HANOVER — During citizen’s comments, resident Henrietta List, informed the Hanover select board about a Maine Community Resilience Partnership that she had read about which funds communities to address climate change.
“You all at the Deorganization talked about work that needed to be done on the building and I saw this and I thought that seems like a good idea.” The up to $50,000 grant can be used to address whatever the town feels are impacts of climate change on the community. Some ideas were: energy efficiency, additional insulation, a new ceiling, heating or air conditioning, fire equipment and awareness.
Chairperson Brenda Lee Gross, Frank Morrison, Jr. and Town Clerk Kelly Harrington were in attendance at the Town Office meeting to hear List’s idea. Ed Kennett was absent. Gross called the meeting to order at 3:39 on January 17.
“One thing I have been concerned about as a citizen are wildfires,” said List. “We don’t have a great deal of flooding…but we’re going to get more storms and heavier winds.
“We have an aging population, we may need additional transportation or weatherization. [The grant could help with] trying to find funds to help people weatherize homes or change over to different fuel sources as fuels get more expensive,” said List.
A CEBE representative would come and help complete a community resilience self evaluation. Next, they’d have workshops for residents. Finally, the representative would work with the Town to complete the grant application.
The next application round begins in April and grants would be submitted in September.
Board Chair Gross suggested the representative come to the next BOS meeting on Tuesday, February 21 and List agreed.
“If we could make this building more efficient that would be a great thing. Wildfires, that’s always been an issue for us… We do put money aside [for wildfires],” said Gross.
Regarding a recent wildfire near the Bethel/Hanover Town line, List said, “I was concerned about it last year. There are a lot of new folks moving into the area that don’t know about fire permits… When it’s that dry, it’s scary and it would just go in a flash. Just even awareness would be helpful. [The grant] pays for awareness, too.”
List said she had written many grants and offered to write this one. “I think together we can get it done,” she said.
Other business
Scott Cole, of Bethel, was in the audience with his invoice for $1,000 for the work he did during the Town of Hanover Deorganization process. “(Should) probably be more, but I lost track of my time…people from Hanover called because they knew I was involved…I kept track of it. But I’d probably make a bad lawyer… I appreciate being asked to be part of the process. It was a fair vote”
“We couldn’t have done it without you, Scott, so thank you so much for taking this on. We had no idea what it was going to be like,” said Gross
“It was an informed vote…I thought the so-called state commission, the people that came in, they were very biased. Right from the get-go there was a bureaucratic bias against it. I don’t think it was their job to be biased, to be blunt,” said Cole.
Gross said the feedback she got from residents was that the meeting was held too early. “They were probably right. I also knew that we didn’t want to keep people late that night.”
The motion to pay Cole was passed by Morrison and Gross.
“If I run will you help me out?” asked Gross of Cole.
“Legislature?” asked Cole.
“We’ll see…I’m not sure yet,” said Gross.
Next, they talked about securing a carpenter (possibly Jon Burke of Bethel), that Cole suggested for rebuilding the back steps that lead to the upstairs tenant’s apartment in the Town Office on Ferry Road. Cole will ask Burke to be at the next BOS meeting in February.
Responsible Pet Care in Norway, who the town is contracted with, sent notice that their fees are rising from $1.15 per dog up to $1.45 per capita, effective July 1. There’s not much we can do about it, we have to have it,” said Gross who did the math. 286 residents X $1.45 = $414.70 per year.
“Let’s hope no felines go there, cause it’s $28 per feline. On top of that,” said Harrington.
“This is for the building…dogs are covered under this, cats aren’t?” asked Gross. “Right,” said Harrington.
Harrington next reported that the Rumford Library fee has increased from $250 to $476 per year ($2 per capita).
“I’m not sure how many of our residents use this?” asked Gross.
“You’d be lucky if 20 people used that library. Definitely not 125.” said Harrington.
“I bet 125 people don’t use this one over here (the Roberts) either, but we give them a lot more,” said Gross.
Harrington had already sent the partial payment, so they decided to table it until a new invoice comes.
Cole warned against not playing nice with Rumford. “Your fire department charges are low. You get a professional force (fire department), You look at the overall picture, it’s diplomacy.”
Gross asked Harrington how taxes are doing.
“We have $400,000 in our checking account right now,” said Harrington.
Many residents had paid in December to get a 2% reduction by 12/31.
Liens came back as “unclaimed.” It went to their mailbox and they didn’t sign for it,” explained Harrington. They currently have five or six outstanding liens that will next go into the foreclosure phase.
“It’s that same old gang and the town is stuck”, said Morrison.
Finally they talked about each officials ‘tour of duty.’
“40 years is long enough for me to give to this town,” said Gross.
Harrington said she had been in her position for 21 years.
“I came after you,” said Morrison.
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