HANOVER — At a Hanover selectboard meeting on Oct. 16, resident Mike Robin suggested that the minutes from selectboard meetings be emailed to interested townspeople and/or put on the town’s website.
“The reason I suggested the email distribution,” said Robin, “is if you look on the website, as of 20 minutes ago, the most recent town report is 2019 and Ed Kennett is still listed as a selectman and [selectboard member] Jim [Barker] is not on there, so it’s not exactly a fountain of knowledge for current news.”
“I don’t know that we have to email them to interested people,” responded selectboard Chair Brenda Gross
Gross suggested someone get in touch with John Bernard to update the website. She said the minutes would always be a month behind, but that they should be able to post them regularly.
Robin said he didn’t have a problem with anything at the meetings, but just felt the minutes should be more publicly available in some capacity.
Selectman Frank Morrison said he agreed 100%.
Other business
Robin suggested the town start using the online state registration service as an option for registering vehicles, dogs, boats and trailers. “The majority of Maine municipalities do and we don’t [use the state service],” said Robin.
Town Clerk Kelly Harrington said they had contacted the state and were waiting to hear back.
Harrington updated the board saying they have about $13,000 outstanding of tax payments, “the lowest it’s ever been,” she said.
Morrison nominated Mike Robin for the open planning board position.
When Robin suggested he wasn’t qualified, Morrison said, “It isn’t bad, lets face it, this town doesn’t have a lot of growth. The growth is is pretty well built out. It’s just common sense decisions.”
Robin agreed to take the position. “That’s what happens when you attend a meeting, you get drafted,” said Barker.
“We’re spending $44,000 a month [on schools] Even if we have an active member, their vote isn’t worth a hill of beans.” said Morrison of Hanover’s open school board seat.
The selectmen signed a letter closing the South Shore Road for up to 10 years.
On Dec. 5 at 5:30 townspeople will meet at the Gem Theater for a community resiliency meeting.
A community resilience survey will be handed out on election day, Tuesday, Nov. 7 at town office. Others will be mailed a copy. “It will be interesting to see what townspeople are interested in,” said Gross.
An email from Bethel Interim Town Manager Sharon Jackson asks the Hanover selectboard to come to Bethel for a meeting concerning the tri-town solid waste agreement. They are proposing Nov. 1 or Nov. 15 to meet in Bethel.
“Would be $105,000 increase. We didn’t budget that,” said Morrison regarding the current tri-town solid waste proposal that charges Hanover more proportionally than before.
The selectboard will meet again on Monday, Nov. 20 at 3:30 p.m. at town office.
Nov. 20 is Morrison’s birthday and they decided there won’t be scotch, but there could be cake.
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