Select Board Meeting ~ September 8, 2026

2026-09-08 · Select Board · 56:31 · watch on YouTube →

Regular Select Board meeting held at the fire station on September 8, 2026. A resident, Catherine, presented a "Durham trail challenge" she is launching the week of September 20th, which led into board discussion of forming a recreation/community engagement committee. The board appointed two members to the Economic Development Committee, approved a $6,777 withdrawal from the Union Church account for foundation and sill work, and sitting as the Board of Assessors approved a $91.80 abatement and signed the municipal valuation return. The manager reported on a letter to MDOT requesting a four-way stop at Route 9 and Runaround Pond, the new online searchable code, trash bag availability at local stores, and his upcoming knee surgery. Board members reported on sheriff's department contacts about dump trucks and speeding, a solid waste policy coming November 10th, and the RSU5 community workshops; the meeting closed with a motion to enter executive session on a personnel matter.

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. 2:12
   Call to order and agenda amendments

   The chair opened the meeting at 6:31 at the fire station with the Pledge of Allegiance and noted a quorum. He flagged that he would raise next steps for the board's goal setting in his board member report rather than amending the agenda.

2. 7:22
   Public comment: Durham trail challenge

   Catherine, of Briana Drive, said she is a registered Maine guide and was asked by Deb Alma to create a Durham trail challenge, which she has titled to include "tales and treasures." She worked with the historical society and checked locations with the chief, will circulate it starting the week of September 20th with copies at the town office, the Get and Go and the school lobby, plus a link and a dedicated email address on the honor system. She suggested it could lead to a recreation committee and pointed to the Chelsea Preserve on Davis Road and the park across from the Get and Go as places needing mowing and trail work.

3. 12:27
   Minutes of last meeting

   Deb (?) moved approval of the previous meeting's minutes and Josh (?) seconded. No questions or discussion were raised.

4. 12:27
   Economic Development Committee appointments

   The board reviewed applications for one open seat and one alternate seat. A motion was made to appoint Angela Goulette (?) to the open position and Nathaniel Hayes to the alternate position, with a comment that the applicants do this work professionally.

5. 12:27
   Union Church account withdrawal

   Tia (?) described the church project: a May fundraiser raised $21,000, which covered the foundation with extra going toward painting the Methodist church, and the total project is around $53,000. She explained the original 1950s footers were unconnected, causing the shift, and said work should finish by late September or mid-October. She asked that the check be made out directly to the contractor and agreed to supply a W-9.

6. 17:38
   Move into Board of Assessors

   Josh (?) moved and John (?) seconded moving into the Board of Assessors.

7. 17:38
   Property tax abatement

   A structure was demolished prior to April 1, 2026 with the permit paid in October 2025; no paper copy of the permit was created and the property was never visited. A motion was made to accept an abatement of $91.80 on Map 7, Lot 97.

8. 17:38
   Municipal valuation return and assessment ratio

   A board member noted the certified ratio in box three is 47% where state law expects over 70%, meaning valuations are less than half of what they should be and the 25.5 mill rate is effectively lower; at 100% valuation the rate would be about 12.75. The last full revaluation was in 2010, 16 years ago. The board moved to accept the 2026 municipal valuation return, then moved to exit the Board of Assessors.

9. 22:46
   Manager report: trash bags and MDOT request

   The manager (Jerry) said Rough (?) will not sell the town bags because they would have to buy 100 cases. He reported sending a letter to MDOT requesting a four-way stop at Route 9 and Runaround Pond following a recent accident and resident complaints, with no reply yet; he noted other nearby intersections are already four-way stops.

10. 22:46
    Discussion of speed limits and closing the loop with MDOT

    Board members discussed MDOT's method of setting speed limits from line of sight, vehicle density and traffic counts, and a member asked that the loop be formally closed by having MDOT confirm in writing or in the minutes that the posted speed is appropriate. Options raised were targeted enforcement, which was not budgeted this cycle, and permanent speed feedback signs on a DOT road. The manager said he would call Matt (?) at MDOT and report back.

11. 22:46
    Manager report: online codification

    The manager demonstrated the new searchable ordinance book, available on the town website under documents and ordinances and linked to the e-code site. Ordinances passed at town meeting will be added each year, and the enforceable hard copy is kept at the town office. He credited the planning board and George for a year to eighteen months of work.

12. 27:58
    Manager report: absences and surgery

    The manager said he will not attend the September 22nd meeting because of an appointment on the 23rd, and that he is scheduled for a full knee replacement on November 4th, so he expects to be largely absent in November.

13. 27:58
    Award-winning town report

    The board recognized a fourth consecutive first-place town report award at the MMA conference, competing among towns between 2,500 and 5,000 in population. The manager credited staff entirely for assembling it.

14. 27:58
    Trash bags at Shaw's

    A board member asked whether the manager had heard from Shaw's, as residents report Shaw's can no longer carry the bags and that Shaw's staff claim they emailed the town multiple times. The manager had not heard anything, and it was noted Market Basket and Hannaford still carry them.

15. 33:37
    Planning board resignation

    The chair reported that Sunny (?) resigned from the planning board last week and thanked her for her service. Taran (?) is the alternate who would move into the vacancy, and the board noted a call for volunteers would be needed for the resulting opening.

16. 33:37
    Recreation and community engagement committee; fitness court grant

    The chair said he has heard from several residents wanting a community engagement and recreation committee, citing trail and park maintenance and models like "friends of the park" groups, and asked that it be placed on an upcoming agenda. He also reported that the fitness court grant application he and the manager have been preparing should go out in the next couple of weeks, though the contact person they were working with is retiring this month. One member argued for creating the committee immediately; the chair preferred agendizing it so residents could comment before a vote.

