Selectmen's meeting

  1. Reviewed and dispersed mail.
  2. Assessor John Sexton has made two onsite visits with property owners. In each case the current assessment for the buildings was reviewed and reduced. Selectment will grant abatements.
  3. Executive Session: Selectmen, Board of Appeals chairman Jim Anderberg and Attorney Stephen Langsdorf of Preti-Flaherty in Augusta to discuss the fact that the Cell Tower company is appealing the Planning Board denial of their Cell Tower application. Result: It has been established that the Town of Vienna does not have a legally authorized Board of Appeals – ours was established as an appointed committee around 1985 – by law it must be established by town charter or specific ordinance. Vienna has neither.
  4. Selectmen voted to hire Attorney Langsdorf to represent the town in this matter.He will contact the CTC concerning their appeal. In the absence of a town Board Appeals, the next step is Superior Court.
  5. Selectmen signed papers regarding Auditor Stephen Hopkins. He is working on the 2013 Town Audit.

Selectmen's meeting

  1. Reviewed and dispersed mail.
  2. Read and accepted minutes.
  3. Reviewed and signed warrant #12 ( $116,687.50)
  4. Chief Church reported that 70% of his budget has been spent. Almost $5000.00 of this was in pump test, state inspection and repairs made to Engine 80 and 81. Chief Church went on to say that it has been 6 years since the Fire Department increased its budget and sees it needing to be increased this next year. At this time it looks as if $5000.00 will need to be added to the Fire Department budget for the upcoming year. The Selectmen and Fire Chief will review this when the budget season begins. The Vienna Fire Department has a larger number of members and the department is conducting more training then in previous years. The forestry truck is almost finished waiting on two hose adapters. The Vienna Fire Department will be cleaning chimneys this fall, sign up sheets will be placed at the Vienna Post Office and Flying Pond Variety as time gets closer.
  5. There is a need for the Community Building parking lot to be sealed and lined this summer. Their was a discussion on possibly changing the parking layout. Further discussion on the subject is needed. Also the screens on two windows need to be replaced. The screens will be ordered.

Selectmen's meeting

  1. Reviewed and dispersed mail.
  2. Read and accepted minutes.
  3. The town received the Kennebec County tax bill. $64,627.32 is due for the 2014-2015 fiscal year by September 2, 2014. $5234.00 is due before December 31, 2014 to cover their fiscal year change.
  4. Adjourned

Selectmen's meeting

  1. Reviewed and dispersed mail.
  2. Read and accepted minutes from previous meeting.
  3. Reviewed and signed warrant #13 ($ 12,286.42)
  4. Reviewed the address updates with E911 addressing officer Laura Reville. Discussed the large number of residents that are not complying with numbering their homes. All building are to have the address number placed as to be visible from the road in both directions. Correctly posted numbers could save precious minutes when emergency vehicles are responding to a call. The Selectmen and Laura discussed sending out an encouragement letter to all. It was noted that this is included in every town report. The E911 Addressing officer suggested sending out fines to those who are not in compliance. The Selectmen board will review this at a later date.
  5. Dan McBride of the Vienna Pond Association had questions regarding the grading schedule for the Klir Beck Road. He mentioned to need for sweeping the excess sand.
  6. Mr. McBride discussed his concerns with the Town’s recycling program. He expressed that he did not see many recycling containers out on his drive to the town house and wanted to know if it would be better for the town to possibly go to single stream recycling. The Selectmen will look into this possiblility again with the Merry Dumpsters.
  7. John Archard, Code Enforcement Officer, informed the selectmen that clean up has begun on a “junk situation” in town.
  8. Discussed and acted on a tax bill adjustment .
  9. Reviewed Bank Reconciliation Report.

Selectmen's meeting

  1. Reviewed and dispersed mail.
  2. Read and accepted minutes as revised
  3. Reviewed and signed Warrant #14 ($10,156.74)
  4. Reviewed the town insurance binders for 2014-2015. Dick Scott of Kyes Insurance met with Dodi earlier in the day. The total insurance premium dropped by 10% from the 2013-2014 Fiscal year.
  5. The selectmen discussed and agreed to keep the Varney Road posted for the foreseeable future.
  6. The Bank Reconciliation report was reviewed.
  7. Mike Rogers from Maine Revenue Services reviewed property transfers from April 1, 2013 through April 1, 2014 for the sales analysis report. This will determine our valuation percentage rate for 2015 taxes.

