Groton Selectboard Minutes

Groton Community Building

September 6, 2005

 

Present:

Select       board : Leonard Doscinski & Debra Tinkham

Treasurer: Roberta Dana

Road Personnel: Brent Smith

2nd Constable: Jim Downing Jr.

Planning: Martha Crown

Guests:

Su-Ann Beck, Daughter & Phillip Palmer

 

 

Page 1 of 2

 

Leonard called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M.

 

The Selectboard reviewed correspondence, minutes and purchases orders. The August 16th Selectboard Meeting minutes were approved.

 

Su-Ann expressed her concerns about the speeding that is taking place all hours of the day and night on the Minard Hill Rd.  Su-Ann thought the Town of Groton had sent Jim Downing for training so he could ticket the speeders.

Leonard: Brent has been working on a Traffic Ordinance but until this goes into effect and signs put up there are some roads that can be traveled at the speed of 50 MPH.

Su-Ann said traffic is picking up on Minard Hill Road as this is a through way from Groton to Danville.

Martha: vehicles traveling over the Great Road are traveling too fast.  They couldn’t stop if something or someone was in the road.

 

Su-Ann: Who takes care of the park in town? Darren and children put up a basketball hoop and swept up the broken glass.  The windows are all broken out of the building in the park and trash is everywhere.

Phillip: people can’t see down over the bank because of the bushes that have grown up in back of the gazebo.

Jim: the Boy Scout group used to help keep it clean when Mike Hatch, Jr. was a Scout Leader.

Debra: maybe there are some groups in town that would help with this. Maybe an ad should be put in the paper letting people know the Town of Groton is looking for volunteers for the recreation committee, Fire department and FAST Squad.  Debra and Leonard: schedule a clean up day before fall foliage to spruce up the downtown.

 

The radar cart needs to make its presence back into Groton.

Jim: How are we coming on obtaining speed limit signs? Leonard said the Town of West Burke ordered too many signs and they have some available.

 

Jim: 15 to 20 years ago Jim Steven, spokes person for an ATV club, got the Selectboard to open up the railroad bed to ATV’s and now it is said to be closed.  Leonard said that the Selectboard can open or close the railroad bed and it is closed to ATVs at this time.

 

Debra: the best way to control the ATVs is to form a club.

Leonard: we encourage the ATV owners to start a club and then come and take to the Selectboard.

 

Richard Kreis is writing up a notice for the newspapers regarding the traffic ordinance.

 

Jim, Phillip and Linda: problem with trash at the Welch Block.  Linda: spoke with Ed Stretch about the trash as she had a phone call plus a written complaint.

 

Jim: wondered about the amount paid for mileage from the town: Roberta: 35cents is what is paid now.

With the price of fuel going up Jim wondered about raising the rate. The State gets 40.5 cents per mile.

Leonard made the motion to raise the amount paid for mileage to 40 cents per mile effective September 6, 2005. Debra seconded the motion.

 

Jim: what is the name of the owner of the old green car at Clark’s Landing?  His name is Stanley Folchek.

Page 2 of 2, September 6, 2005

 

Roberta: tax bills have finally gone out.

Roberta: went over Budget report.

 

Leonard: has someone looked at the community building chimney?

Brent and Phillip cleaned out the debris.  Someone needs to come in and look at it to see what needs to be done. Maybe someone such as Armstrong.

 

Roberta has anyone checked into getting cell towers in Groton?

Linda called and talked to the Town of Ryegate about the cell towers and if they were approached and if so by whom.  Debra will make some calls and check more on this.

 

Roberta: discussed her concerns about the bids on the Mt. Ara project with the Selectboard. She feels the two bids were like comparing an apple and an orange as to the way they were written. The proposal from Robert Farquharson that was accepted by the Selectboard reads that there could be extra costs if they run into ledge that cannot be worked around.  But no one knows what this amount could possibly be. That leaves it wide open for unknown extra costs when the other bid from Matt Puffer was a clear flat amount and did not mention any extra costs even though it was $7,000 more.

 

Brent: paving on Powder Spring Road to take place, maybe this week depending on the weather. Been working in the kitchen to get the wiring in for the stoves and warming oven before fall foliage.

Brent: making progress on the Mt. Ara project.

 

Leonard: just a heads up when the cleanup day happens, trucks will be needed to haul brush.

 

Brent: as the Town has the permit to put in electrical outlets what is the thought on adding some to the town office, it would be about $50.00 more so the circuit breakers don’t keep kicking off?

 

Brent: need to purchase a 50-amp plug for the generator in case of an emergency, the cost would be about $60.00 or $70.00.

 

Martha: need to incorporate the Flood Plain Plan into the Zoning By Laws. This will need to be posted.  This needs to be done ASAP.

 

Debra: is the Great Road ditch work (stone) part of the Farquahson bid. Brent yes this is part of the bid. 

 

Meeting adjourned 8:45 P.M.

                                        

 

Groton Selectboard

                                                                             ______________________________

                                                                             Leonard Doscinski

 

                                                                             ______________________________

                                                                             Debra Tinkham

 

                                                                            

                                                                

 

 

Respectfully submitted by Linda Nunn

                            

 

 

 

 

Not Valid Until Signed By The Selectboard