PERU – Cost-cutting proposals were presented to the Board of Selectmen on Monday night from Road Commissioner David Gammon.
Gammon said he is working on figures for the proposed sand and salt shed. If the town road crew does the groundwork, the town could save $35,000 to $40,000. He said some ditching could be done in town to help with the fill.
Selectman Bill Hine said any commitments should be done in writing to help with the final response to bidders David Trask and Sons and R and R Construction.
The board asked its secretary, Kathy Hussey, to notify the bidders it is not ready to act at this time. Voters must approve the spending at the March town meeting.
Hine, Hussey and former Selectman Dick Powell reported they met to discuss possible grants for road work.
Hine asked Gammon to keep detailed time sheets in the future for selectmen to review.
Selectmen adopted a Road Weight Limits Ordinance, which is necessary for the town to legally post roads.
Rodney Jamison from Families in Crisis asked the board to consider giving ownership of the grange building to the Families in Crisis Task Force. Hine said such an article would likely bring discussion at the town meeting. Jamison said the Historical Society could remain upstairs in the hall and voting could continue in the hall.
Code Enforcement Officer Jack Plumley was not present at the meeting as requested. Hussey informed the board that Plumley wanted executive sessions to discuss the Paul Bickford Shoreland Zoning fine. Hine said this was a public process, and they could not meet in executive without an attorney being present.
Bickford was cited in August 2005 and fined approximately $16,800 by then Code Enforcement Officer Mike Boyd for violating the shoreland zoning ordinance. Bickford was charged with converting a summer dwelling to a year-round home on Worthley Pond, changing the setback distance for it from the water and changing the elevation of it.
Although Bickford was issued a building permit in 2002, he was not charged with violations until 2004. He took the case to the Board of Appeals, which supported his contention that the code enforcement officer has no authority to impose fines, only courts do. The appeals board referred the question of violations back to the Planning Board.
Selectman Norman DeRoche said he would contact Plumley and request he attend the next meeting to discuss the matter.
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