Board: Turner selectmen

Met: Monday night

Clean monuments

Issue: Selectmen fielded complaints Monday night that the town’s two veterans’ monuments, which need cleaning and maintenance, have been neglected.

The scoop: Members of American Legion Post 111 asked the town for money to clean the monuments in February. However, because of a rough winter and budget shortfalls, the request went unheeded. Post 111 members made another appearance before the board Monday. Discussion at times was contentious, but selectmen again said they would try to find money. Town Manager Eva Leavitt appropriated $50 to clean the smaller of the town memorials, located in North Turner near the post office.

Resident Ralph Caldwell, who was present at the meeting Monday, volunteered to pay $250 for cleaning the larger monument at the Turner Village Church. Work on both will begin immediately, Leavitt said.

New paint

The scoop: The Leavitt Institute building needs paint. The town received bids from several contractors ranging from $8,700 to $28,500. The contract eventually was awarded to Merchant and Son of Gray for $11,650.

“Building is more than 100 years old and three stories tall,” Leavitt said. “There are aspects to it that make it a fairly complex project.”

Short budgets

Issue: Many budget lines will be overdrawn at the end of the month when the town closes its books on fiscal 2008. Overdrafts will range from as little as $50 to more than $47,000. Among them, roads maintenance and general assistance is overdrawn.

The scoop: Leavitt said the burden of making up the deficits will not fall on taxpayers. “We don’t intend to raise any new money,” Leavitt said, “just make allowances for (surpluses in) one department to cover debt from another.”

Changes have been made to several town policies, including the way the transfer station is managed, which has resulted in additional revenue. Unspent contingency funds also will be used to stop the financial gap.

Up next: Board members will determine which departments are in the red – and by how much – during their meeting June 16.

Timber harvesting

The scoop: Tree cutter Greg Roy received a contract to cut and harvest timber for the town on land adjacent to Plains and County roads. Roy’s bid for the project was $4,100.

Landscaping plan progresses

The scoop: Jody Goodwin presented board members with a landscaping plan for the town hall grounds, followed by a site walk.

Up next: Clark’s Farm Stand will provide decorative plantings and vegetation for the site.

Culverts OK’d

The scoop: Eighty drainage culverts are scheduled to be replaced. Selectmen Monday awarded the contract for purchase of the culverts to Northland True Value for $14,420.

Appointments

The scoop: Board members appointed municipal assistant Joyce Moulin as warden for the June 10 local and state elections.

Vacancies

Issue: There are vacancies on the Zoning Board of Appeals, Assessment Review, Leavitt Institute Board of Directors, Planning Board and others. For more information contact Town Manager Leavitt.

For municipal news items, contact JT Leonard at 252-6040 or at [email protected] with “Town News” in the subject line.