TranscriptSelect Board Meeting ~ June 14, 2016

Oh, yeah. You do. I tried. I'd like to leave them, but I have to like GPS. Yeah. Detour signs. Detour signs, all that stuff. I can't leave anything out. I don't I lost seven cones last weekend. Just take what they do with them.

I got to get some more. I can't keep up with it. We put four out. We left that half an hour was only two days. Half an hour in the middle of the day. Right. Right. Mystery. It's a trophy. Hey Josh, would it be uncomfortable for you if you were to open that window behind you?

Yeah, we don't want too much of a cross. Makes me uncomfortable that you at me? Yes. Yeah. A little cold now. Could you close that please? I never know if it's you or there's several trucks that pass through there that look like yours and often I've made myself look like a fool as I wave to the person that I don't know.

You're being friendly. That's [laughter] just look friendly. Yeah, I wave to everybody. It's a safe move today. That's right. That's right. At least I want to I want I want to at least wave to you. I've seen more York that way every morning than I have since he was right. I'll give you 50ucks.

[laughter] Oh, is he doing hear after you go past the riverhead he's cutting wood there. His firewood. He's got a huge pile of firewood. That's like a traffic. There used to be a house on the other across way from him. It's just gone.

Yep. He likes I'd like to call this meeting to order. We do have a quorum. All five selectmen are here. Could we please rise for the pledge of allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. Amendments to the agenda. Um, there is a second payables, Warren. There is. Yeah. Um, and we're going to strike the approval of the June 7th minutes. We weren't able to get them ready for today. Um, I'm going to add an action and discussion item for Rabbit Road and I'll take that before the other two. Um, adding an executive session for personnel. And did you have anything else to add?

Nope. I think that covers it. The only other thing is trying to get fire chief up front, right? Yeah, I'm always going to do that. Yeah, I know. All right. Uh, so if you're here for Rabbit Road, we'll take that up under an actual uh discussion item. Is other than that, is there any public comment tonight? Okay. Um, where' the chief go?

Okay. We'll move on to the consent agenda until I move we accept the consent agenda as presented. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? Motion carries and I'll move that we go into assessor session. Uh we have three things to take care of.

Second. All in favor? Motion carries. Um, so the first one is a uh tree growth penalty for map 1 lot 98 in the amount of $16110. explanation with the well the people uh took their property out of tree road. They got it. They have to pay that.

warrant as presented. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? Motion carries. Next is an abatement for account number 961. I'm not seeing a mapping lot in the amount of $1,97316. I don't see map and lot on. It doesn't say.

Um Oh, and there's actually a supplemental on the other side. Map 4, lot 152. Okay. So, if we can take the actually the abatement and the uh supplemental cuz it's taking it off one account and adding it to the other account.

Yeah. Okay. Um so basically when uh Donna assessed the properties last year, she assessed um this one property to Dem Deb Emory as um personal representative. So when it went to lean, we got a phone call from Deb stating that you know we shouldn't be leaning the property in her name. And after looking into it a little bit, MMA suggested that we in fact do the abatement and supplemental and reissue the taxes in the name of um PJ's Auto Parts. Auto park. Um because at the time the corporation was not disbanded.

Second. Any discussion? All in favor? Motion carries. The next one is the same type of deal. It's uh um an abatement and a supplemental tax warrant in the amount of $13920. I move we accept the abatement and supplemental warrant as presented.

Second discussion. All in favor? Motion carries. I move that we go out of executive session. Second. All in favor. Motion carries. Chief Yep. Chances for you. We're letting you jump to the front of the line. Thank you. I have a class to teach, so I appreciate it. [clears throat] Um, I don't know. Have you guys already got my report? Yep. Right here. As well as the uh Yeah. Okay. Uh, we'll go down through it very quickly. The the NOX MedVault, the backup camera, and the security cameras, those are all installed on Rescue 25 and operational. It uh building security cameras are almost done. that uh just a case of a little wiring and then firing up the system and getting it all fine-tuned. So, that's uh well on its way. Um

the uh apparatus assignments that uh been reporting that we've been working on doing some EMS responses a different way and restructuring how uh we do our equipment checks and stuff like that. So, we finally came up with a plan that seems to work for most of the members and stuff and gets everybody involved at a higher level. Hopefully makes it a lot more enjoyable. It uh we start that in July. The uh gear extractor at the station, it uh [clears throat] um it failed on us. Uh it been been having issues for the last month or so and it uh um and it failed on us about a week and a half ago. it. It's actually there's two pieces that are gone. I can't remember the name of the first piece, but the second piece is the motor, and that's the expensive part. Um, to repair it, it's going to be 2737. It but to replace it with the same size machine. They don't actually make the 42 pounder anymore. They make 45 is

actually the replacement for it. Um, it'll fit in the same footprint, but that's 7389. uh that I'm going to struggle to actually find the money to do the replacement as it is. So, I guess uh Diana made a few phone calls that there was one gentleman that had a 20 pounder and she was going to have him give us a price quote and take a look at it. Not sure I really want to go there. Um but we'll see what he has for numbers and what he has to say. it. My inclination at this point is I'm probably going to have to try to figure out where to come up with a 2737 to actually get it replaced. Um, kind of a critical component is just as critical as the gear actually is. It uh it's for cleaning the gear. And one of the things that's been all over the news lately is firefighters needing to change their habits as [clears throat] far as cleaning their gear and uh getting rid of the carcinogens that's in are in

their gear and stuff. It we've had it for a while. We've had it since 2003 and over the last three or four years I finally really started to get them on board with doing it on a regular basis whenever they're exposed to a fire and [clears throat] timing is everything I guess. So I I was kind of bummed that it decided to break now that I have everybody pretty much so they faithfully will clean their gear once they get back. One way or the other I'm inclined to think that it's probably going to be the the repair job even though I don't really like spending that kind of money for a repair job. I I don't know how I can make 7,400 work. So, probably [clears throat] go for a grant, see if I can find a grant, do the repair job, and try to go for a grant. It uh the only proposal we had for the uh painting and trim project was Gary Lane, who he's the one that's actually been giving us the price quotes for the

budget purposes for the last couple of years. Um the breakdown on his price code, he had it I [clears throat] actually requested the two primary pieces and then two optional pieces. He combined the two optional painting pieces. They were both interior things. Um he combined them, but it was $4,900. Even if I split them up, there's not enough money to make it work. His uh price quote for the painting and the trim replacement around the doors came to a total of 9,385. it uh and we had 10,500 set aside for it. So, I guess my recommendation is that we go with him to do the painting and the trim replacement.

