Town of Lamoine, Maine
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	Administrative Assistant to the Board of Selectmen				Stu Marckoon
	Report for Meeting of March 18, 2021

I am writing this a day after the town meeting election which went very smoothly (though turnout was very low).  The sun is out, the temperature is finally above freezing, and we’re seeing signs of spring! (The roads are posted). 

Your agenda is relatively light, as this generally is the organizational meeting following the annual town meeting.  However, since the annual town meeting the night before this meeting will simply be a gathering to recess to a date certain, you have time to tackle a few things. 

I am hoping that you wouldn’t mind showing up in person for this meeting as there are a lot of things to sign.  We’ll still have this via zoom for the public if anyone is hoping to participate.  The seating will be such that you are socially distanced, and everyone will have their own microphone and space.  

Don’t forget to show up at the school at 6PM on Wednesday the 17^th!

Chair Selection – I will open the Selectboard meeting and guide you through the selection of a chair for the coming year.  The past five years have had the following as chairs:

2020-21 – Kathleen

2019-20 -- Bob

2018-19 -- Nate

2017-18 – Jo

2016-17 – Gary

Minutes March 4, 2021 – Please review the minutes of the previous meeting for any errors.

Expenditure Warrant 22 - There will be a lot of payroll on here (regular, your semi-annual pay, and the town meeting election crew), school payroll and accounts payable, the March snow plowing bill, and the usual stuff.  I have purchased some postage from Stamps.com to send town reports to the required people, and a fair amount certified mail for the Planning Board public hearing notice (the gravel pit owners will reimburse the town for that).

Cash & Budget Reports – We continue to track well ahead on most revenues, and on pace for expenditures.

Policy Adoptions – The disbursement and process policies both have some new language to deal with states of emergency.  The mileage reimbursement numbers are updated, and the administrative fees are not proposed to change. The policies are all on your packet.

Regional Shellfishing – Kathleen asked that this be on the agenda.  The e-mail from the joint municipal board is in your packet.  Apparently the City of Ellsworth would like to have another community act as the administrative community.  I understand the city’s reluctance to continue, but I do not favor Lamoine becoming the admin community, as we have plenty of work to do in this office.  Unless we add another staff person, it’ll be tough taking on more responsibilities.

Roads – I have prepared a memorandum on the matter on Walker Road that I sent you an e-mail message about late last week. 

The gentleman I had hoped would supervise our paving project is not available to do so.  I did reach out to Chip Reeves at CES (now Haley-Ward) to see if that’s something they do, and he said that is one of their specialties.  I would suggest contacting them for a proposal for paving contract oversight.

Town Meeting – As mentioned, turnout was very low (9%).  Everyone who ran unopposed on the ballot won election, though one write in candidate had a fair amount of support.  Both liquor questions passed handily. 

For you who voted, you’ll notice that we were not able to utilize the back door exit for 1-way traffic due to ice buildup on the north side of the town hall.  I tried using a chainsaw Sunday afternoon, Mike Hodgkins hit it with salt, but it would have taken us many hours to get it so that walking was safe on that side of the building. 

I’ll prepare up a certificate to thank Mike Brann for his many years on the school committee for your signature.  Elizabeth Stanley is quite excited to serve!

As for a recess date, I have e-mailed Katrina Kane, and suggested that May 26^th would work for an open meeting date.  This is 2-days after the 75% capacity is allowed, and that gives room for 135 in the gym.  If the school budget is ready, we can have a 2^nd town meeting following the recessed one, and we can add the warrant article regarding authorizing the transfer from undesignated fund balance and the 2019 tax commitment error.

Finally, Harvey Kelley has announced that this year will be the last that he is moderating town meetings (we’re the last town that he’s done).    I’m thinking we should have some nice gesture to thank him for his many years of service (his first year was 1988). We’ll also need to think about a new moderator going forward.  While I do like moderating, I am ethically barred from being elected the moderator, and it would not be right to preside over a meeting where the budget for my salary is being approved.

That’s what’s on the plate for now.   

Stu