Staff Writer
LIMESTONE — For the first time in two weeks, the Limestone Selectpeople have a Wednesday night off. The Selectpeople met twice in a row on Feb. 25 and March 4 to discuss community happenings for the town. During the meeting on Feb. 25, the Selectpeople received the 2009-10 Municipal Draft Budget to review for the meeting on March 4 and revisited the request from the Assessor’s Agent to remove the 10 percent economic obsolescence factor from property values, which the Selectpeople voted unanimously in favor of.
The Selectpeople then received an update on tax acquired properties as of Feb. 17 and deliberated over each individual case before coming to a decision. They voted unanimously to accept sealed bids on three properties, sign a quitclaim deed on one property, and voted to give one property owner until April 1 to pay past due property taxes.
The Selectpeople also voted to table action on one property until March 18.
Regarding the town-owned property on Long Road, Scott and Robbie Caldwell have expressed their interest in leasing or purchasing the property. The Selectpeople unanimously voted in favor of having the Town Manager, Donna Bernier, call the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for a site evaluation and then set up a meeting with the Code Enforcement Officer to document on paper exactly what will be needed for the Caldwell’s to develop the parcel, which is approximately five acres. Further discussion on this topic is scheduled for the next meeting of the Selectpeople on March 18.
After two hours of executive session, the Selectpeople voted unanimously to grant a 45-day period for Joey LaPierre to contract with a plumber to get the required plumbing done for his new business and for the Board to grant a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy to LaPierre so that his business, BLVD Graphix could open.
Selectperson Fred Pelletier reported that the Library Expansion Committee is very close to sending out bids for the expansion of the Robert F. Frost Memorial Library. Bid opening is schedulejd for April 8 at the town office.
At the start of the Selectpeople’s meeting on March 4, it was announced that Galen Griffeth had resigned from the budget approval committee.
The Selectpeople were given an update on the search for a new snowmobile trail groomer by the snowmobile club in Limestone who have been working with Jamie Labreck of the Limestone Recreation Department. Labreck is reportedly 80 to 90 percent completed with a grant to assist the club with the cost of a new groomer.
Librarian Rea Caldwell, Public Works Director Mike Cote, Limestone Fire Chief Paul Durepo, and Limestone Police Chief Stacey Mahan attended the meeting to present their 2009-10 Municipal Draft Budgets.
The Selectpeople raised numerous questions when they reviewed the agreement for ambulance services with The Aroostook Medical Center. As a result, a representative of The Aroostook Medical Center was requested by the Selectpeople to be in attendance at the next meeting.
In the manager’s report, Bernier mentioned that nominations for the RSU committee are due by March 13. There are two positions open to Limestone School representatives.
The Selectmen also discussed the decision made by the Chamber of Commerce to elect a Limestone Citizen of the Year that wasn’t from Limestone, and the involvement of the Limestone Development Foundation in a recent purchase of a building downtown. t meeting is scheduled for March 18 at 6:30 p.m.