My recommendation is we try to get it scheduled soon because the other side of it is it uh a lot of contractors are starting to schedule for the they're busy end of the the end of summer projects and stuff already. So, sounds good to me. Getting going.

Was that a motion? It's a motion. Second. All in uh any discussion first all in favor carry. Thank you. Anything for the chief because that's the last item in my head unless you guys have something for me. Have fun. All right. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Good evening. Thank you. All right. Next up, uh we'll go for the rabbit road discussion. So, um, you want to just kind of give a quick overview of what's going on and then we'll Yeah. Um, so you Yeah, just so that they, uh, they can pick you up on the mic. Yeah. Uh back a couple of weeks ago now, we uh undertook um well, it started back month or two ago. Uh this spring, we I was driving by and I saw u um Mr. Sam Miller.

Sam Miller out in the road laying down shoving his arms up in the pipe pulling stuff out up in the cart and [clears throat] said, "You know, we got to get this cleared out cuz it floods this basement if it bugs up." So, I sent uh Ron down and um the guys and tried to clean it up and just couldn't couldn't get at it. It was underwater and you couldn't u couldn't get the stuff out. Now that I know the pipe was in upside down, it was a foot higher on the outlet than the inlet. It makes sense why I couldn't do it because you're never going to get the water to flush through behind you to to carry the sediment. So, usually once you get it started, the current will the will take care of the rest of it. But, uh that would never happen with the pipe going uphill because you're never going to get current. So, uh we uh at at that point

after the second attempt, I just said, "Forget it. There's no way it's going to happen. Just replace them." So, uh, we went up cut the pavement and, uh, scheduled the replacement and so we, um, built the confer. It was quite a project to block that pond and get the water pumped down and keep it maintained while we were putting that cover in. It was a quite an ordeal. So, um, [clears throat] we uh, we got it done and the day after that was done, I thought we had done something wonderful. [laughter] that we had accomplished something great and I get an email from Jeff saying uh [clears throat] that we need to meet over there and talk with the land owner. So, um [clears throat] Mr. Allen uh here is uh the neighbor, one of the neighbors and then Sam Miller of course is the other neighbor and uh Mr. Allen would um wants the pond back to the level it was at. So me and Jeff meet there. Jeff and I and um meet there

and uh Jeff's just kind of like stuck between were we Mr. Allard's arguing that we should have built the pipes to accommodate the level of water that had been there for several years. and my argument was no, you put it in at the same elevation of the pipes would be if they were functioning and you just replace what was there and um cuz Jeff

was like I Mr. Allen's indicating this might be D violations and things because the pond by not being by not maintaining the pipes we had established a new level. [clears throat] So hence we have the engineer involved and this is uh uh Mr. Hudson here uh Al

Hudson engineering and he has done a uh [clears throat] thorough report and you will see uh the report pictures and and uh he can explain to you uh what has happened. Uh keep in mind that we have a uh we have we have two separate property owners on either side of the pond and one of them has a foundation drain that uh floods his basement if the water gets to a certain level. So we have to keep that in mind and um [clears throat] so I guess from there if you have any questions or you want to hear from engineer or do you want to hear from Mr. ballot first or the

um I'm fine with whoever wants to speak. So, well, you probably ought to let him go first cuz you won't know what to you won't know what to refute if [laughter] you Well, yes, you probably should go first. That's okay. Yeah, we'll do that.

I mean, we can you'll go back and we can go back and forth if we have to. I mean, thank you. Uh, and Calvin explained somewhat of the history and we'll kind of try to explain some of the uh u mechanics and and uh and hydraulics related to the culverts. The original culverts uh were put in with this being the pond side and this being the discharge side. The original culverts were put in so that the slope was was negative uh back toward the the pond and the outlet was the control level in the culverts. Now when you do that and on a large diameter culvert like that all the sediments that come down and they go into that pipe and the flow slows down whatever sediments are in that water drop and stay in the pipe. So what was happening was the sediments were building up in the pipe to the point where there was only about six inches of clearance between the top of the sediment and the top of the pipe and

that's what was was holding up the raising the level of the pond over the last 20 years. The outlet part of the pipe which was the controlling factor no longer was a controlling factor. It was the sediments that were building up in the pipe. Now what uh Calvin did was uh

had the left the discharge where it was and raised this on this side about 3 to 6 in. So we had a positive slope across to the discharge and the level of the pond was being controlled by the inlet and not the outlet. You weren't going to get the sediment dropping in the pipe anymore because it was a quiescent condition in there. No, no water moving sediment in the water just drops out. This is all um changing removing and replacing pipes like this is are exempt activities by the D under the uh natural resource protection act and that's covered under their uh their chapter

305 of permit by rule and the section and I'll read it to I think there's a maybe a copy in the in in the letter there, but it says maintenance and repair of a public or private crossing of a river or stream or brook is exempt from the NRPA provided that erosion control measures are taken to prevent sedimentation in the water. Well, Calvin and his crew did that. They didn't have any sedimentation. Uh they pumped down the area behind their coffer dam, worked in the dry uh on in replacing it. The second is the crossing does not block fist passage uh in the in the water course. No change in the fish passage other than it may actually be easier fish passage now that there will be the flow will be a constant flow going down through the pipe. There could be have been a time before when there was no flow in the pipe because it was damned up and and they the fish could not get through with the sediment there and only

