DURHAM — The Board of Selectmen will consider several administrative action items when it meets at 6:30 p.m. today, but will first hold a candidates forum in anticipation of the April 6 municipal election.
No Durham resident submitted nomination papers for a three- year term on the Board of Selectmen. Incumbent Terry Kirk is the only candidate whose name is on the ballot for one of three three-year terms on the Budget Committee. Incumbent Candace Decsipkes is running unopposed for one three-year term on the Regional School Unit 5 board of directors. Pauline Paradis is running unopposed for the one-year terms of both tax collector and treasurer.
Each candidate will be given five minutes to introduce himself or herself to the citizens of Durham.
Also at today’s meeting, selectmen will consider action on the following items:
— Administrative assistant Janet Smith requests three days of vacation after the April 7 annual town meeting.
— Request for training on the Fair Labor Standards Act, being presented by Maine Municipal Association in Augusta in May.
— Central Maine Power pole location permit.
— Request from the Department of Transportation for a construction overlimit permit agreement. MDOT will soon advertise for a hot mix asphalt overlay, which will include 5.2 miles of Route 136 from the Freeport-Durham town line to Davis Road.
— Management’s response to auditors’ findings of significant deficiencies. The town’s auditor reports this deficiency every year because the town doesn’t have a CPA or finance director do the financial statements in the audit. The town management is required to give a response as part of the audit, which is that the benefit derived of having someone do the statements doesn’t outweigh the cost the town would incur to do that. Administrative Assistant Janet Smith emphasized the town did not do anything wrong.
— Discuss working of the Lock Box Ordinance amendment following feedback from a March 21 informational session.
— Acceptance of the preliminary 2013 state valuation. The town’s assessed value to fair market value ratio is 94 percent, Smith said, so all exemptions can be at 100 percent.
— Discussion of Fred Gorgone’s memorial donation of $615 made in 2009 to be used for the river park. Smith is putting before the board one option for a memorial park bench made of a heavy 100 percent recycled plastic that can be engraved and requires no maintenance.
— Discussion on Jackson A. Tupper/Crosman Corner Memorial Fund. This fund has $ 240 with the original intent to go toward upkeep and improvements to the now vacant property that was once the site of a school.
— Discussion of the Durham Community Scholarship Fund. This scholarship was established in the late 1980s by a Durham Elementary School principal, town treasurer and tax collector as well as several school committee members, Smith said. Students who helped raise money for the fund would receive a scholarship when they were ready to go on to post- secondary education. However, no one has collected donations for several years. The fund balance is $22,000.
To re-establish the scholarship program, Smith said, the board would have to accept the funds and set up some sort of scholarship committee to oversee the program.
— Discussion on Spring Bulky Waste Day on May 19 and requests for roadside clean-up bags.
Selectmen will hear a report from Fire Chief Bill St. Michel and also consider action on a grant application for the fire department.
If time allows, selectmen will end the meeting with a workshop to continue work on municipal job description reviews.
The selectmen’s meeting will be held at the town office at 630 Hallowell Road.
dmoore@timesrecord.com
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
