By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer
LIMESTONE — While the majority of the July 18 Board of Selectpeople was focused on the future of ambulance coverage for the town, other important matters were discussed as well — like a bus/van for the recreation department, a bear in town, and the town’s plan to deal with unruly bushes and lawns.
Selectperson Gary O’Neal also requested that when the board conclude their meeting, they did so in memory of Mahlon “Bud” Harvey, who died on July 15 at the age of 91.
“He was a 29-year veteran of the Limestone Volunteer Fire Department, and I believe he was the chief for [years],” O’Neal said. “He was very active in civic affairs in the town and he was a nice guy.”
Obtaining a bus/van for the Limestone Recreation Department has been a topic of discussion for the selectpeople the past few months, as the department has to rent a bus from RSU 39 in order to take Limestone kids around The County for various games and events. Last year, renting a bus cost the town thousands of dollars.
The selectpeople discussed the feasibility of three different vehicles that had been put out to bid by a local agency, and eventually the board made the motion to allow the town to submit a bid. As announcing their bid amount on a sealed-bid item is a good way to lose the bid, the selectpeople agreed the amount announcement would come later.
Selectperson Devoe was the only board member who didn’t agree on not disclosing the bid amount and voted opposed.
“The people have a right to know what the bid’s going to be,” he stated.
Not for the first time, selectperson Jesse Philbrick asked Town Manager Donna Bernier what was being done to trim the bushes around the town’s sign near the Limestone/Caribou line, and Philbrick had a list of other public works related items that he would like to see done around the town, like cutting back trees and performing maintenance on various vehicles. Philbrick also said that he’d heard that the Public Works Department had a cable television.
Bernier informed Philbrick that she didn’t believe there was a cable television at the public works department, but he does have a computer with Internet access and a monitor.
Concluding his list of items, Philbrick stated “I think he’s shrugging his work here … it’s time to put him to work.”
Bernier reported that the interview process for the town’s new full-time office position would begin on July 19; selectpeople Gahagan and Pelletier told Bernier they would assist in the interview process.
She also informed the board that there are multiple properties in town whose owners have not been mowing their lawns.
Letters have been drafted to the various landowners and Bernier explained that, per Limestone’s ordinance, should the owners not respond to the issue, the town can put a lien on their property and send someone to cut the grass.
The board also tabled a proposed fireworks ordinance, as it was expressed that the proposed rules were a bit excessive, and opened over a dozen bids for a new pick-up truck for the fire department; a committee with the chief, Gahagan and Devoe was formed to look over the bids to find the best match.
O’Neal also informed the board that there’s a bear in town; Limestone’s full-time officer Corey Larlee informed the board that he’s been keeping information cards pertaining to bear sightings to provide assisting agencies with; after discussing the bear situation, the board instructed Larlee to contact the local game warden to see what their agency’s recommendation was.
The next meeting of the Limestone Board of Selectpeople is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 1 at 6:30 p.m. at the Limestone Municipal Building.