6 in of clearance between the top of the sediment and the top of the pipe. So they actually improved the fish fish passage at that site. And it says any replacement uh culvert is not more than 25% longer than the culvert being replaced and is long longer than 75 ft. The culverts are the same length. The culverts are the same size. The original culverts are 24 in. They were corrugated metal, which meant they had terrible hydraulic characteristics. The the replacement pipes are 24 in, but they have the smooth bore, and they can actually take uh a lot of flow, more flow than the corrugated metal pipes could take. So the the possibility or the risk of of those pipes not handling the flow and it flooding the road and taking the road out have been diminished by quite a bit. There's they're capable of handling a lot more flow. um this the uh everything that was done here was done according to the exemption

and in a conversation I had with Mike Mullins at the D Augusta office. He's uh I don't know if you folks uh know him, but he's been at the D for oh 35 to 40 years and and uh we've relied on his expertise and we sent him a copy of the letter, the photos, everything. And I discussed it with him and he said as long as these things three things exist, it's it's exempt under the natural resource protection act and I think all of those things do exist. Now the question is uh is it possible to raise that pond another 9 in or a foot or so? Well, that brings up two problems. Number one, the cover over the pipe is 2 feet or only slightly greater than 2 ft of gravel over the pipes. We raise that another foot. We've only got a foot of cover over the pipes and that really doesn't protect the pipes at all. It's it's really makes them too shallow. The other thing is raising that another foot. That means

that in order for those pipes to work hard uh and that pipe to flow full, the water's got to come up another 2 ft. At that point in time, it's going to flood the neighbor's basement. That's about about the level that it would back up into his basement. So the these pipes are set at essentially the same elevation as the original pipes. then there won't be any sediment in there to change the elevation of the pond. But that's more or less where it was when they were originally put in years ago. And that's those are the facts.

Thank you. So, uh, Al, if we had been successful in cleaning out those pipes, the pond level would be exactly where it is right now. Yes, they would. They've been back down. If you could have gotten the sediment out, but it was in the middle of the pipe. It wasn't at the either end. It was more or less in the middle of the pipe and and it was that sediment over time gets hard and difficult to to remove. Plus, the pipe was sloped the wrong way. It was going to want to wash back into the pond while the sediment as opposed to going down the outlet. And that would have made a just cleaning that pipe out would have created a lot of sediment in either the pond or

straight. Nice jet. Come over and clean it out. Yeah. [laughter] you know, I know we can get one. Yeah. But we we've been working with Calvin for quite some time now. He was over worked with him over in Dickfield on a major project and uh he's got a a pretty good sense of what needs to be done. I' I've lost some coffee bets on things that uh that I was looking at and said, "My eye doesn't tell me that." And Gin would say, "Well, I think it does." And we go check it out with the transit and I'd ow him the coffee. I think I still owe him a couple. [laughter] But he he has a good eye for things like that and uh I think uh has done a a good job on this and uh well within the requirements of the DP uh and where it sits now is

almost the best location uh for everybody involved. It protects the town because it it gives you a chance for the the full flow to go through those pipes before you with two feet of freeboard over the road. Uh, and by the time that gets to the top, it it it should not quite reach the gentle the other gentleman's foundation dream. And I don't know that was it 10 years ago that Patriots uh rainstorm they had down here, Patriots Day rainstorm.

Yeah, about that. He flooded the interstate. The Patriots Day storm. Yeah. Yeah. A storm like that would really raise havoc. And the old pipes with the sediment that was in there that have gone over the road if an event like that happened here now and it might have taken the road out but it takes it out from the downhill side because the water cascades off the pavement scour this the gravel and sand and then eats it back across the road. Uh a storm that was a huge storm. I've never seen anything like that happen. I

seem to recall a couple times where there was sand and stuff going over the road. The water had gone over the road there. It's not likely to happen as much now. Those pipes being smooth have can almost handle uh as much as a a [music] much larger pipe, but they're smooth boore. Those corrugations really slow the water, right? But that's all they had uh 20, 30 years ago. They didn't have these nice smooth boore pipes.

They also add more for the sediment to start building. They any sediment's going to go pass through and won't build up in the pipe. dirt because the water's always moving. Well, that's what I mean. In the old corrugated pipe, sediment could build up a lot easier.

It could easily. Yes. And in the in the little hollows there and then as more and more builds up, it just goes higher. Thank you. Thank you. [clears throat] there for since 1975. uh they were there before I was. So all I can tell you is that uh the elevation of the pond has never been this low at all. And the engineer

obviously knows exactly we start talking. I'm not saying it was done wrong. Um I'm just saying that we've lost about a foot of water. They've done such a good job putting a pipe in. I don't see where if we would raise the pipes to at least get some of the water back because I have a mud hole now in the back of my house. I do no no longer have a pond and I've always always had a pond.

I just don't know what else to tell you people but um I'm at your mercy. I know Sam has problems with his drain. Um but those pipes now were I How big is the invert? Obviously 24 inch pipe. The inside of the diameter of the pipe.

24 inch. Yeah, 24. [clears throat] Is it 24? Oh yeah. I think he's talking about the bell. 24. It's 24 all the way through. That's your pipe. It's 27. Yeah. On the on the bell. The bell bell end. It would be cuz it's got to go over there.

Anyways, I'm saying it does such a nice job. You nearly did a good job. Once you step in that pipe a few inches, it goes right back to Okay. I didn't know. I'm asking. I want to know. It's just so they can slide over the other pipes with bigger fit over the other.

I'm also saying a few inches. I I don't know. I for Dawn and Sam, I sure it's helped the Lawrence flood them out. But I remember once the cover going out that was years ago before it was paved. I'm sure Sam and Donna remember it. Um

uh since those two pipes, the old pipes were in there. I don't remember the water going completely over the road when we had some major storms. I remember a few times going about halfway. It's been closed. It's been closed, but it's never always tracked always.

One thing you have to understand, that's really not a pond. It's a bog. Well, that pond doesn't even have a name. Yes, it does. It's the east branch of the world river if you not to change something down. I know we've been neighbors for 41 years and I don't want to cause enemies here. No,

right because we see each other every day and night. I enjoy seeing you. Uh, but that call has been plugged for 20 years and it's never been at his potential drainage. Sam has cleaned that. I've cleaned that out for years. Call and you can ask all the other town guys other than this fell is taking over now. And I've got I've got it from the guy that's sick now over in Han there that used to run the town. Uh Bennett,

he called me up several times and thanked me for cleaning that out. And I'm not doing that, Sam. We're not doing that. No, but I'm just saying when they did when I did clean it, that's why the pond level that's why the pond level was high when they cleaned it. Then they came and when they and when Mike Cuffs did the snowplow removal, they push all the debris back into the cit.

Yeah, I understand. And then I would call again and being he was a neighbor. Sam, I know I know you understand it, but you never was down there helping me, right? No, I was not, Sam. Then you didn't you wasn't really concerned.

Sam Sam, the pipe was installed purposely that way. So pipe is Yes. Um he installed it backwards. Call Cliff. Just find out. Well, I don't Cliff, but Cliff wasn't in charge. It was it was his father. Let's let um Don Don finish and you can you can speak afterwards.

