FARMINGTON — Selectmen on Tuesday evening, Oct. 24, voted to hold off on calling a special town meeting until more ordinance amendments were ready for voters to consider.
A meeting was to have been held Nov. 14 for voters to consider changes to Farmington’s Subdivision Ordinance and Site Review Ordinance due to new regulations at the state level.
Selectman Joshua Bell asked about waiting until zoning changes for solar were ready and hold one meeting instead.
Interim town manager Stephen Eldridge wasn’t sure how soon another special meeting could be called.
“Where we are that close to having the solar all squared away, I would rather postpone and get it all over and done with at once,” Bell said. “I think we as a board have to have a public hearing on the solar ordinance changes, the board hasn’t had one. The Zoning Board and Planning Board have, they are all good with it now.”
Eldridge said the special town meeting might have to be pushed to early December.
Selectman Dennis O’Neil asked about costs to hold two special meetings.
Costs for the town clerk’s time, printing ballots and advertising were noted by Bell.
“It makes sense to wait, do it all at once,” Selectman Byron Staples said.
“It is hard enough to get people out for a special town meeting anyways,” Chair Matthew Smith noted. “If we have them back to back I think we will really have to push to get people out.”
Selectmen were also introduced to Kristin Collins and Stephen Langsdorf of Preti Flaherty, Farmington’s new counsel firm.
“We just finished an hour and a half meeting with your manager and department heads, are really excited to get started,” Collins said.
Collins has been an attorney for almost 20 years, starting in Belfast. She then moved on to Maine Municipal Association and from there to Preti Flaherty which covers 20-25 towns from all corners of Maine.
“Our goal is to be here for every possible issue under the sun,” she noted. “We have somebody who can handle it.”
Langsdorf started his municipal career representing the Town of Rangeley in 1991, is still there after 32 years. He said Preti Flaherty has been working with Winslow, has worked with Erica LaCroix, Farmington’s new town manager, who attended the meeting.
“I think you will like having one or two points of contact,” he stated. “We help manage all the legal stuff in your town. We pride ourselves on being responsive and available, whatever it takes.
“We try to be practical, are also willing to give you bold advice at times about things. We take everything we do seriously.”
Selectmen also accepted the acceptance of Riverside Greenhouses and Florists, LLC application as part of the project development phase of a $90,000 2023 Economic Development Program Community Development Block Grant.
“We have been accepted for the first phase,” owner Garrett Reynolds told the board. He stated work on the second phase should be wrapping up shortly.
“I am tickled silly it is moving forward,” O’Neil said.
Staples was glad to see it is in the next phase.
“I have seen you have a lot of work going on out front,” Smith noted. “I am excited to see it going up as well, will continue to watch it.”
In August selectmen approved the grant, which with a $100,000 loan and $60,000 from owner investment will be used to build a 2,400 square foot [30 feet by 80 feet] year-round heated greenhouse, expand the floral/retail shop and hire four new employees.
In other business selectmen renewed The Homestead and Farmington Din… on-premises liquor licenses.
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