17. 33:37
    Next meeting: goal setting action items

    The chair proposed that the September 22nd meeting be devoted to turning the goal-setting workshop report into action items, to be titled "select board priority setting and action items." The manager will be absent but said he is comfortable with the board starting without him and can watch the recording. The board agreed to keep it as a meeting rather than a workshop so votes could be taken.

18. 38:38
    Election straw poll language

    The town clerk asked whether the board wants a survey at this year's election, as the language would be needed by the next meeting. Items suggested were a straw poll on the recreation committee and on town referendum vote interest, with reference to a previous policing straw poll that drew a large response ahead of an expected high-turnout election.

19. 38:38
    September 11th remembrance

    The chair announced he will attend the 25th anniversary remembrance event Friday at 8:00 a.m. at the fire station, open to everyone and not a board meeting.

20. 38:38
    Josh's report: sheriff's department, dump trucks and speeding

    Josh (?) said he spoke with two road supervisors and deputies, who are not concerned about dump truck speeds and who had a call about a mistaken belief that dump trucks were banned on Brown Road. The deputies agreed that routing trucks down Route 9 to 136 past the school and fire department raises safety concerns, and they would support the four-way stop at Rabbit Road and Runaround Pond, attributing accidents there to side-road drivers misjudging gaps and to line of sight. They told him the real fix for public safety is two full-time deputies rather than targeted enforcement, citing Poland's experience, and they suggested the town might build the road instead.

21. 43:50
    Deb's report: solid waste policy and committee liaison

    Deb (?) reported that the solid waste policy discussed at the goal-setting workshop will be ready for a select board agenda on November 10th. She questioned whether the committee needs a select board representative but said she would attend Monday's meeting and ask; John (?) offered to serve if wanted.

22. 49:14
    Band stand update

    The materials list development has started, and the reporting member expects to reach out to the town manager and Calvin in about a week before bringing it back to the board.

23. 49:14
    Rebecca's report: RSU5 three-year-old task force

    Rebecca (?) reported the RSU5 three-year-old task force has begun work on making the cohort accessible, with two more meetings this month.

24. 49:14
    RSU5 community workshops and news blast

    The board discussed RSU5 holding one community meeting per town on deeding/valuation, with Durham's falling on the 22nd, the same night as the select board meeting. Members could not locate the original notice, which appears to have come via a resident forwarding the school's Facebook post, and asked that a link be included in the town news blast.

25. 49:14
    Town meeting date and graduation conflict

    A member reported speaking with Tom (?), who assured her the town meeting will not again fall on graduation day, a problem last year caused by venue availability. The school calendar shows graduation Sunday, June 13th, with town meeting expected June 12th, and the venue contract is already signed.

26. 54:14
    Sean's report: election staffing, staff reports and CMP funds

    Sean (?) noted staff are short a person while preparing for the election and offered board help. He praised the three staff reports, including the chief's detail on unfunded mandates and costs, and commended Jerry and Calvin for obtaining $40,000 from CMP for road repair.

27. 54:14
    Consent agenda, AP warrant and upcoming meetings

    The board moved approval of the consent agenda and signed the AP warrant. Upcoming meetings listed: Solid Waste Committee September 14th at Eureka Center 6:30; Conservation Commission September 16th at Durham River Park 6:30; Agriculture Committee September 16th at Eureka Center 7:00; Select Board September 22nd at the fire station; Planning Board October 7th at the fire station.

28. 54:14
    Executive session

    The chair noted an executive session under a personnel matter and a motion was made to move into it.

What was decided

• 12:27
  Approve the minutes of the last meeting (moved by Deb, seconded by Josh)passed
• 12:27
  Appoint Angela Goulette (?) to the open Economic Development Committee position and Nathaniel Hayes to the alternate positionpassed
• 17:38
  Approve withdrawal of $6,777 from the Union Church account, with the check made out to the contractor and a W-9 obtainedoutcome unclear
• 17:38
  Move into the Board of Assessors (Josh, second John)passed
• 17:38
  Accept the abatement of $91.80 on Map 7, Lot 97passed
• 22:46
  Accept the 2026 municipal valuation returnpassed
• 22:46
  Exit the Board of Assessors (Josh, second John)passed
• 33:37
  Create a Durham community engagement / recreation committee — a motion from the floor was floated but the board agreed instead to place it on the next meeting's agendatabled
• 33:37
  Devote the September 22nd meeting to "select board priority setting and action items," including the recreation committee and election straw poll, as a regular meeting rather than a workshoppassed
• 54:14
  Approve the consent agenda (Josh, second John)passed
• 54:14
  Move into executive session on a personnel matteroutcome unclear

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

• 17:38
  Durham's assessment ratio is 47% against a state expectation of over 70%; the last full revaluation was in 2010, and at 100% valuation the mill rate would be about 12.75 rather than 25.5.
• 54:14
  Jerry and Calvin obtained $40,000 from CMP for road repair.
• 43:50
  Sheriff's department staff told Josh that targeted enforcement will not solve the town's traffic complaints and that two full-time deputies are needed — a proposal the board has previously voted down.
• 22:46
  The town's letter to MDOT requesting a four-way stop at Route 9 and Runaround Pond has received no reply; the board asked the manager to contact MDOT and close the loop in the minutes.

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: 6 passages of motion language, against 11 decisions summarised.

Elsewhere

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