The pipe was installed purposely that way to maintain the level of the pond. And I'm not trying to flood the mountain at all. That is not my purpose whatsoever. But Sam and Donna have to realize I no longer have water in my backyard now. I don't You saw it. The the pond has considerably dropped. I I just don't understand why it was okay and now it it isn't. I I just don't get it. Especially with the pipes that he put in. I mean, if you a Bieber clogs that up, I I I don't the town public works not going to allow it for one thing. Before they have was a screen. When I bought the place, there was trout in there. The pond was a lot higher.

Well, there was your boy caught trout in my daughter in 42 years. [laughter] So, I guess you can argue that point. No, Sam fish no more out of there because there's no more fish in there. It hasn't been fishing. The water level was higher when I bought it. It's low. It's never been this low at all. I had no idea they were going to be this upset about it. But I I I just

The portion that comes onto your land, could you burm it off and that way you could have it filled back up so that your portion would stay? God, no. No. Why? make it deeper? You couldn't without D approval. I mean, you could.

It's not going to Time out, please. It's my turn. Okay. In the first place, I don't want to do that. I have always maintained a row of trees there to try to protect the fish and the wildlife in that barn. Always have done that. They're there. You were there. He was there. The engineer was not. But I just can't understand why all

of a sudden we have to have no water, especially with the pipes that Calvin's put in. Uh he's just he did a good job. I I'm not disputing the job that he did whatsoever. It's just a diet too low. And we're not talking feet. I just I don't I don't get it. I absolutely do not get it why it's such a big problem to fix this. Okay,

but that's all I got to say. Thank you. I'm sorry that it's coming out this way, but whatever. Can I say something? Yeah. Sorry, John. Um, I've lived there as long as he has, maybe longer. A year. Yeah. And I've seen this makes the fourth time that cula's been replaced since I've been here in 41 years. And out of the fourth time, every time they've installed a cullet has been installed improperly and too small or wasn't done right. And the pond had water in it and it still has water. I had plenty of water view in my in my view. Not disturbing what he sees out back. I don't know what he sees up that cuz I don't go to his house. I've lost tons of trees from animals,

beavers, and water height uh killing my trees along the whole edge of my pond. And I've made a trail around my land to clean up this mess. And it's a mess on the edge of the pond. And I agree with him. There's trees everywhere, but it's all been from beavers and it's been a mess. And I've had guys come trap beavers out there. And now I I heard I can get a permit to kill them. And and and you bring the water up, you're going to get more beavers. And I'm going to be calling these guys every day because I'm tired of cleaning this thing. And I don't want to back up my pond. I'm not going to be there forever. Someone's going to buy my home someday. I'm 62 years old. I'm going to retire and I'm moving out and I'm not going to be able to sell that house if there's a threat of water coming into my cellar. This is all I'm arguing about. And I I love my neighbors. I have nothing against it.

And I got to tell you, they have done such a wonderful job and so professional. They put beautiful stones over the culpits. It wasn't just gravel, nice stones. And it's the first time in 41 years I've ever seen that done professionally done.

And why would Charlie Larby put a call in backwards and then notify the town? Does that make any sense? I'm a contractor. He is too. He was. Water runs downhill, right guys? It makes sense to me. He knows that too. And I can't imagine being a taxpayer and I pay my fair pair

of taxes putting it up 6 in or 9 in to see a water flow that affects every taxpayer in this town when you already had someone an engineer and deeb that approved this to happen. So, I can't imagine that you would dig up something these people we've all agreed to and legally done so someone can see a little water out back. That makes no sense to me as a taxpayer.

That's very, very poor judgment. If someone agrees to put it up three or four, 6, 9 in. And I can't tell you how many times the town that road has been washed out. and he knows as well as I do over two times it's just blown out of that road and it's been closed off many times.

Yeah, I can remember it going over I can't tell you how many thousands of dollars this town has spent. I've already know this is the fourth time those callers I've got there's plenty of proof about it the last time. Well, that's but I'm just saying to you folks and and I don't want to be an enemy with my neighbor. It's a mess there. And I know why he's upset and I I I take my head up to him. Yeah, he it's dropped.

Well, that's why I asked if it you know, you know, I I live on day road there. There used to be a pond there. There used to be a pond there cuz they drove out like I'm not digging a pond up. I don't mean dig it up, but I mean if you if you if you burned one side of it, then that would hold your water in and it wouldn't flow out through the culpit. You know,

you don't have to burn the all the trees I have. He's the outlet. I thought he was on the same side of the road. No, I don't I don't want to be done. We're the first house, then there's a pond, right? And we own across the second house. No, we're not on the same side.

There's a pond. The pond is I call it a bar. It's not really a pond. Let's bring it back, please. Told me the pond was still low for years. Let's Let's bring it back. We've got too many conversations going on. But um is there anything else uh that you

No, I can discuss it. I just more or less saying as a taxpayer, I disagree with doing any renovation to what they've done. It's and I'm looking for other taxpayers that pay a lot of taxes on town of Durham to dig that up and elevate anything just for someone have a view. I think it's wrong.

And the P and the road has been elevated all through the years. It had It's not the same as it was when we built there. No, it was a dirt road. It was a dirt road. It was way low. It's way up now compared to what it used to be. That's that's my only recall.

Thank you. Yeah. You're welcome. Thank you. Any anything more that needs to be said on this? Well, we all set. One thing I would add is that the pond is at the elevation today that it was at the day those pipes were installed

20 years ago. 20 years ago. That pond is exactly because the elevations are the same on the on the on the inlet. So, when those pipes were installed, that pond, even though they were put in backwards, the pond was still at the level it's at right now. Over the years, the sediment built up and then the pond followed suit and sediment is going to build up in a pipe that's going uphill,

right? And the problem is that if there was a big rain event, that cover would never take the flow. It would have to go to the overflow one. And that's even set a little bit higher. And by that time, this gentleman's basement uh would have water in it. Um and the and the culvers themselves were in poor shape. bottoms are pretty much rotting away. That's what happens with the metal corrugated culverts like that. So, it was it was a ticking time bomb. It was going to be a problem. A real heavy rain would have brought it to a head.

