Snowplowing tops busy Edgecomb agenda

After two Monday night holidays, Edgecomb selectmen came to their January 7 meeting loaded for bear. The meat and potatoes of their lengthy agenda included discussions on sand replenishing issues, a fire station update, the development of a new committee, an unscheduled meeting with the governor and a review of the blasting permit.

First Selectman Jo Cameron noted that the board had received a report from Road Commissioner Scott Griffin that the town had already gone through all the sand that was stockpiled for the winter.

Selectman Stuart Smith said that he had given Griffin verbal permission to buy more sand. "The money to buy sand comes out of the town's budget," Smith said, separating it from the contract for services that the town has with Griffin for plowing.

"We have had six plowable snowstorms this year," Smith added. "We had six plowable storms all last season, and we are not able to buy salt anywhere."

"Why do you think that is?" Selectman John Johnson quipped.

Related to the snow issue, the selectmen discussed several complaints that they have received about damaged mailboxes, commenting that the cause of the damage is often hard to determine.

Fire Chief Barry Johnston suggested that the town consider buying a number of mailboxes that could be put in a five-gallon drum of cement or sand and loaned to homeowners on an interim basis. The board will further consider the issue.

Chief Johnston was on the agenda to update the selectmen on the status of the new fire station project.

He told the board that a survey on the land that abuts the station, which is under consideration for purchase, is being paid for from fire auxiliary funds.

A perk test has also been ordered. "I expect that the reports will not reveal any major issues that will affect our interest in the property," Johnston said.

"Are there any standard architectural plans available in the state that we could use or tailor to our needs?" Johnson asked. "We are going to have to pay for this. I'm just thinking of ways to save costs."

Johnston told the board that there were not any plans that the state has available for use, but he has been visiting new stations in the area, including Brunswick and Jefferson, for ideas.

"I already have several ideas of what I would like," Johnston said. He described a box style building that would have three bays, showers, and a meeting room that would double as a bunkroom.

"I would like to have a one-story building to save costs. Right now we have to wait to see what the land will allow, but I don't expect problems," he said.

Selectman Johnson suggested that the board consider approving a new committee.

"I would like to see us organize a committee that would act as a think tank for the town to look at broad issues related to the future," he said. "The committee would not have any power to make decisions for the town but could consider issues like development and how we can get the most out of planned growth, whether we need to expand the town planner's hours or increase the number of selectmen, and land bank concerns."

He made a motion to approve this proposal that was seconded by Smith and voted in unanimously by the board. Johnson offered to chair the committee and invited the board to develop a list of questions that they would like to see addressed, saying that recommendations by the committee would be brought back to the board.

"I have wanted to see this done since I took office. We have a lot of very smart people in this town whose expertise we could use," he added. "I am very excited about this."

Selectman Johnson also updated the board on a surprise call he received this past week at 7:30 a.m., asking him to join with a group from the region to meet with Governor Baldacci. The subject of the meeting was "regional approaches to issues" such as the coal gasification plant and State Representative Bruce MacDonald's bill that is being re-written at this time.

Johnson said that the governor applauded the town of Edgecomb for efforts to organize selectmen to meet on the gasification issue; and he said he supports considering expanding the ability of towns to vote on a regional basis on regional issues.

"I thought I was asked to go to just look pretty," Johnson said as he smiled, "but I was pleased to have a chance to speak to the governor. As I left, we shook hands and he asked us to continue our efforts to work together regionally."

Cameron attended a meeting on December 18 at Coastal Enterprises Inc. where a suggestion was made to develop a mechanism for towns to work on a regional basis when considering projects that affect areas greater than one town.

Smith presented the board with the first draft of a new blasting permit form for their consideration. The board previously agreed that they would develop a form that contained more information and would require their approval.

The board noted that the applicant is required to have insurance, and Selectman Johnson said that information should be on the form as well as the penalty for non-compliance. The board will continue to revise the form.

Cameron asked for the board's approval to nominate Byron Johnson to join her as a member of the Steering Committee for the Gateway 1 Project. The suggestion was approved with the understanding that this involvement would not be considered a paid duty as town planner.