Selectmen's meeting

  1. Reviewed and dispersed mail.
  2. Read and accepted minutes.
  3. Discussed the proposed article for an upcoming special town meeting to create a Board of Appeals Ordinance. The Planning Board will propose articles to amend the current Cell Tower Ordinance (Wireless Telecommunications Facilities Siting Ordinance).
  4. Stephen Hopkins is working on the Town of Vienna 2013 Town Audit.
  5. Reviewed property cards of two foreclosed properties that will go up for sale by the town in the fall.
  6. Discussed the conditions of the town roads. Grading of the roads has been placed on the scheduled.
  7. The off road winter plowing contract will be put out to bid soon if the current contractor does not want the optional year.
  8. Selectmen signed the 2014-2015 D.O.T assistance paperwork. The amount received will be less than the previous few years. (2012- $26,000, 2013-$25999). In 2014 it will be $24,108. The money given by the D.O.T goes to the Paving account, per vote at town meeting.

Selectmen's meeting

  1. Reviewed and dispersed mail.
  2. Read and accepted minutes
  3. Reviewed and signed Warrant #15 ($194,375.98)
  4. Mr. McBride expressed his concern over the condition of the Klir Beck Road. McBride stated that Klir Beck Road is the only Road in town that has not been graded. The selectmen explained how the grader had broken down but is now fixed. The selectmen will contact the company responsible for grading to see when it is scheduled.
  5. The Maine Revenue review (sales ration analysis) was completed and returned to the town. The town went up 1% - we are now at 92% assessment of the properties in town. This puts us at a compliance level to be at 100%, thus taxpayers will continue to receive 100% of their exemptions – Homestead, Veterans, Blind, etc.
  6. Discussed the up coming special town meeting. The special town meeting will be in regard to the cell tower ordinance and officially establishing a Board of Appeals. Selectmen will also have an article asking to transfer $10,000 from surplus to the legal account in case it is needed during the pending appeal from the Cell Tower Company.
  7. Dan Onion and Lidie Robbins discussed the recent ditching of town roads. Due to the large amounts of rain some ditches have begun to wash out. The ditches were not seeded and hayed immediately upon completion. The ditching has since been seeded and hayed. Onion and Robbins provided the town with photos of the erosion and information on erosion control. This issue has been brought to the attention of Dan Goucher, Road Commissioner.

Selectmen's meeting

  1. Reviewed and dispersed mail
  2. Read and accepted minutes
  3. Reviewed the Roadside Mowing contract. Requests for proposals will be sent to several local contractors. All bids will be opened at 7:00 pm on September 16, 2014 at the Vienna Town House.
  4. Prepared and signed Warrant for Special Town Meeting to be held on August 19, 2014. It will be posted at the Post Office, Town House and on the Town Website.
  5. Gathered and prepared paper work for the town auditor.

Selectmen's meeting

  1. Reviewed and dispersed mail
  2. Read and accepted minutes.
  3. Reviewed and signed Warrant #16 ($9,613.24)
  4. Andy Hamilton asked the selectmen if he and Jon Pottle would be able to speak at the special town meeting. The selectmen informed them that it would need to be approved by 2/3 of the residents attending the meeting. (Hamilton and Pottle are lawyers for the cell tower companies (Global Tower Assets, LLC and Northeast Wireless Networks, LLC). Atty. Hamilton then gave an overview of their appeal to the selectmen. Selectmen then temporarily adjourned for the special town meeting at 7:00 PM.
  5. Around 8:15 selectmen resumed their regular meeting. Report on the meeting:

     Article 1- Stephen Hayes acted as moderator.

     Article 2 -to adopt the Board of Appeals Ordinance - passed.

     Articles 3 -concerning changes to tower setbacks - failed.

     Article 4 – deleting a passage from the cell tower ordinance - passed

     Article 5 –to modify language concerning appeals - failed

     (Articles 3 -5 were to change wording in the Cell Tower Ordinance)

     Article 6 – to transfer $10,000 from surplus to the legal account- passed

   6. Health Officer Dan Onion conducted water quality tests for the swimming area at the boat landing on Flying Pond. The test came back at 12 parts ecoli per 100ml. Anything under 235 parts per 100 mil is acceptable.

   7. Mowing bids will be open September 16 at 7p.m. at the Town House.
   8. The town received a refund check for $127.00. The Maine Municipal Association Workers Comp Insurance refunded the town for not having any claims in the last year.

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