I I it it seems to me that uh the engineers have done what they should do and the town crew has done what it should do and it's where it should be. I think that it should stay that way. I I think what I hearing what I probably agreed to is that over time that sediment got in there and over time that rose and you don't notice it. It's like a lot of things that over time you don't notice and then all of a sudden when it goes all at once that's when you notice it. But it it sounds to me from reading this report and everything we've heard here, it's done the way it should be done and it's where it should be and that's where it should stay in my opinion.

ways that, you know, he could still have some water in his backyard. I mean, I'm looking at things at at my property, too, for the same kind of I've always had water in my backyard back there. Is there still water there, Sam? I see water back there.

Sand is probably six. I agree. I agree with Bar and Oh, but the pond was only four feet. Just come over. I'll show you. Don, I can see it from my back. So, and when I went over with um Calvin and uh Don a couple weeks ago, my my

biggest concern was that we did it by the law, what the law said. And from from everything we can see that's it looks like we did it by the by the law. In fact, I thought there was was there something in there that you basically to keep your exemp to keep the exemption you have to do in kind.

We want to bring the pipes together and yeah I called him and asked him said can I bring the pip overflow next to this one so I got one trench. No pipeline between the two of them. And if you change elevations, is that that can that

Well, they're not supposed to because then it interferes with fish fish passage. I mean, it's our responsibility to protect the road as as slack men in and to do what's right. Not to worry. It sounds like the way you've done it now is it it shouldn't have to be done again for a long time. Flash vehicle now.

I mean, whether it's raised the pawn or lower the pond, long as it's done to protect our roads is what we got to make sure of. So, it's going to protect your roads and done by by the by by the law. Yeah. Okay, that's the [clears throat] other thing.

Leave it the way it is. This particular time of year, it's rare, but we're in kind of a a drought period. I think we had that one inch inch and a half of rainfall maybe couple weeks ago. Couple of weeks ago, but before that, there was almost no rain at all. We're we're down uh at this time of the year, I don't know, 10 inches or so in rainfall cuz there were almost none in May. You you must you're down at least that if not more because I can see rocks down here on the end of the river that head to towards the falls that there's a whole line across there that Yep.

If you didn't have the water this low and you went down through there with a speedboat, you better brace up cuz if you got about 6 ft in between, you want to make sure you go through. I think when we get back to the standard rain patterns, this the water's going to come up in the in the pond and be at a higher level than it's at right now.

We we are quite dry right now. It is quite dry right now. No runoff. Yeah. I say leave it the way it is. If you just come see you would see what I'm talking I say leave it the way it is. Everybody else all set with Why did somebody talk to the former road commissioner? See what he did over there and how

I think he's dead. It really doesn't So, I mean, as far as I can see right now, we've done what we we've done what we needed to do. Um, and it was um everything I can see it was done correctly. And and that's all that's pretty much all I can ask is that we do it do it the right way. And um at this point to at to ask to to uh

reposition and things like that um it would be it would be a considerable expense to the town, right? Not when they set their elevation for the pond. I I just don't understand how you could actually trust and please correct me if I'm wrong on a a pipe that's at least two decades low to set your transit up and shoot or your level and shoot

the elevation palm come up. This is where we're going to be. They're going to shoot the elevation of the invert and that's what they're going to set the pipe to the elevation of the water and that's what they did. Then they gave it negative pitch to drain and that's where it is. I I actually raised the pond about an inch and a half by accident because I shot the top of the pipe. There was no bottom was rotten.

So, and the plastic corrugated is has that ribbing on the outside. So, I'm probably actually an inch and a half higher than the old pipe was. [clears throat] So, um I think it'll also is [clears throat] as a natural rain pattern come the water level is going to come up cuz it's dry everywhere. Everything's low. the day we got that rain, like two days after we finished it or a week or so after we finished the pipe there, um the next day, Monday morning, I went over there and the pond was completely full back to where it was. Um, of course, over the course of the day, it drained, but once we start getting a regular rain pattern, that will ride higher. It'll just ride higher in color.

Okay. You want to do a motion on this or just uh I don't know that we whether we need to or just let that let it stand as it is. Okay. says what it is. All set. All set. Thank you. Thank you all for coming. Thank you. What's next? All right. Beu proposal.

of printers. We have a contract for the big Canon that lasts until 2018. So does not include that printer. It only includes the three smaller printers in uh Thanks, Paul. It only includes the three smaller printers in the office. Um, and basically what they do is is they will replace the drums and they'll replace the toner and they'll do any repairs on it that are necessary. Um,

and they want to charge us $40 a month to do this. So, I went back um and on the front page there's a a layout for the last from the 1st of January 2015 until now. Um, we spent $822.40 on the drums and the toner alone, right?

Buying it from um, WP Mason. And then um, so that's a 17-month period. And if you take 17 and you multiply it by $40 a month, it's 680. So it's a small savings. It's $142 uh.40. And do they include toner? Yeah. Yeah. And so do they get like uh do they get like an alert when a toner starts getting low or do you have to call?

I have to call them. We'd have their phone number and we would call them up. It's just like the the Canon, you know, when when we have an issue with that, we call them up and they come and they fix it. And so would they also would this be include maintenance? If you were having trouble with the printer.

Yeah. So in addition to the the 14240 and in savings, there's also any potential service calls and that Yeah. It talks about maintenance and stuff and and uh if we have additional they did a a test on it over a period of time and they they estimated what our monthly printer volume is. Um and if so if we go over that it's it's 2 cents a page but it's still less than what we would cost for for toner and printer. Um

let's see. It has a 5year fix or replace warranty on the printers. I wonder if that's only their printers though. all operational costs for all printers included in the program. Take care of everything, all toner, cartridges, maintenance kits, parts, and any labor required for printer service. Um, now will they come in and bring in all of their printers or will this apply to the printer? Apply to the printers we already own. Yes, they're not selling us printers. Although, I'm sure that in the future um especially with the the motor vehicle um switching over from the Okanata to the laser printer, they're going to want to sell us printers. And I think eventually they're looking to the point where uh in 2018 when the the printer contract is up on the Canon. I think that they're probably looking to start a relationship with Mount

I'm always a fan of saving money. So, I'm move that we move forward with the proposal from the EU. I second. Any discussion? All in favor? Motion carries. Phone service. Phone service. I was surprised, Jeff. I will admit it. I was thinking to myself that that this was going to be a waste of time, but in reality, it looks like BN is in fact more expensive than the other uh companies that I contacted. So,

