it happens seven days a week and in early mornings around 6am
or earlier. Mr. Asbury stated that he
had talked with the owner, Guy
Doucet, before but it did not work out
very well. He stated that equipment
stays overnight and they are parked on
the road. There are at least three
pieces of heavy equipment, and pickup trucks.
He also stated that there was an oil spill last year (on Mr. Doucet’s
land). Ken Swayze, Building Inspector, stated
he was aware of it and spoke to Mr. Doucet.
Mert Mann asked if this activity is allowed. Mr. Swayze stated that under home occupation
businesses are allowed in town but to keep in mind that now we have a noise ordinance. However, trucks are allowed on the roads in
town. It was also noted by the Selectmen
that under home occupation rules there can not be more than one commercial
vehicle on the property.
Ms. Fleming stated that the
operation involved a logging yard now as trucks are going in and picking up logs and leaving. Logs are stacked, sorted and removed.
Ken Swayze stated that Mr.
Doucet was spoken to about this but that
Mr. Doucet felt hat he had enough land to operate this business and he has a right
to do it. Donna Fleming stated that they
would like to find a middle ground and work this out. She also asked about a devise that was on a
telephone pole that flashes. It is
located one pole up from their property and they were wondering what it was. The town office will check with the telephone
company.
Chuck stated that the town
will be paving Jacqueline Drive soon and then the town will have more control
over what goes on regarding the roadway.
The Selectmen will be addressing this problem and Ken Swayze will visit
the site. Also the board will ask Mr. Doucet to come in to meet with them. The Board will also request a list of commercial vehicles registered in his name
from the town clerk. Mr. Swayze stated
that to his knowledge the town has no permit on file for a home occupation at that property, however, they would be
allowed to have a home occupation if all the rules of home occupation are
adhered to.
Meet was adjourned at 8:50
pm.
_________________________________
John
R. Swindlehurst, II, Chairman
_________________________________
Chuck
Graybill
_________________________________
Mert
Mann
Dunbarton
Board of Selectmen
Minutes recorded by: Janice VandeBogart