WILTON – Town officials reviewed a draft of a policy regarding public notification of sex offenders living here. Residents who attended the public hearing gave their input as well.
Town Manager Peter Nielsen said policies from the towns of Bangor, Farmington and Lincolnville, as well as the Maine Chiefs of Police Association were gathered and a half -page draft was drawn up for selectmen to consider.
Former Department of Human Services Child Protective Services Worker Sandra Wyman told officials she thinks they need to find out when the state notifies towns of the presence of a sex offender and how much time the offender has to register as such.
Wyman, who was a Child Protective Services worker for 10 years, said she feels notification should be made within 24 hours rather than the seven days spelled out in the policy draft.
Farmington:
Madrid bridge estimates checked
FARMINGTON – County commissioners reviewed estimates to fix the decaying Beech Hill Bridge in Madrid.
County road agent Paul McKeen closed the bridge in early November due to safety concerns. Corroded bridge abutments are falling into Saddleback Stream, which flows into the Sandy River, making the bridge impassable, McKeen has said.
Located less than a mile off of Route 4 from the center of Madrid on Beech Hill Road, the one-lane bridge has an upper and lower deck.
Mark Rafford of Rafford Bridges Inc. in Ashland estimated that it would cost $28,000 for materials and manpower to fix the bridge. That bridge would be 40 feet long and have a 16-foot-wide roadway.
Oxford:
Town gets grant for business park
OXFORD – Enterprise Maine announced that Oxford was awarded a $235,000 grant to use for development in the proposed business park.
The grant came from the Maine Municipal Investment Trust Fund, according to Brett Doney, chief executive officer of Enterprise Maine.
The money was part of two bonds totaling $10.3 million OK’d statewide by voters this year.
Business park plans call for it to be divided into four lots, each ranging in size from 8 to 10 acres. The lots are on land between Number 6 Road and Route 26.
Doney said the grant requires a match. Its acceptance depends on the town entering a tax increment financing agreement with Western Maine Development.
, an Enterprise Maine subsidiary.
Paris:
New college center completion date set
PARIS – The citizens advisory board for the new university and college center was told that the building would be done by Feb. 12.
The Western Maine University and Community College center is being developed in a two-story building next to Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School on Route 26. Norcouer Construction of Westbrook is the contractor.
The board had a tentative completion date of the first week of January for the first floor and mid-February for the second floor. There were two completion dates because originally there was only enough money to complete the first floor, and it was bid that way.
Lisbon:
Voters OK bond, 20-year TIF
LISBON – Voters approved a 20-year tax increment financing plan for Enterprise Electric along with a $350,000 bond for the treatment plant.
The measures were approved overwhelmingly in a 20-minute special town meeting. Voters also made changes to the parks code that will apply to all eight municipal parks. The changes include no smoking. Amendments to the street name code will include mobile homes in parks.
All but five of the 47 voters approved establishing the 20-year Municipal Development and Tax Increment Financing District for Enterprise Electric, a local electrical contracting company that has been in business here since 1968.
Former Advisory Board Chairman Herbert “Pete” Reed objected to the public hearing on the TIF article and the town meeting being held right after.
He said in the past the town has “never had a public hearing on any article, at, or prior to a town meeting before. It’s not right, it should have been held prior to selectmen calling a special town meeting.”
Town Attorney Roger Therriault said it was permissible under state statute and everything was “procedurally correct.”
Auburn:
Police chief investigates charges
AUBURN – The police chief is conducting his own investigation into the Aug. 4 arrest of Mayor Norm Guay.
Police Chief Richard Small will look into his department’s actions leading up to and after the mayor’s drunken-driving arrest. City Manager Pat Finnigan said Small’s investigation is different than the one performed by Portland attorneys in August.
“They both have very different tracks, with very different purposes,” Finnigan said. “The first was to determine what actually happened on Aug. 4. Now that the chief has read that report, he has some concerns of his own. He’s looking at those concerns now.”
Police union officials reacted harshly to the second investigation. Attorney John Richardson, who represents the Auburn police union, said the city was trying to harass and intimidate its officers.
Minot:
Selectmen praise snow removal work
MINOT – The highway department crew was praised by selectmen for its performance in the recent snowstorm.
“They did a super job; kept the roads open even on the tops of hills,” said Selectman Eda Tripp.
Tripp, who reported seeing drifts 5 and 6 feet high, expressed amazement that Pottle and Center Minot Hill roads were kept open throughout. She noted some neighboring towns had to close some roads at the height of the storm.
Winds blew the near 20 inches of snow that fell during the two-day storm into drifts.
With the praise came a cautionary note that perhaps some of the plowmen were pushing themselves too hard.
Greene:
Station’s final payment delayed
GREENE – The contractor that built Greene’s new fire station will have to wait a little longer for a final payment, at least until selectmen are satisfied the roof will not leak again.
Selectmen voted 4-1 not to pay a $43,825 bill to the general contractor Monday night. Selectman Kevin Mower cast the dissenting vote.
The board will revisit the matter. The town owes $72,486 to the general contractor, Glen Builders of North Conway, N.H.
The Fire Department recently dedicated the new station.
The roof recently leaked and the contractor repaired the roof.
Several selectmen supported removing a check to Glen Builders from the warrant authorizing bill payments. Some board members said they want to see what happens with the forecasted rain and melting snow later this week.
Lewiston:
Misson will bar sex offenders
LEWISTON – Pastor Paul McLaughlin has dedicated his life to providing food and shelter for people who have nowhere else to go. As long as there is room at Hope Haven Mission, McLaughlin opens his doors to anyone who needs to come in out of the cold.
With a few new exceptions, that is.
Child molesters and rapists are no longer welcome at the Lincoln Street shelter.
“We’re concerned about the safety and well-being of the rest of our clients,” McLaughlin said. “We cannot put them at risk while they are taking refuge in our facility.”
Hope Haven has room for 25 people. On any given night, the shelter is filled with men, women and children. Entire families will wander through the doors, homeless and hungry.
“We don’t want them to feel threatened when they stay here,” McLaughlin said.
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