Select Board Meeting ~ September 22, 2026

2026-09-22 · Select Board · 2:04:34 · watch on YouTube →

Regular Select Board meeting of September 22, 2026, chaired by Joe, with board members John, Rebecca, Deb and Josh present; Town Manager Jerry was absent and his report was read aloud. The agenda was reordered so the fire department and public works capital requests came first. The board authorized $65,000 from the fire CIP account to replace the engine in and refurbish the forestry/brush truck, and $46,000 from the public works CIP for a portable automated work-zone traffic signal system. It added a straw poll question to the November 3 ballot asking whether residents support exploring an alternative method of voting on the annual budget, land use and other ordinances, appointed two election clerks, and moved the town office's late night from Thursday to Tuesday starting January 2027. The remainder of the meeting worked through the board's goals list, assigning members to revenue/assessing questions, a town real property inventory, committee rules, and facilities expansion, and creating a community engagement committee on a 3-2 vote.

No written minutes could be matched to this meeting. The transcript records that the speaker changed but never who was speaking, so any name attached to a statement below is inferred from context and is marked (?).

What was discussed

1. 3:40
   Agenda amendments and minutes

   A motion moved the fire department CIP request, the public works CIP request and the department reports ahead of the discussion on select board goals, and moved old business to the end of new business; it carried unanimously. Rebecca then moved approval of the previous meeting's minutes, which passed unanimously. No public comment was offered.

2. 3:40
   Fire department CIP request: brush truck engine

   The fire chief, with Lieutenant Dan Tibo of Durham Fire (36-year member, proprietor of Mid Coast Truck Repair and Towing), reported a catastrophic engine failure in the 2011 Ford F550 forestry/brush truck, now at Casco Bay Ford. The truck has about 16,000 miles, cost $95,000 all in 15 years ago, and would cost more than $250,000 to replace new; about $13,000 was spent on it this year, $11,500 of that on the exhaust and DEF system. Options presented were a new engine (about $40,000), a new chassis ($54,000-$58,000 for the chassis alone), or a new truck; the chief and the mechanics recommended the new engine with warranty.

3. 13:52
   Combining the planned refurbishment with the engine work

   John (?) suggested doing the $25,000 refurbishment already in the CIP for about 2030 at the same time as the engine, since the truck is stripped and the rusted custom front bumper must come off anyway. The chief said the work should extend the truck's life about another 15 years and that the refurbishment includes an $8,000 mobile radio. He said the fire CIP balance is about $567,000, with no purchases scheduled in 2027 or 2028, a pumper rehab in 2029 and an ambulance in 2030 estimated at $710,000.

4. 19:11
   Vote on $65,000 for the brush truck

   The board authorized $65,000 from the fire CIP: $40,000 for the engine and $25,000 for the refurbishment, including the bumper and the radio. The chief estimated up to about four weeks for the parts and work.

5. 24:54
   Fire department staffing and training

   The chief reported EMT shift coverage at 98%, with two more members taking EMT in the next month or two and the department sponsoring an 18-year-old town resident in an EMT class, plus two candidates for firefighter class in January. EMT classes are covered by grants apart from a roughly $200 book; firefighter tuition is about $1,500, paid from the training budget, and trainees are not paid an hourly wage for coursework. Members were credited with saving a house at 222 Auburn Road (Mr. Sprague (?)).

6. 24:54
   Straw poll question for the November 3 election

   Jessica (?) said ballot language was needed immediately because early voting begins October 5 and about 200 absentee ballots must be stuffed and mailed Monday. Joe (?) proposed a question on moving the municipal budget to a referendum-style ballot vote, noting a budget committee member is circulating a petition to move away from the town meeting form of government. John opposed adding any straw poll this time, saying there was no opportunity for residents to get information or for both sides to be presented; a question about revisiting police presence was raised but not pursued.

7. 30:34
   Drafting the straw poll language

   The board word-smithed the question at length, settling on wording about exploring an alternative method of voting rather than asking for a decision, so as not to suggest a move to a town council form of government. Josh (?) asked for a cost figure before supporting it; others said the poll only authorizes gathering information, with any fiscal note and public hearings to come later. Final wording: "Do you support the select board in the town of Durham exploring an alternative method of voting for the annual budget, land use and other ordinances?"

