MINOT – Selectmen Tuesday night accepted the School Committee invitation to attend a workshop next week on the proposed 2005-06 school budget.
School Committee Chairwoman Colleen Quint said their committee will have a chance later this week to go over proposals prior to meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 26, with selectmen and town budget committee.
The meeting will be held at the Minot Consolidated School at 6:30 p.m.
Quint said she was pleased that state officials were able to come up with the amount of education aid that towns and school districts could expect in a timely manner. Just two weeks ago, with prospects for solid figures for state aid to education somewhere beyond the horizon and with town meeting set for the first Saturday in March, the Board of Selectmen and School Committee were discussing contingency plans to delay consideration of the school budget.
“But much to everyone’s shock, it appears we have some accurate funding figures to work with,” said Quint adding, “you were very accommodating when it appeared we might not have those figures and I thank you for that.”
Chairman of the Board of Selectmen Dean Campbell told the board that a court hearing on Kevin Franchetti’s challenge to the town’s position on the status of a portion of York Road is scheduled for Feb. 14. Campbell said the town will be asking the judge for a summary judgment dismissing the case.
Campbell also reported that the town attorney offered his opinion on the request from Michael and Thomas Bureau that the town step into a dispute the Bureaus are having with Donald Hemond over a right-of-way across Hemond’s property. The town’s attorney advised that this is a civil matter between the Bureaus and Hemond and the town has no obligation to enforce a public easement in this case.
Responding to a letter from Scott Lynch, attorney for developer Chuck Starbird, the board agreed to put the matter of Old Pottle Hill School Road on the agenda for its next meeting, Jan. 31. Starbird and town officials are at odds over whether the road has been constructed to meet specifications in the town’s road ordinance.
In her report, Town Clerk Nikki Verrill told the board she was encouraging the town’s dog owners to re-license their pets before the Jan. 31 deadline because, this year, the late penalty has been set at $25. The regular registration fee remains at $6 for spayed or neutered dogs and $10 for non-altered dogs. Thus, said Verrill, come Feb. 1, it will cost dog owners at least $31 and possibly $35 per dog. Verrill noted that she will accept as paid in a timely fashion, renewals postmarked by Jan. 31.
Verrill also noted it appears there will be only one contested seat on the ballot for town elections in March. Verrill reported that the Jan. 18 deadline for inclusion on the ballot having passed, only the seat for a three-year term on the school committee drew two candidates. Lisa Cesare and Lisa Sabatine-Bridgham filed the necessary paperwork. Other candidates include Karen M. Whalen for a two-year term on the school committee, Eda Tripp for a three-year term on the Board of Selectmen and Daniel Callahan Jr. for a one-year term as a selectmen.
Fire Chief Steve French told the board the Maine Forest Service is considering changes in the way burning permits are issued. French said it appears the Maine Forest Service will be issuing the permits electronically, for a modest $6 fee.
“All you will need is a computer and a credit card,” said French.
French noted there were some details to work out, with local notification being a key issue as far as he was concerned. French said it was probably a good move as far as Minot is concerned and that he would keep the board informed as the new system develops.
In other business, the board announced that Carolyn Hricko was awarded the 2005 Arthur Harris scholarship and that Shawn O’Connor would received the 2005 Leonard Simion and Elsa Fortin-Simion scholarship.
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