Dresden selectmen Monday night reviewed the warrant that will go before residents at the special town meeting on Tuesday, February 13, unanimously agreeing to recommend a yes vote to each question.

Decisions made at the meeting on some big ticket items will affect town finances for years to come.

Some of the hot topics are as follows:

• Should the town pay $108,000 to purchase the land and building owned by Jeffrey and Marilyn Baker that abuts the town hall, paving the way for future expansion as needed?

• Should the town agree to apply to the Maine Bond Bank for a bond of not over $650,000 at a rate of no more than four percent for 30 years to pay for a new fire station?

• Should the town agree to transfer $30,000 from the Village Fire Station addition to pay for work already completed at the town's fire stations and the town hall?

• Should the town authorize the selectmen to pay $3,000 from the building maintenance account to have a site analysis done at the West Dresden Fire Station in preparation for the new station project?

Voters will also be asked if they want to enact a barking dog ordinance and whether to adopt an emergency management ordinance as proposed by FEMA/Homeland security.

In other business, selectmen voted to install a flood float at the town hall to be located in the basement. The system would be tied into the building's security system and would notify Northeast Security if water rises beyond a safe level. The system would cost about $200 for purchase and installation.

"But it would have prevented last summer's flood that required about $10,000 in clean-up costs," said Selectman John Ottum.

Selectman Win Moody raised the question of how a town resident, Alan Michelis, was given the responsibility to serve as a safety compliance officer. "I'd like to know when it was voted to give him that job," said Moody. Administrative Assistant Trudy Foss said that a vote was never taken by the selectmen.

He also said that there have been several complaints about some actions Michelis has taken in that role and was concerned that he had brought representatives from the Maine Municipal Association with him to inspect the town hall. "Shouldn't he work with people to try to fix any problems before bringing in the state?" asked Moody. John Ottum told the board that Michelis is serving as a volunteer, and said he would speak to him.

Administrative Assistant Trudy Foss read a prepared statement to the selectmen outlining concerns she has about town management. "I believe that decisions must be made by all three selectmen and not by one alone," said Foss. She referenced the recent nod that was given to Michelis as safety officer by Ottum, and said there were several other incidents where he took actions on his own.

Foss raised concerns about a number of questions, such as the work to be done on the old town hall foundation and the repairs to the fire station antenna that have not been resolved by the selectmen and asked that they consider meeting every week or include a workshop style meeting into their schedule.

She also said that there are too many employees working on Thursday evenings and that it was so crowded that work could not be done. She asked that the selectmen think of how to rearrange schedules to make this more efficient.

"I have also learned that it has been said that I am trying to run the town," said Foss. "As assistant to the selectmen, I thought that I was supposed to follow through on their directions and that was my job. If not, I need clarification of my role."

The selectmen announced that former Code Enforcement Officer Rick Lang has resigned as the plumbing inspector for the town. Lang's replacement in the position, Bruce Engert, is now licensed to serve as the plumbing inspector, and the selectmen agreed to have him fill that role. Lang was asked to serve as a consultant when needed at a rate of $25 per hour.

Recycling Coordinator Dave Probert asked the board for a decision on whether they would like to accept the town of Bath's offer to accept hazardous household waste from Dresden for disposal. Bath would schedule a specific time for Dresden and Probert suggested that the town set an amount of $600 to cover the expense. Selectmen agreed to give Probert the green light to make the arrangements. The date has not been set.

Probert also reminded the selectmen that he is planning to offer the town another electronic waste disposal date sometime in April.

The selectmen announced that the Town Office would be closed on February 19 to celebrate President's Day. The selectmen will meet on February 15 to sign the town warrant. The special town meeting on February 13 will be held at the school at 6:30 p.m.