Town Manager Report
April 1, 2008
1) Spent some time preparing the tax impact analysis for Town Meeting. I also created a one-pager detailing how some of the format changes will affect how Town Meeting functions. Ed Rabsco has agreed to serve as our moderator and we have provided him with materials and will meet with him beforehand to brief him on the process. We have also spent a fair amount of time preparing handouts.
2) We’ve spent a fair amount of time checking on the need for a school budget referendum vote; working with the Superintendent and his staff, and the other two towns in SU 29. (See attached)
3) We did additional research on the Red Cross funds issue. (See memo)
4) I followed up with the Gun Club on an interim lease arrangement under the terms approved by the BOS.
5) Have been working with AVCOG and some surrounding towns on setting a date for Poland to host a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day. Details will follow as we coordinate dates / times and costs. This would save residents the need to travel into Lewiston individually.
6) Plans are finalized for some limited work to be done in the Assessing office to allow finance and assessing staff to share one space. Other office movements are afoot as well, including my office going to where Debbie’s office currently is, and Rose moving to my office. This will be funded from the Municipal Facilities Reserve and has been discussed with the Board. The new modular furniture piece is only about $3,800, and a contractor will be working with us on a time and materials basis. Staff seem please with the plan, and we believe it will strengthen our fiscal management & organizational abilities.
7) Rose and Art have been working to clear up all remaining developer escrow accounts. In some cases we have to issue stop work orders until the developer make required escrow payments, and in other cases we need to do some payouts and close accounts.
8) Letters to delinquent personal property tax payers have now gone out, and we will see how many of them will voluntarily make their obligated payments. Others will likely have to go to small claims court.
9) I have been fielding calls from paving bidders and making some field changes on the surface paving, and reconsidering whether to reclaim Strout road or just overlay it as I initially bid the project. I think a reclaim with be necessary after this winter. I hope we have the funds.
10) I had a meeting with Acting Chief Bosse and a representative from United to resolve an ongoing issue regarding billing us when they intercept or supply ALS services on a rescue call. We are making good headway in resolving this. United says we owe them about $7 – 8,000 over many months, and we have asked for some of that to be forgiven if we move forward in good faith. If resolved properly, our Rescue service could actually see more revenues and United could get paid.
11) We finalized the billing issues with Stantec, the engineering company that reviews approved Planning Board projects, to our mutual satisfaction. We have a scope of work contract now that clearly delineates roles and expectations, and how we will communicate throughout a review project.
12) Have been meeting with propane vendors (our current vendor and a couple others) and investigating options for propane. I have come to believe that our current vendor has taken advantage of us in the past and we either need to lock down a fair deal to us with them, or plan on changing vendors at the beginning of the fiscal year.
13) I attended and participated in the MMWAC budget process. Our fees will remain the same for tipping MSW in the coming year, and we are likely to see a dividend from MMWAC if we realize the expected profit margin in the budget..
14) I have worked closely with the press to explain the many things going on leading up to town meeting and adopting recycling.
15) We have met with the new owners of MB Bark and are very close to concluding that issue of Morse Brothers bankruptcy, the trustees, the old taxes, etc.
16) I have met with O’Donnell and Associates to begin to discuss the revaluation process, expectations, timeline, etc. We will be reporting the timeline and the meetings that will we will advocate for the board and for the public in the coming months.
17) We are working with the Superintendent, Fire Department and others to plan out the purchase and installation of the PRHS generator.
18) We have met with a representative of a company that provides so-called “Reverse 911” services that would allow us to phone areas of town if an emergency hit. EMA, Fire and CEO attended to see a demo. We still need to formulate an opinion of its value to the town at this time, then report back to the BOS for your guidance.
19) Later in the agenda, you will see some work done to the Transfer Station proposed Rules and Procedures, as well as a couple other revisions and clarifications.
20) I have met with representatives of MMA to explain our new safety program and have them review our progress in the so-called “Leader Program” that they offer to lower our worker’s comp costs. The school folks are participating with us.
21) We have had two meetings of the Charter Commission to bring that document to final draft format. We will post in on our web site when it is finalized www.polandtownoffice.org
22) I have attached the Town Hall Use Survey results (to date). We are taking comments through 4 / 11, and will have them available at Town Meeting.
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