TURNER — Selectmen this week presented plaques to Laurel Gagne for her many years of service to the Turner Rescue Department and to the North Turner Presbyterian Church Food Pantry, 2013 recipients of the prestigious Spirit of America Awards for service to their community.
Former Selectman Lawrence “Punk” House received the plaque on behalf of the food bank Monday night.
After a brief public hearing, selectmen accepted a payment plan to recover back taxes from resident Lisa Keen whose Moody Way property had been foreclosed. Upon fulfillment of the payment plan, $225 per week until the back taxes are paid, selectmen will give Keen a quitclaim deed for the property.
Selectmen toured the Boofy Quimby Memorial Center to consider changes needed to improve handicapped access. The center, which is next to the fire station on Route 219, was built in 1978 by volunteers with cash and material donations so that the building cost the town nothing. Dances, fundraisers and other community functions are held in the center.
Selectmen have been struggling with a drainage problem under the compactor bins at the transfer station. They reviewed bids for repaving the area under the bins. The apparent low bidder, C.K. and Sons Concrete Foundations of Hebron, included the wrong strength concrete in his bid. Selectmen agreed to give him the contract if he would furnish the requested 4,000 pound-per-square-inch concrete for the price quoted. The contractor accepted the town’s offer and will do the work.
For a year or more, selectmen have considered going to a single-sort recycling system. A vendor has offered to run a test of the concept at the Turner transfer station. Selectmen adopted Selectman Kurt Youland’s suggestion to try to run the single-sort test while the drainage problem is being corrected.
Selectman Ralph Caldwell serves as liaison between selectmen and the Leavitt Institute board. At his request, Town Clerk Becky Allaire will attend the next meeting of the Leavitt Institute board to clarify rates to charge for using the facilities and other accounting matters.
Friday, June 28, will be the last day the Town Office is open during the current fiscal year. Selectmen considered closing the office that day to allow the staff to close the books and do the payroll due the following Monday. They decided that because of the anticipated business on that day, it would be better to keep the Town Office open on Friday and authorize overtime for finishing the critical task over the weekend.
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