DIXFIELD — Discussion on use of engine brakes and legal opinions on the town’s wind energy ordinance are on the agenda for selectmen at 5:30 p.m. Monday, July 14, at Ludden Memorial Library.
Last month, selectmen began discussing whether to prohibit engine brake use during specific times. Police Chief Richard Pickett said he received complaints from residents about the excessive use of Jake brakes by tractor-trailer truck drivers.
The board voted June 23 to place two signs on Route 2 near Holman Corner, prohibiting the use of Jake brakes on that section of road from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
“At that particular meeting, Chief Pickett was on vacation, and Lt. Jeff Howe told us that there were two additional areas that the chief was concerned about, in regards to engine-brake usage,” Town Manager Carlo Puiia said Friday. “There’s downtown Dixfield, near Weld and Main streets, and an area in East Dixfield. He’ll be addressing those two areas at Monday’s meeting.”
Puiia said at Monday’s meeting he’ll also present legal opinions he received on a November 2012 town meeting warrant that asked voters whether they wanted to enact a wind energy ordinance.
Puiia previously said the question was approved, but there was concern whether the warrant was legal because Selectmen Hart Daley and Scott Belskis did not sign it. The two board members said they believed the ordinance should not have been on the warrant.
Puiia said Friday that he received legal opinions from the Maine Municipal Association’s Kristen Collins, the lawyer working on revising the town’s wind ordinance, and Lee Bragg, the town attorney who provided the original legal opinion in November 2012.
“I’ll be presenting them to the selectmen for discussion at Monday’s meeting,” Puiia said.
Other items on the agenda include:
* An update from the Public Works department.
* An appointment of town attorney for 2014-15.
* Discussion on tax-acquired property on 12 Main St.
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