| Joanne Cole |
A meeting that opened with residents enthusiastically supporting the town’s two librarians and the library budget turned contentious as the Select Board discussed and then voted to remove Peter Bragdon as chair. Paul Larrivee was unanimously elected chair. Bragdon retains his seat on the board; his term expires in June.
At issue at the February 6 meeting was what action, if any, the board should—or could—take in response to Bragdon’s having “overstepped” his position, in particular, in acting outside proper channels by using a town radio to direct Public Works’ crews during the late-December snowstorm and in arranging for a warming shelter. That should have been handled by the town manager, EMA director and/or department heads, and Bragdon acknowledged as much in a lengthy ‘clarification/apology’ he read at the board’s January 9 meeting.
Dustin Ward, who had requested the matter be placed on the agenda, said the board felt it important to address the issues “in an open session” and give Bragdon an opportunity to respond. Concern over Bragdon’s recent actions had surfaced during public comment, Ward noted, and 45 residents had sent the board a letter that day requesting action, he said. The letter was not read into the record.
Lawyers had also weighed in. Ward said Bragdon’s attorney had told the board to take no action, while the town’s attorney had substantiated the board’s position and outlined several options. The board could do nothing and move on, take up the matter in March, ask for Bragdon’s resignation, seek a censure, or make a motion and nominations for a new chair. The town attorney apparently cited provisions in town policies as the basis for possible sanctions.
When it was his turn, Bragdon said, “I’ve apologized over and over. I’ve owned my actions.” He acknowledged that some sanction was appropriate and said he wanted “to get past it and move on.” But he also took issue with the board’s handling of the issue. Under Maine municipal law, he should have been given a hearing in a private executive session, Bragdon said. “You guys had a meeting when I was out plowing that I couldn’t be at to discuss this,” referring to a lengthy January executive session with the town attorney, confirmed in meeting minutes.
Board member Tammy Donovan acknowledged that Bragdon was not present at the recent executive session. She brought up a previous attempt by the board to address “his overreach” in executive session but Bragdon had said he would not attend it, she said. Bragdon interrupted her, challenged her account of prior events, and called her a bully. “You orchestrated a lot of this,” he said to Donovan. “I know it. Vote me out. I don’t care.”
The exchange ended with Donovan making a motion to remove the current chair and elect a new chair and vice-chair. Ward seconded. More discussion followed on what the board should do or should have done. For his part, member Stephen Hathorne said, “I do not feel we have followed the statutes correctly,” but he concluded, “the board is following the recommendations of our lawyer. That’s what we’re supposed to do.”
Vice-Chair Paul Larrivee called the vote to remove the current chair and elect a new chair and vice-chair: 4-0-1 with Bragdon abstaining. Larrivee immediately realized that as current vice-chair he shouldn’t have voted on the motion. Do-over: 3-0-2, Bragdon and Larrivee abstaining. Seats were swapped and the gavel was passed to Manager Bill Kerbin to call for nominations and call the vote for a new board chair. Larrivee was elected 4-0-1 and took back the gavel.
Confusion surrounded the election for vice-chair. Peter Bragdon nominated Stephen Hathorne and the vote was called. It deadlocked at 2-2-1 (Bragdon and Larrivee in favor, Donovan and Ward opposed, Hathorne abstaining). Hathorne then asked whether he could vote for himself. He could, came the answer, and so he did. Congratulations were offered.
Board members then realized there should have been a call for additional nominations and a motion to close nominations before any vote on nominees took place. Ward said he was planning to nominate someone, and Larrivee said that he had probably called for the vote too early.
Should they start over and “make sure we do it right,” as Donovan put it? Or was it “too late” and Hathorne “elected fairly,” as Bragdon saw it? Seemingly at an impasse after additional, divided discussion, Larrivee said, “Okay, moving on.” The board moved on.
Full-time or part-time Fire Rescue Chief? Following the recommendation of Manager Bill Kerbin and after discussion, the board voted unanimously to search—again—for a full-time rather than part-time Chief for Fire Rescue. Where board members differed was whether EMT licensure and residence within 15 minutes of the town center should still be required.
Ultimately, the board deemed the 15-minute response time too restrictive and removed it, but otherwise they deferred to Manager Bill Kerbin to review the position description and revise as warranted.
Earlier, during public comment, Mary Rich and Hale Fitzgerald, residents who are Fire Rescue officers, expressed dismay that the board was revisiting the full-time/part-time question only eight months after hearing unequivocally from department members that they wanted full-time, stable leadership. Both Rich and Fitzgerald commended the work and commitment of Interim Chief Craig Bouchard and reiterated the need for a full-time chief.
Despite searches, Fire Rescue has been without a full-time chief since Jon Kiernan resigned in December 2021. The town will try again.
Town Planner position to remain in-house. With Town Planner Natalie Thomsen accepting a position in Brunswick, the board was considering whether to keep the planner position in-house, contract for services or perhaps share the position with another town. They unanimously agreed to keep the position in-house and bump the hours from the current 36 hours per week to 40.
Interim arrangements were also discussed, including the possibility of working with the Greater Portland Council of Governments or tapping the town’s designated hitter Paul First, who has served as New Gloucester’s planner, manager, interim planner and interim manager. When it emerged that Manager Bill Kerbin had contracted with Natalie Thomsen for interim services, 19 hours per week, board members dropped exploration of alternatives.
During public comment, Don Libby, who serves on two committees that rely on planner support, urged keeping the position in-house. He cited pressing matters, pending and ahead, and hoped the town would once again consider an assistant planner, as it had in the past.
The planner ad has since been posted at the Maine Municipal Association website.
Remaining ARPA funds. With FY23-24 budget planning well under way, the board wanted to consider how some $278,000 in remaining ARPA funds might be spent, as those decisions could affect what will need to be raised through taxation. Discussion centered on needs at Town Hall, including upgrading a bathroom for accessibility and addressing problematic heating and air conditioning.
But spending on Town Hall is complicated by long-delayed plans to make the second floor usable and accessible. For example, would the town replace the Town Hall furnace with one sized for the current space or with future expansion in mind, asked Public Works Director Ted Shane, who oversees buildings and grounds.
“At some point, when do you stop spending money on an old building and think about a new one?” Shane asked, noting talk about the upstairs, an elevator, the bathrooms in Town Hall. “Before you’re done, you’re going to spend a million bucks. Can you build a new building for that? It’s something to think about.”
Board members thought Town Hall must be repaired and maintained no matter what, and they earmarked $125,000 in ARPA funds for Town Hall repairs and upgrades. They also penciled in $75,000 for bathrooms and storage at the Fairgrounds, $25,000 for broadband improvements, and $50,000 for surveys and preliminary planning for cemetery expansion. Any new ARPA spending would be put before voters at Town Meeting, they agreed.
Support for the Library, its staff and budget. Residents offering public comment in person and by letter expressed support for a pay increase for the assistant librarian and an increased book budget, and they also want to see the Library add staff to join the MILS network. Cece Rohrbach, chair of the Library Trustees, said MILS would give residents access to some 450,000 items instead of the current 19,000. A similar budget request last year for MILS was spiked.
In a letter, trustee Robert Cotiaux pointed out the town’s recent investment in the library’s physical infrastructure; he called for a corresponding investment in its offerings. Considered together, the seven letter-writers and speakers sketched a picture of the library as a community center that stretches the resources it has, but which is under-resourced and understaffed relative to its peers and the needs of a growing town.
Board and Budget Committee discussions of the budget for the Library–and for everything else–will continue through February and on into March.
To view video of the the February 6, 2023 Select Board meeting, click here. For board meeting agendas and supporting documents, click here.