Comcast and this this doesn't include um public works, right? This is just landline phones in this building. Landine phones this building, the fire department, and the old town. Okay. Um so, we we pay $5,552 um a year uh for phone service. If we changed to Comcast, it'd be $4,311.36 plus there's a $300 startup cost on that one. Um, so we would save in the first year $941.30. We go to Fairpoint, they have this deal running where it's $20 a month, all long distance services included and everything. So, um, I figure we'd save about $2,000 um, for the year if we went with Fair Point. The only the only thing I I hesitate with Fairpoint is they do require a three-year contract. Um

but at that point, we'd probably be looking into voice over internet. And I don't know, Josh, if you have any ideas that if you think that we'd want to go that sooner. Well, no. I was going to um that might be another option once uh if if if we were able to talk to that company that might offer fiber to us. though with um Comcast and Fairpoint, can we keep our numbers both of them? Cuz I know

indicated that we can. Okay. Because I know that one of the places you're looking into the voiceover internet protocol companies that I had contacted stated that we couldn't use um our phone numbers as we have it now, you know, and we can if if you guys wanted to do it with a motion, you can, you know,

if for some reason they change their mind and decide that we can't keep our phone numbers, right? We could we could change Yeah, I guess that Yeah, because that range of phone numbers belongs to a certain Yeah. company that I guess I'm not sure exactly how that works, but

usually there's no problem transferring it over. I don't know why whether it was because it was the voiceover internet companies that wanted to transfer it over. They were confused, too. They didn't understand why they wouldn't be able to transfer it over.

Do we know what the penalt Oh, sorry. Go ahead. Do we know what the penalty is if we went with Fairpoint and decided and tried to uh get out of the contract early? Um I do not know what the penalty is. I can check into that. Um or if you said that Fairpoint is currently running a special. Do we know if that's what I don't want to have happen is we we ink a three-year deal with them and it turns out that that was just a six-month special and then the price triples or what have you. Sort of like the cable company.

I need to ask more questions. [laughter] Yeah. Make sure to whatever whatever this price is that they give us and they sign this contract that if three years it's for three years or if they indicate that it goes up $50 a year or something else, we know that going on up front.

Yep. involve the phone numbers and what it is to back out of the contract just but other than that point would look like a good deal we could have more options in the near future you know the other thing is I wonder you know I didn't ask this question either but fairoint offers voice over internet so I wonder if they would allow us to switch over from the landline to voice

you'd have to change your internet too would you that's that's how they do it you get their internet. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Anything else under action and discussion? Okay. Chief, sorry gone. Coach, I won't bump you this week.

Pardon? I won't bump you this week. I know. I thought of that. I I I would like you to make a motion that we actually carry the departments by alphabetical order. codes first. Um, uh, we had go first. Pardon? Administration [laughter] will go first.

Okay. I would acquies to that. [laughter] [snorts] Um, we did have an appeal this last week. Um, and the, uh, appellet board upheld the uh, works stop order that was placed on the Meadow Road property. Um, however, and it's about the only thing I think I have to discuss with you tonight is that I had I had been using a procedure whereby someone who had an existing structure where the permits had expired and a certificate of occupancy or completion had not been ever issued for the property. In other words, it was what would be called an abandoned permit that it went the length of the permits, the work stopped, nothing ever got done. The permits were never renewed. to get it started. Again, I had um requested either a report by a qualified inspection or engineer uh to to verify that the structure was sound for the purpose it was going to be repermitted for andor a letter from the previous code official.

And the one thing that happened in the Dwit appeal on my stop work order was the hole in my boat in that particular program. Uh, having got a letter from Dan Feny, I issued a building permit for the Meadow Road property and the applicant failed to reveal that there were significant issues with the foundation having not had the opportunity to expect inspect it um and no inspection reports in the book and an abandoned situation where it had been left pretty much exposed to the weather for a number of years. Um, it wound up in a real problem. It cost the doit construction money. It's cost the woman who's having the property built money. It's cost the town money. And this is just I decided at that point that I am changing my policy. I will no longer accept a letter from a previous code official on an abandoned project that has not been issued a seal. It will be an engineer's report and that's all I'll accept. So,

um, unfortunately, having made that decision, the next person that wanted to do this was Mr. Ditig again. [laughter] But at this point, I think he understands the significance, the expense significance to his business if he doesn't move in the right direction. He doesn't like it, but he's not resisting it at this point. So, I just wanted you guys to know that in the future, um, I've changed my plan because my plan had a hole in it. And that change is well within the circle of authority to be able to do so.

Yeah. The the the IRC is pretty clear about the code officials authority to require evidence like most of the boards that are involved uh planning board and appeals board. The applicant is required to provide proof that they comply. End of the story. If we can't put eyes on it, then they're required to get a professional to present test, you know, standard test methods, acceptable test methods. If there are no accepted standard test methods, the code official is is authorized to accept a method presented if he feels it will meet the intent of the code. So, I'm perfectly within my jurisdiction um to do this. And in regards to public safety, it just seems to me to be the best way to go. It's a little more burdensome for the people on the front end, but the future ownership of the home, the future residents and safety, the, you know, first responders, you name it. I I think they deserve that protection. So,

that's the way I would like to go. So, sounds good to me. Other than that, um, we have one more appeal coming up next week. The board's a little busy, but um that will be interesting. You know, week after next, pardon? Week after next.

Week after next, I'm sorry, a week from Monday. Um and I'll be sure to fill you in on the on the What's the date on that? I didn't make it till last. I did watch it. It is Monday the 27th. 27th. Yeah. It's all I have. Any questions for

How's one around? How's that making? It's supposed to start this week, but I did have a discussion with Mike. He had hoped to get to it um late last week. Things are moving around a little bit. He got hung up on a couple things. Um we need to pull a permit on it. Uh I have already pulled the plum the plumbing permit. It's a single page permit that I'm authorized to pull without having to have a site evaluator do it uh under the CMR 241 rules. Um, so Mike and I had a discussion about it and the the permit can either be pulled by the contractor or the applicant. So the permit's mainly just for historical stuff, you know, we can document what's going on, when it went on, how it was done, and so on. And the state will get a copy of it. So Mike asked uh as the applicant that I represent the town and pull in the permit for that. So I will probably try

You know a guy, don't you? You do what now? Yeah. I said, "You know a guy, don't you?" Yeah. And I'll I'll scrutinize the application pretty carefully. So, I may have to throw it back for additional information, but uh but um yeah, so we'll get the permit going. I'm I'm hoping within here a week or so, it should be finished. Blow Brothers did pulled the the portable unit that was there, so it's all it's pretty well all set to go.