8. 46:04
   Public works CIP: portable traffic signals

   Calvin (?) presented five bids for a trailer-mounted automated work-zone signal system, the preferred bid at $44,298 plus a $1,300 sign package, against $50,000 set aside in the CIP. He said he had dropped a $10,000-$15,000 flagger line item from the budget because flaggers were unavailable and rates had risen to around $60 an hour, and that the signals free two of his four crew members from flagging. The units include countdown timers and can be hauled two at a time.

9. 51:12
   Public works report and paving question

   Calvin (?) said a decision on paving (Stackpole (?) Road) depends on what the paving company says it can do this fall compared with next year, in consultation with Jerry; no answer yet. He will bring it back to the board.

10. 51:12
    Election clerk applications

    Two applications were received for two election clerk positions and both were approved. Board members thanked the applicants.

11. 51:12
    Town office closure on October 7 and early voting

    John (?) asked whether closing the office October 7 for the Maine Municipal Association conference conflicts with the early in-person voting period. Jessica (?) said it had been done in past years and she did not believe it violates any law but would double-check; the outside dropbox remains available. The board asked that the closure be publicized as soon as possible.

12. 56:25
    Moving the office late night from Thursday to Tuesday

    Joe (?) noted six of Maine's 13 state holidays fall on Mondays and Thanksgiving is always a Thursday, so a Thursday late night guarantees lost long days each year, and in 2027 two holidays fall on Thursdays. Moving the late night to Tuesday also aligns it with select board meeting nights when staff are already in the building. The change was approved beginning January 2027.

13. 1:01:56
    Board goals: revenue and property taxes (goals 7, 8, 9)

    The board began working through the highest-ranked goals from its workshop. Joe (?) said the business personal property commitment book shows very low asset values for businesses he believes hold much more equipment, and asked whether that is normal or a consequence of no revaluation in about 16 years. He will meet with assessor Donna Hayes, tentatively September 28, and invite her to an October meeting with questions submitted in advance; Josh was given first refusal to attend. Jessica (?) noted the BETE exemption program as another question for the assessor.

14. 1:12:34
    Real property inventory and management

    Joe (?) asked that Jerry, Calvin and George present the town's property inventory publicly, with a preliminary sorting into categories: already occupied by town buildings, undevelopable, and potentially usable or saleable. Examples (?) raised were the 10 or 11 acres on Swamp Road cleared for a baseball field that was never built, a parcel along the power line, and subdivision open space the town may not be free to sell. John (?) volunteered to work on this item; a realtor on the economic development committee could later be asked about values.

15. 1:17:35
    Strategic leadership, comprehensive plan and community engagement

    The board discussed goals 23, 24 and 14, noting the comprehensive plan must be done in 2028 and that the open space plan, downtown visioning work and the economic development committee's plan (final plan 2028) already cover parts of it. Joe will email George about what preparation can start in 2027 and how to break the work up. He also proposed a resident-led committee to inventory existing community events and recommend ways to increase engagement.

16. 1:33:30
    Vote on the community engagement committee

    Josh (?) said he would not support creating another committee until he had seen draft bylaws or a written charge; Deb favoured calling out for members first and letting them propose their own structure, while Rebecca (?) argued the committee should be formed now with reporting requirements added later. The motion passed 3-2, with five members and two alternates; Joe will ask Jerry to put out a call. A parks and recreation committee was raised by Rebecca and set aside.

17. 1:38:39
    Review of committees and committee rules (goals 2-6)

    Jerry had sent Joe a draft "Town of Durham boards, committee and commission guide." Rather than circulating it by email and risking an illegal meeting discussion, two members will review it and bring a presentation to the board, with a workshop to follow. Deb later took Joe's place on this item, pairing with Rebecca, who will not be at the October meeting.

18. 1:44:06
    Facilities expansion

    The board recalled an architectural sketch for expanding the town hall published in the 2006 town report, which Jerry has electronically. Joe will find out from Jerry what facilities work already exists, including the downtown visioning committee's written report, which did not cover public works, and put it on a future agenda.

19. 1:44:06
    Assignment of goal items

    Deb and Rebecca took goals 2-6 (committees), Joe and John took 7-9 (revenue, real property), and Joe with John took 23, 24 and 14 (strategic leadership and community engagement). A board member offered to draft objective statements for posting on the town website, and the idea of a public dashboard of open items was raised.

