LIVERMORE — A decision on accepting 10 acres from the owners of Dollar General will be put to voters at the annual town meeting in June.
Administrative assistant Amy Byron told selectpersons Tuesday night she had researched meeting minutes and found no vote from them to accept the gift.
She said she did find a notice of final decision and approval of the application from the Planning Board.
“A quitclaim deed was filed, but there are no signatures from the town on it,” Byron said.
Selectperson Chairman Tom Gould said the deed is not a valid document.
Gould remembers discussing the potential gift. He said the board has the authority to accept gifts, but the intent was for smaller items, such as cemetery lots.
“It’s a substantial lot that we’d be taking off the tax records,” Gould said. “Let the town decide.”
Selectperson Megan Dion spoke of the memorial forest the town had accepted. Some residents were opposed, she said.
“We can accept gifts of money,” Dion said. “In this case, we’d be taking money away. We’re here to manage the town. It’s not our thing to own land.”
Selectperson Mark Chretien said the land abuts the town ball field.
Dion said the owners could sell the land or pay taxes.
Gould said one cannot sell landlocked lots.
Byron said the tax difference on the parcel is $610 a year.
Dion said the decision should not be taken away from the townspeople.
“Let the people decide. Add it to the next town meeting,” Gould said. “It abuts the ball field. There’s a case to be made for that.”
In other matters, Byron said the free internet service that had been available through a Time Warner account will not be honored by Spectrum.
“Prices range from $59.95 per month, if bundled with phone service, to $100 per month,” Byron said.
Gould said it would need to be figured into the upcoming budget. He suggested revisiting the town’s phone system.
Byron said one phone line could be eliminated by making the phone at the town garage an extension of the line at the town office.
“That would save $35 a month on the Fairpoint side,” she said.
Byron reported issues again with the door at the sand-salt shed. The problem is how the motor was installed.
A representative of Overhead Door Co. in Augusta, which installed the door, has put in a bracket to fix it for the second time.
“It’s bounced around enough so it’s affecting the seal on one side. The gasket will have to be replaced,” Byron said. “We’ve got to have that door working. They’re opening it manually now.”
“If it wasn’t installed properly, the town shouldn’t have to pay for it,” Gould said.
Added Selectperson Scott Richmond: “The door should be serviced annually. It saves money in the long run. If you neglect it, it will have issues.”
Chretien asked Byron to research the cost of annual maintenance.
“It might be worth it,” Chretien said, “even if it costs a couple hundred a year.”
pharnden@sunmediagroup.net
Selectpersons Tuesday night discussed a gift of land, internet fees and the sand/salt shed door. Pictured during the meeting from left are Selectpersons Scott Richmond and Mark Chretien, Adminstrative Assistant Amy Byron, Selectperson Chairman Tom Gould and Selectpersons Megan Dion and Wayne Timberlake. (Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser)
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