Good. Except nobody has a place to go to the bathroom now. [laughter] We going to put a little sign up there that says give them directions to public works. just [laughter] the uh uh gazebo over at the park. We I know we put money in the budget and so on. I know it's been hard trying to find somebody uh that wants to do anything on it and so on. Um how do you have any recommendations where we should go from here to try to get try to get this taken care of this year? Why

don't you ask Mike if he wants to do it? Mike Cob if he wants carpenters to do it. recommendations. I I would like to now that the rest of the work has been being done on the front of it, it would be nice to at least have the opportunity to sit in the gazebo even if nobody actually did it. But um you know that if

if things slow down a little bit this fall, we may have some opportunities. You know, because I know that the the busy work in the construction business has brought a few folks back out of the woodwork here. And if it slows down a little bit, there'll be some some folks around that may have it. And I'll continue to try to um brainstorm, I guess, is the word I'll use. I don't know if it's the appropriate one, but see if we can't come up with something. Okay.

Sorry. All right. Thank you. Thank you, administrator. Um, most of my stuff's in there. The only thing is I do have a meeting tomorrow morning in Lisbon to talk about the opening of the bridge. Okay. So, I should have more information and I will email you guys anything I learn. Um, and should be exciting finally. [laughter]

All right. Thank you, Commissioner. to um I would like to uh have you guys look at and just uh [clears throat] you know give your u out. situation. I've had a lot of concerns, a lot of complaints, a lot of a lot of grumbling um of why we put pavement on the good section instead of the bad section. And I understand to the average taxpayer that would make perfect sense, but this letter explains that. So, I intend to mail that to everyone on Davis Road and the roads off from that uh neighborhood area. before I plan to have Ruth print me off some labels. And

I see where this is going. Um, and then the other letters. So, you have a Davis Road letter and then you have the uh runaround rabbit letter. I've already met with most of the land owners there, but the few I haven't. And I'd soon have them have a way of get a to be able to if they have concerns, I'd like them to be able to call me and talk about fences or other issues that

we could come to some compromise on. And okay, everyone else or do you still need time to read them? No, most of them. the only thing I probably should add I should have added to the Davis road letter is that uh you're going to get cracks but the same cracks that were there it's called reflective cracking are going to reflect back through the new surface pavement and so at that point we would uh crack seal those next year and uh so just that's it's inevitable if you have when you do an overlay you're those those um cracks will come back will show on the surface it might be next year but

what's it cost to put something like this out. It's 47 cents a letter. Well, yeah, but I mean, so the the bulk of it. Could we also saying people are going to, you know, this, you know, I think people would really appreciate the communication and, you know, maybe it's it's actually not a bad idea. Maybe he should do it like a monthly one or something, you know, just to kind of give a report of where he's at and what people can

or maybe just something posted on the town channel. That would be cool. That would blast in the new Right. Because that would cost if you have specific things that you Yeah. having it sent out. I should probably give both of these to Shannon and have her put them on.

That would be good, too. Yeah. Um, so I don't know how many properties there are that you were thinking. Well, we'll know as soon as we So maybe Davis Road 40 properties probably. So maybe $20 for for one. And then Yeah.

So it's not going off. This isn't going out to the whole town. We're probably between the two roads. We're probably talking less than 150. We should should easily be less than 150, I think. If you live on the section of Davis Road, it's rough. It's I think it's good to see the letter and realize, okay, that makes perfect sense now. And

I think people [clears throat] will appreciate it. Nobody's ever sent out to them, you know, in the past. So, be the first time. No issues with him sending that. Nope. No. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. No, I appreciate the efforts to to communicate the information to.

We're working hard at changing our getting a good uh a good view of the public. So, I'm getting a lot of compliments and a lot of people everywhere I meet people. They they were a little rough at first, but it seems to be coming around. So,

seeing new pavement down is always enough to make people smile. any any other um we got the trees cut and u uh there were a lot more trees than I had thought. You know, once you get some of them out of the way than you look and you're like, "Oh jeez, I probably should just get rid of these." And so we took a lot of trees. I mean there was hundreds of trees that ended up going because this figure this is my one shot to do it and get it done instead of going back and fighting with them year after year with so the uh the three maple trees that the lady had signs on uh met with her and ne took Ron with me just to make sure there was two of us to talk with her and reason with her and she was fine. So, but today she stopped in my office and um apparently uh they cut the wood and piled it up and I under the understanding that Barry was going to put it up in her driveway, but I think he had to go do another job somewhere.

So, she stopped in and upset that some guy in a blue one ton truck was taking it and she went out and told him that that was her wood and he told her that that's taxpayer wood and he was free to take it all he wanted to. And so I said, "Well, we'll go home." And I said, "Here's my cell phone number." I said, "Get his license plate number and call me and I'll call the sheriff or and we'll both be over there, take care of it." So, uh, I haven't heard from her since, so I'm hoping he got the hint and didn't come back, but cuz she told him she was going to call the sheriff and he said, "I don't care. Go ahead." And I said, "Did you get his plate number?" She said, "I got the first letter." [laughter] There was it right down. But, uh, so, um, [clears throat] that's, uh, that's what I got there. So, that's all we've been doing. We've been just changing cross pipes. We did the pond and now we're working on uh runaround pond road

changing those pipes and so in my budget for a time I figured a day a piece and that's [clears throat] about what it takes a day a piece and so we're on on schedule with that. I did check with um there's there's the the issue of creating these rumble strips with the tracks. So I have two options. One is I

called um Noatras and uh they have rubber cleat that we can take off the metal ones and put the rubber ones on. Um that's going to cost $6,900 for the bolts and the cleat and take two or three days to do it. [clears throat]

tired excavator for 3500 a month. So you'd be looking at um 7 to 97 7 to $9,000. So this way we would have the tracks and we could reuse them on another project. I was going to say, yeah, the first option sounds maybe tedious, but then [clears throat] you'd always have it. Yeah. Well, that's what I I

