LIMESTONE, Maine — As members of Limestone’s selectboard began deliberating in executive session, residents shuffled to their cars, commenting to one another about the tension they perceived during the hour-long public portion of the Oct. 18 meeting.
Two selectmen in particular had issues with multiple changes suggested or already implemented by new Town Manager Matthew Pineo. Since he took the helm on Oct. 2, he has suggested appointing two deputy treasurers, has started reconfiguring offices within Limestone’s municipal building, recommended removing the soda machine from the town office, in addition to altering some aspect of selectboard meetings.
Selectmen first questioned his decision to appoint both Town Clerk Vicki Page and Tax Collector Gayle MacDougal as deputy treasurers so they can both assist with tax collections and account reviews.
“Why do we need two deputy treasurers?” Selectman Tom Albert asked. “It seems like we have a lot of redundancy. What’s the purpose of this?”
Pineo explained that the appointments would create a three-part system that includes both treasurers and himself, and functions to “prevent theft within the system.”
“That’s why you appoint so many people,” Pineo said, “so you have three sets of eyes to ensure that selectmen are not held accountable for someone embezzling thousands of dollars.”
Selectperson Melissa Devoe asked Pineo if this is a common practice in other communities.
“It’s common practice across the state,” Pineo said, adding that he formerly served as president of the Maine Municipal Tax Collector and Treasurer Association. “These are necessary positions. These are just titles so they can do their job, accept the money, and do the necessary work in the office.”
Albert asked how choosing not to appoint a second treasurer would limit the town’s ability to collect taxes and handle money.
“We would have to cut her [Gayle MacDougal] out of the system of how we go through the bills,” Pineo said.
“How you do it,” Albert added.
“I review everything, and Vicki enters everything,” Pineo said, “so if there are three sets of eyes on the bills, we ensure everything is accurate.”
Albert asked what would happen if one of the deputy treasurers was on vacation, to which Pineo said, “We would have to do it ourselves,” adding that it is up to the board to determine how to proceed.
“I’d like to get an opinion from MMA” said Devoe, “because this is not something we’ve done in the past. I’d like to know what the legalities are.”
Pineo said his suggested method allows for more accountability, but that he would contact MMA. The board then agreed to appoint Page as deputy treasurer and to table the appointment of MacDougal for now.
In addition to changes within the town office, the selectboard meeting format was changed so that Page was taking minutes during the meeting while Pineo sat at the same table as the selectmen. Prior to this meeting, Limestone’s town manager had sat at a separate table and worked on the minutes during the meeting.
Albert asked why the town was paying overtime to have Page take notes of the meeting.
“Actually,” Pineo said, “her schedule is flexed out, so she can …”
“I’m asking a question,” Albert said, cutting the town manager off. “Isn’t this our meeting? Shouldn’t this be decided by us, who takes our minutes?”
Pineo said that while the board can choose to go back to the way things were done before, it would be difficult for him to simultaneously “discuss things with the board and take minutes.”
“I don’t want to miss anything,” Pineo said, “but it is up to the board.”
Albert said he shouldn’t have walked into the meeting to find a different layout, and that if those changes were going to be made, they should have been pitched to the board first.
“If the board decided to do it,” Albert said, “we’d do it. Not just, we’ll do it and ask for forgiveness after we do it.”
After ten seconds of silence, Chairman Steven Beaulieu asked if the board had any “feelings about who takes the minutes.”
No formal vote was taken about who would take the minutes, but Devoe said she had “budgetary questions” about paying town employees overtime.
“We passed a strict budget during our town meeting,” Devoe said. “I think these changes should be discussed with the board first. This is the Board of Selectmen’s meeting, and most of us came in here not knowing what’s going on.”
“Please accept my apology,” Pineo said. “This is how I’ve always set up professional meetings. I have had little to no direction and have only been here for two and a half weeks. If the board is unhappy, then I believe we should discuss this in executive session.”
Before the selectmen went into a two and a half hour long executive session, a couple members of the public offered comments to the new town manager.
“I’m really impressed that we have a new town manager,” said Irma LaBreck, “and I hope that the Selectpeople won’t do too much micromanagement, because that’s something I’ve seen in the past. Let him have a chance to do something for the town.”
Julie Weston welcomed Pineo to the town, and offered to host a meet and greet at her coffee shop on Main street.
“This happened so suddenly that most of the people didn’t even know there was a new town manager,” Weston said, “so I’d like to offer Manaus Books and Coffee Shop as a place for a meet and greet.”
Pineo thanked Weston for her comments, and the board entered into executive session after approving warrants.
Pineo said on Thursday that among the matters discussed behind closed doors were a personnel issue and acquisition of property for economic development. No action was taken after the selectmen left the executive session at 10:30 p.m., he said.
He said he could not talk about the issues discussed in executive session.
Limestone’s next Selectboard meeting is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 1 at the town office.
