BETHEL — After a raucous Town Meeting, the selectboard met and approved three regular warrant items for a total of $631,428.74. Before those items were introduced an anonymous $2,500 donation for the recreation department’s ski program was accepted as was a Community Resilience Partnership Community Action Grant for $50,000. Select board member, Meryl Kelly is spearheading the effort to see where the resilience (or climate change) money should be spent.
An energy audit of the municipal buildings will be the foundation for the committee’s decision-making. They will get $50,000 each month. The first expenditure will be to buy new garage doors and exterior doors for the Wastewater Treatment Plant. She is looking for members to work with her for part or all of the project. Warden, WWTP director, praised Randy Thurston, Code Enforcement Officer, and Kelly for their hard work getting the grant.
The board voted its approval for the holiday parade by the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce on December 17 at 4:45.
It voted to approve a proposal a contract with Maine Rural Water Association for the Bethel Sewer Department.
It approved victualer applications for: Gemini Café and Bakery, The Elizabeth Inn and Restaurant and The Bethel Inn.
It voted to approve liquor licenses for; The Gem, The Elizabeth Inn and Restaurant (formerly The Victoria Inn), The Mountain Social (formerly Brian’s), ChoSun and the Bethel Inn.
After some discussion it voted to halve a sewer abatement request of $500. It will return $250. to a resident who mistakenly left his outdoor water sprinkler running and was hit with a $500. bill. Town Clerk Darren Goyette, confirmed that all of the man’s previous water bills were a minimal amount. Board member Frank Del Duca expressed concern for setting a precedent but also sympathized.
At the end of the second meeting some select board members expressed how uncomfortable the earlier meeting was, others apologized. To avoid another ‘ruckus,’ as one citizen described the meeting, more communication was necessary.
Board member Lori Swain said, “I think we’ve all learned some lessons here, tonight…the comments that were made tonight I think all of us are taking them to heart… I think it’s going to generate more communication between us at this table than we’ve had in the past…there was a lot of animosity from the public toward us and, to me, that was hurtful.”
“The public was not punishing the employees, they were punishing us,” said board member Patricia McCartney.
Board member Frank Del Duca said, “to me, to be an effective selectman is almost a four-year degree…to have those qualifications takes a long time…this job, as far as being a selectman is a very tough job…I did less of a job than I should have…I always look at breakdowns and I did not ask for the breakdown to be done before we put that to the warrant… I was embarrassed. As a business person that was an F. I think the Town deserves an apology from me…I was responsible for that chaos.”
McCartney said, “It was the whole board.”
Kelly said, “I feel suddenly we just failed as department heads.”
Andrews said, “Next time.” And the meeting closed.
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