BETHEL — Toward the end of its Oct. 11 meeting the selectboard decided not to enter executive session as planned.
Instead it talked publicly about a timeline for hiring a new town manager and voted to enter executive session at its next meeting on Oct. 18 to read applications. Selectboard Chair Meryl Kelly said there are quite a few.
Kelly and Vice Chair Michele Cole had earlier talked with Betsy Oulton of HR Maine Consulting and agreed to start interviews in early November.
Interim Town Manager Sharon Jackson said she would stay on until the new year or longer if necessary. She suggested they look at candidates that are experienced town managers. “You want to find someone that is going to be here long term for you.”
At the head table with Kelly, Cole and Jackson were Select Board Members Pat McCartney, Sarah Southam and Frank Del Duca; and Town Clerk Jessicca Grover. In the audience were Jessica Stasinos of Bethel; DPW Director Scott Sumner; and Ordinance Review Committee Members Jim Bennett and Aaron Osterhage.
Liquor License Renewal Applications were approved for Jems & Co, LLC, DBA Modern Barn, 19 Summer St.; Le Mu Eats, 119 Main St.; and River Lanes, Inc., 32 Cross St. Also approved was an extension of license privileges for the Elizabeth Inn and Restaurant, 32 Main Street.
On the request of Del Duca, the regular meeting minutes of Sept. 20 will be edited by Grover and approved at the next meeting.
TM report
Jackson reading the Town Manager Report, said at 4 a.m. Tuesday, Sept 26 town office was broken-into. Additional security measures including new cameras have been installed on the building. Scott Sumner has monitored several transfer station break-ins. On Monday, Oct. 8 the suspects were identified by police and detained by Oxford County Sheriff’s Department.
On Friday, Oct. 13, Jackson and Bethel Airport Assistant Manager Randy Autrey were to meet with consultants to discuss the airport layout.
Oxford County Administrator Donald Durrah sent a letter on Oct. 4 concerning a regional animal control plan.
Jackson said her first day was a good day. She met with all of the department heads. She is getting familiar with the town code books, warrant articles and budgets
Town Clerk Jessicca Grover added hyperlinks to the selectboard agenda.
Sumner said paving started this week with Chandler Terrace and will continue to the upper end of North Rd, Gibson, Chapman Hill, Mechanic Street extension, Lincoln Street, and Cross, Street.
The Board voted not to approve the Ordinance Review Committee’s Rules and Procedures Update for 2023.
“Has our time arrived?” Kelly had asked.
Cole said two items were added to the document which allowed her to look more closely at the document. “I do have a couple of content things and a couple of grammar items,” she said. The ordinance was returned to the committee. A frustrated Bennett joked that the next one may read “2024.”
Solid Waste
A letter received by the Bethel select board from the Hanover Board of Selectmen, with seven of their concerns listed, was, in part, why the board voted not to approve changes to the Interlocal Solid Waste agreement.
Kelly said they should respond to the letter and have a meeting with all the selectmen from all three towns.
The letter signed by the Hanover selectmen, Brenda Gross, Frank Morrison and Jim Barker asks for “a meeting of the three towns with a well-organized agenda … in a related comment … we intend to send a non-resident of Hanover in the identical way non-resident Bethel town managers have spoken for Bethel in the same venue for years.”
“Why should Hanover be treated different in this regard?” the Hanover board queries.
“I still wish I had more time to go through the agreement.” said Cole, citing problems with the draft signed by Former Bethel TM Natalie Andrews, Newry TM Loretta Powers and Selectboard Members Tink Conkright, of Newry and Frank Del Duca, of Bethel. Hanover was invited but did not come to the meeting held Sept. 13. Hanover’s representative has not attended the interlocal solid waste committee meetings for the past two years.
“The good news is that Hanover wants to be active,” said Del Duca.
“Let’s reboot,” said Cole.
Jackson said she would set up a meeting with all three towns boards and will get copies of other interlocal agreements.
Other business
The board voted to approve the Victualer’s License for Butcher Burger at 188 Main Street.
The Butcher Burger has completed its application, paid it’s fee on September 2nd and provided proof of grease trap cleaning per Town Clerk.
They approved the Ordinance Review Committee’s suggestion to review Ordinance 75-31, Street Parking on Philbrook Street and remove the parking ban language.
The Board voted to approve election workers, Bob Everett, Carol Everett, Jeff Sloan, Cindy Sumner-Salisbury, and Edie Okenquist for the Nov. 7 election.
They waived the bid process for the Sand Shed concrete repair. The bid from Knowles Industrial Service Corporation is for $88,000.
The Board approved warrants of $680,631.16; $258,020.90; and $376,729.85.
Kelly asked that they add the Select Board Policy and Procedure ORC to the following week’s agenda, since there wasn’t much left to work on. Cole requested a reading next week and approval later.
Southam and Del Duca attended the MMA conference. The changes Del Duca and others voted on were meant to bring inclusion and diversity.
Kelly asked if her fellow board members were interested in a Nov. 2 training to learn to work better as a municipal board.
Del Duca said at the MMA conference, he talked with Department of Transportation representatives about the Route 2 and Route 26 intersection, “the village project.” Cole asked for a timeline for the project.
Kelly said she was giving her fellow board members, “a gentle friendly reminder that we should give direction to the town manager as a group and not individually.” Updates are fine; directives are not, said Kelly.
McCartney asked if the Bethel Resort and Suites is selling the conference center. She asked when the right time to address it is. They agreed that the town manager should get the information.
They adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
The next Select Board meeting is Oct. 18 at 6 p.m.
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