How comparable of a fix is it? I mean, is the rental unit with the rubber tracks versus the impact that that would make on on the new pavement versus the screw on rubber cleats on the metal track piece of equipment that we have. Would would they be comparable protection for the new pavement or

the tracks? Would it be a sort of most of the way fix? The tracks would be the most appropriate or effective. Um the the tires could still leave knobs in that in the hot sun, but I don't think it would. But that brand new pavement, it's just

it's hard cuz when they twist, they got to be careful. They got to go straight and not twist. Cuz they sit there and rock and twist. They're going to tear it out what they have on it. Yeah. And I'm not so worried about tearing it up. It's creating that rumble struck cuz we're going to put a new layer of pavement over it. And so that's why I put in the letter here that you're going to see us working on that pavement. I want people to understand that cuz they see us working on that new pavement and they're going to then they don't realize there's another layer coming. So we'll put that on the website. Well, this will be on there. So

Okay. Um you have in the budget. That's the next question. Where the money going to go on? Well, it would have to come from that project, the bond. Is there enough money in that project with the engineering and the flagging and the tree work and all the sort of other things that we've

Yeah. carved out of it? Mhm. Um it's specific to this job. Um it's it's it's just a cost of doing this job. But then next year and a year after town benefits from it. Yeah. It's it's I don't I don't see an alternative. Just the 150 ft on Quaker meeting house road and and and it sounds like a rumble strip on I95. So I mean not that bad, but it sounds like somebody just zing zing and front of their house. So I'm going to take a big I'm going to take a 10 ton roller over there as soon as summer comes back. I said, "Yeah, we'll be over next hot day." Well, we don't have any. So that day, you know, it was it got pretty warm. So, and

this is more for because of longer stretches of road. Um, I'm asking that because I know that the the back hole that we got, we got a swivel knuckle and a ditching bucket for that. We can ditch with that. Obviously, it's slower and it's the reach ain't the same. But I'm just I'm asking for down the road if we don't have a long job like that or if that's something that we could use, it might take a little longer. But well, the backho is good to send out to do a driveway cover or a little piece of block ditch. I send it out with one or two guys to go do a a little small job that we have a driveway cover that's just got to be replaced. I've got that available. But you wouldn't want to use it for production ditching. You'd be there long every few feet. You've got to take your outriggers up, move the machine.

Buy it. Well, the back hoes are are they're they're versatile. you you I can if I need to dig something I can like we use it to go unplug culverts or um I can jump in it and drive 30 m hour down the road whereas an excavator you're you're not

I don't really want to see you driving [laughter] 30 m an hour down the road in the back well 20 m you can you can drive down the road pretty fast with one of those with a it's good for storm events and things like that yeah I can I can take it from here to Bowie Hill and be over there in a few minutes and whereas if I got to load an excavator I got to get trailers and trucks and

find it find a place find a place to load and unload and then [clears throat] when you're done people don't want the equipment you if you if you got the uh rubber cleat for that would you typically just leave them on or or would you or do do they wear a lot and you need to go back and forth

well this is the thing I don't know I asked Scott to go back and research that for me uh find out what he can find out [clears throat] you want to take them off in the mud that's for sure well they they you know the guy told me that if you get off the road you're not going to have any action.

You're going to have to pick yourself back up with a bucket and put yourself [clears throat] in the road. So, well, in pres I mean, just thinking about the nature of of rubber as a softer material, they're going to araid. They're going to wear if you keep them on all the

time. That was what I asked uh Scott to look at, but he said there was nothing to look at. I said, "Well, find out who the manufacturer is so we can go to the manufacturer's website and we can look at ratings and we can look at we can find out who else has used the product because it's an aftermarket product. When you say aftermarket, that could be anything from

must be somewhat similar material to the rubber tracks that are on smaller hose. I just want to add something. [clears throat] They're steel track covered with rubber. So, they are very structurally. They're steel track covered with rubber.

Right. Okay. You know what I mean? You think rubber track and real like you said, right? But this is actually the chain stays. You just taken the grouses off what's there now. Putting those on. He researched it and he said that there was it was a steel track with rubber and calves.

You get back to us on it. You have to do more research or Well, yeah, but I need to pull the trigger on it quickly. I need to pull the trigger on it. Can't have the machine done very long. Takes takes four or five days to get them here and then it would take two or three days to put them on. You end up having to burn all the bolts off because they're never going to come off. So

Oh, you said about 69 69 something. So, if we uh authorize if we authorized you up to 8,000 to to get these and just in case there was some there was a little bit of leeway in the prices when when it finally came through and so on. Would that would that work or

new bolts? Because over 5,000 I think you need authorization. So, it comes with the bolts. So, it should be good. And what about putting the others back on though? No, that comes with new bolts. So, we'll cut the old ones off.

Yeah. He's talking to a backb. [laughter] going to be charged to that job, we're still well within our budget to get that whole thing done. Yeah. I know we've tucked a couple small things in there. I just don't want to. It's like going to the dollar store. You can

eventually catch it. You know, they have $100. I I know. I was amazing. I do that. Yeah. But we have uh you know we had uh we we we've got a we had 180,000 there. So it'll be it'll we'll be we have the money there to do it.

This gives you the opportunity to get the ditching that you need to get done and then this is what you say is secure and I'm all for it. Yeah. Yeah. I I just uh didn't think that that uh would have that effect on that pavement uh with those street tracks we got. But

it is. So, um, it's it's just it's got to be done. So, I make a motion he buys a the rubber cl authorized up to eight grand. Yeah. Second. Any further any discussion? All in favor? Motion carries. How's that? Let's go ahead.

Cool. Uh, so that's it. Is that that and uh so um that's that's all I got. Okay. Any questions for road commissioner? All right. Thank you. upcoming meetings. We have uh regular selectman's meetings that'll be held here Tuesday, June 28th at 6:30 p.m. and July 12th at 6:30 p.m. Uh also

note that next Tuesday, June 21st will be the first meeting of the comprehensive plan committee. Next Tuesday. Next Tuesday. What time? What was that? I think we were doing 6:30. 6:30. Okay. Um I got it written right down. Can we do you know if we have the uh person for the first executive session update?

There's nobody coming. I'm just discussing the the contract. Okay. So, uh we'll do that one first and uh if you can take if you can take notes as far as when we come out on that one and then I'll take care of the uh second [clears throat] one. But

Okay. Okay. So, I move that we go into executive session pursuant to 1 MRSA 4056C real estate. Second. All in favor? Motion carries.