Buckfield Board of Selectmen

February 19

 

 

BUCKFIELD — The following action was taken by the Buckfield Board of Selectmen at Tuesday night’s meeting:

TM evaluation

What happened: In executive session, selectmen conducted Town Manager Joe Roach’s evaluation as he has now been employed with Buckfield for one year.
What it means: In open session, selectmen voted for Vice Chair Tina Brooks compile the board’s notes regarding the town manager’s annual evaluation for his personnel file from the executive session. Chair Cheryl Coffman read a statement about Roach. “We are very pleased with the choice of Joe to fill the position of town manager for our community. He continues to meet and exceed our expectations,” she said.

Board evaluation

What happened: Selectmen agreed to conduct a self-evaluation of the board at the request of Selectman Dona Grant.
What it means: The board set aside time at the Tuesday, March 19 selectboard meeting for the evaluation. Things they could look include at what action selectmen have taken, what they can improve on and goals for the future.
What’s next: Grant will send Roach an evaluation form she found for selectboard self-evaluations so he can distribute it to rest of the board before the meeting.

Vacation time

What happened: Selectmen granted Roach the authority to allow employees to use their vacation time by Sunday, June 30.
What it means: The way the current personnel policy is written, employees who don’t use their vacation time by their work anniversary date lose it. Roach made this request because one employee is in danger of losing their vacation next month and noted a lot of employees didn’t take vacation to help with the transition from two interim town managers to him coming on as town manager last February.
What’s next: Roach will be able to grant extensions for the vacation time for employees who fall into this category with a deadline of using their vacation by June 30.

Truck signs

What happened: Roach shared with selectmen the results of the windshield survey of the No Thru Truck Traffic signs.
What it means: The current signs are in poor condition and a few are missing, including one at the intersection of Allen School and Paris Hill roads, Turner Street and North Hill Road, Bryant and East Buckfield roads. At their last meeting, selectmen held a public hearing and added Sodom, River and South Hodgdon Hill roads to the town’s Regulating No Thru Traffic Ordinance to prevent tractor-trailers from traveling down these roads and getting stuck.
What’s next: New signs will have to be budgeted for the newly restricted roads and missing ones on the original roads. Roach estimated them to cost $150, which includes the sign, post and hardware.

Defibrillator

What happened: Selectmen accepted a donation and allocated donation money from the Rescue Department Equipment Reserve Fund to purchase a new defibrillator.
What it means: In January, the Rescue Association received a $500 donation specifically for a new defibrillator, which was placed in the equipment reserve. Selectmen allocated the $500 from the reserve and also accepted a $316 donation from the Rescue Association for the purchase of the new defibrillator.

Bylaws accepted

What happened: Selectmen accepted the Old Church on the Hill Committee’s proposed bylaws and made an addition to the document.
What it means: The addition was increasing the number of committee members from seven to nine. This is so Buckfield resident Cory Nicholson, who has attended meetings and volunteered for the committee over the past six months, could officially join. Other changes to the bylaws included restricting membership to the full committee to Buckfield residents and making the meetings requirement more flexible for one member who is a snowbird, according to member Sandra Perkins. Hartford and Sumner residents can still serve on subcommittees for the Old Church on the Hill.
What’s next: A number of activities and fundraisers are coming up for the committee, which oversees the maintenance and use of the building that is on the National Historic Register.

Town meeting schedule

What happened: Selectmen accepted the schedule for the 2019 annual town meeting.
What it means: On Friday, March 1, nomination papers become available, Friday, April 12, is the municipal nomination papers filing deadline, on Friday, May 10, absentee ballots become available, on Tuesday, May 21, selectmen approve and sign annual town meeting warrant, on Friday, May 31 the annual town meeting warrant will be posted ATM, Tuesday, June 11 is set for the elections, and Saturday, June 15 is annual town meeting.