20. 1:49:16
    Town manager's report (read aloud)

    Jerry (?) reported no response yet from the MaineDOT regional planner on safety programs or from traffic engineers on a possible all-way stop at Route 9, Runaround Pond Road and Rabbit Road. The board agreed that if there is no reply by the first week of October it will contact the town's state legislators, including Representative Kilden Webb (?), who lives in town. Also reported: a public works employee resigned and the position will be advertised; tablets have been ordered, with printed packets still available on request; the town office closes Wednesday, October 7 for the MMA conference at the Augusta Civic Center.

21. 1:54:37
    Board member reports

    Joe and John will attend the GPCOG northern semiannual convening at Pineland Farms on September 28 from 6 to 8 p.m.; Deb and Rebecca declined, and the board noted any attendance by more than two members would be publicized as a non-meeting. Deb (?) reported the bandstand material list comes in under $3,000 and she will meet with Jerry on next steps and soliciting resident labour, thanking Tia and Mr. Daily (?). Rebecca (?) reported on the early childhood task force, which is likely to be extended, and warned it may increase the school budget next year; RSU 5 is under contract for cohort 3 funding in 2026, with 2027 uncertain. The agriculture committee is seeking a member and its notice will be forwarded to Jerry and Jessica for the Durham Blast.

22. 1:59:50
    Election-year reminder, consent agenda and adjournment

    Joe (?) reminded members that they are free to campaign or endorse candidates personally but may not speak on behalf of the town of Durham, saying no one had violated this. The consent agenda was approved and upcoming meetings were listed: ag committee and planning board October 7, select board October 13 at 6:30. The meeting adjourned at about 8:30.

What was decided

• 3:40
  Amend the agenda to take the fire department CIP request, public works CIP request and reports before the select board goals discussion, and move old business to the end of new businesspassed
• 3:40
  Approve the minutes of the previous meeting (moved by Rebecca)passed
• 19:11
  Authorize $65,000 from the fire department CIP account for the brush truck: $40,000 for a new engine and $25,000 for the refurbishment, including bumper and radio (moved by John, seconded by Josh (?))passed
• 40:55
  Add a straw poll question to the November 3 ballot: "Do you support the select board in the town of Durham exploring an alternative method of voting for the annual budget, land use and other ordinances?"passed
• 51:12
  Approve $46,000 from the public works CIP for the purchase of the automated work-zone traffic signal system (seconded by Josh)passed
• 51:12
  Approve both applicants for the two election clerk positions (seconded by Deb)passed
• 56:25
  Beginning January 2027, move the town office's long day from Thursday to Tuesday (moved by Joe (?), seconded by Rebecca)passed
• 1:38:39
  Create a community engagement committee of five members and two alternates, charged with identifying existing community events and recommending ways to improve engagement (moved by Joe, seconded by Rebecca)passed
• 1:59:50
  Approve the consent agenda (moved by Josh, seconded by Rebecca)passed
• 1:59:50
  Adjournpassed

An outcome reads "unclear" where the recording does not state it plainly. The recogniser drops short words, and "the motion does not carry" is one missing word from its opposite.

Worth knowing

• 13:52
  The brush truck responds to about half of all Durham Fire calls; the board spent $65,000 from a $567,000 fire CIP balance rather than face a replacement cost quoted at more than $250,000, after $13,000 in repairs to the same truck already this year.
• 24:54
  The straw poll language had to be finalised that night: about 200 absentee ballots go in the mail Monday and early in-person voting starts October 5. John voted for the question but argued there was no time for residents to be informed.
• 1:49:16
  The request for an all-way stop at Route 9, Runaround Pond Road and Rabbit Road has gone unanswered by MaineDOT since February; members cited two more accidents there and agreed to involve the town's state legislators if there is no reply by the first week of October.
• 1:33:30
  The community engagement committee was created on a 3-2 vote, the split being over whether bylaws and a written charge should be written before a committee is formed rather than by the committee itself.

Motion language found in the transcript

Located by pattern matching, with no model involved: "I move that", "I'll second", "all those in favour". This is an independent check on the summary above: 9 passages of motion language, against 10 decisions summarised.

Elsewhere

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