| Joanne Cole |
At their June 6 meeting, the Select Board resolved some older items and looked ahead on others. After hearing frank comments from Fire Rescue personnel about the department’s needs, the board decided to resume searching for a full-time Chief. The board opened bids and awarded contracts for paving and chip seal work on four town roads, and they gave the green light for first steps toward a climate action plan for the town.
The board also discussed American Rescue Plan Act spending to date but made no decisions about how to use the anticipated $340,000 that will remain once the final payment arrives.
Fire Rescue Chief position, search. Several Fire Rescue personnel spoke directly and candidly on the need for a full-time Fire Rescue Chief and what might draw more candidates. The board was considering whether to make the position part-time, since the search for a full-time Chief has proved unsuccessful so far. Past NGFR Chiefs have been full-time; current Interim Chief Craig Bouchard is part-time and also works for the Auburn Fire Department.
Fire Rescue speakers were unequivocal that a full-time Chief is needed to provide leadership, training, and stability. In his seven years with the department, Lieutenant Christopher Gill said he has seen four chiefs come and go. “I serve with pride,” Gill said, “but I am frustrated with the lack of a consistent chief.” He cited impacts on morale, on planning and carrying out training, and on vision and direction going forward. A resident, Gill said he would pay more in taxes to “get that right person who will give us that long-term leadership and that guidance and take us to the next level.”
Jared Schwartz, 15 years with the department, commended Interim Chief Bouchard and Captain Hale Fitzgerald for their hard work “to hold the department together” but said the two can only do so much, given their part-time status, and a full-time Chief will provide direction.
The department needs a Chief with a five-year and a ten-year plan, said Captain Hale Fitzgerald. “We need a leader. We haven’t had a leader since Chief Sacco retired in 2015,” he said. Fitzgerald also advocated for a “working Chief”—an EMS provider—because EMS calls account for 80 percent of the department’s call volume.
The Fire Rescue speakers thought better pay and benefits could help draw qualified candidates. They acknowledged that the candidate pool is small and compensation “has gone through the roof,” but said the compensation offered in the recent search fell short of that in surrounding towns. Offering the more-generous firefighters’ retirement benefit might also make a difference, they said.
Board members needed no further persuasion about a full-time Chief. Instead, discussion centered on salary and benefits and whether EMT certification should be required. The salary recently offered was in line with a two-year-old survey that had chiefs at $54,000-74,000, Chair Peter Bragdon said. On the other hand, Hale Fitzgerald had just told the board that a paramedic in Houlton will be paid $77,000. The board decided not to specify a range in the job ad but instead indicate that compensation is “negotiable.”
On the EMT question, board members acknowledged the value of a Chief who can respond hands-on but also considered that that would mean time away from core duties. They settled on not requiring an EMT license. The ad that’s now up on the Maine Municipal Association job list has EMT licensure preferred and applications due by July 5. Vice Chair Paul Larrivee summed up: “If this doesn’t work, we’ll be back.”
Paving and chip seal bids, award. Contractors were in the Meetinghouse for the opening of bids for paving/chip seal work on segments of Snow Hill Road, Sabbathday Road, Penney Road and Jack Hall Road. Chair Peter Bragdon slit open the envelopes, read aloud bid prices from four companies, and then handed off the packet to Public Work Director Ted Shane for his review and recommendation.
The news was disappointing. The board had hoped to catch up or even get ahead on overdue roads with an extra round of funding this year. Voters had agreed. They approved $477,700 for paving/chip seal in February and $347,408 more in May with eyes on a lengthy list of worthy roads.
But the way the bids came in, all of the $825,008 budget will be used for the four roads that were expected to be Round I of paving.
Shane recommended low bidder Spencer Group of Turner for asphalt paving on four segments of Snow Hill Road and Sabbathday Road and an asphalt base layer on Penney and Jack Hall Roads for $712,061. All States Asphalt of Richmond will do chip seal work on Penney and Jack Hall Roads for $60,758. The remaining $52,000 budgeted will be used for Public Works’ ditching, culverts, and other prep work, Shane told the board.
The bids meant none of the hoped-for roads on the tentative Round II list—among them, Gloucester Hill Road, Rowe Station Road (paved part), Waterman Drive, McKenney Drive and Bryana Drive—will get attention next year, unless voters are again asked for supplemental funds.
Shane had previously cautioned that rising asphalt prices might knock roads off the to-do list, but this result felt unexpected. Chair Peter Bragdon checked what he was hearing. “So this recommendation is that we’re using all our paving money for the year to do these roads?” Bragdon asked. “This is actually going to put us behind.” Shane noted that the price of asphalt has increased by over $20 a ton. “I get that,” Bragdon said. “But instead of paving twice, we’re only going to pave once. And we’re basically taking what we hoped to use for two sessions of paving to do one session of paving.”
Member Stephen Hathorne commented, “Our intent was to do a whole lot more chip seal than sixty thousand dollars’ worth. So things have certainly changed.”
Unhappy but resigned and wanting to make at least some headway by getting the four roads done, the board accepted Shane’s recommendations and awarded the paving to Spencer Group and the chip seal work to All States, 4-0 (Member Tammy Donovan absent due to illness).
Along with high asphalt prices, the bid documents may have tied the board’s hands. Contractors were not asked to price less expensive chip seal treatment for Snow Hill Road and Sabbathday Road, the bulk of the work. Instead, the bid documents asked only for asphalt paving prices for Snow Hill and Sabbathday Roads. Chip seal (crushed stone rolled into liquid asphalt over an asphalt base) is significantly less costly than traditional asphalt paving. The two small jobs, Penney Road and Jack Hall Road, were listed for chip seal treatment.
Shane drew the board’s attention to the point before offering his award recommendations. “I just want be clear first with you folks that you approved the bid for asphalt-only on Snow Hill Road and Sabbathday Road. I know there was a lot of talk earlier on in the year about paving and chip seal. I just want to be clear that it went out for just asphalt. And on Penney Road and Jack Hall Road it’s pavement and chip seal.”
It’s unclear why a chip seal option for Snow Hill and Sabbathday Roads was not included. No one asked in the moment, and Shane didn’t elaborate. But the board had previously requested that both methods be provided for all the roads to be bid, to give the board flexibility and choice. An earlier version bid document does appear to have listed both options for Snow Hill and Sabbathday Roads. But the one the board approved and that went out to bidders, did not. Asked for comment, Chair Peter Bragdon told NGX he would need to look into it.
What the board would have decided had they gotten chip seal and paving prices to compare and choose from is of course unknowable. They might have chosen to pave rather than chip seal Snow Hill and Sabbathday Roads anyway, because they see heavy use. Alternatively, the board might have elected to do more chip sealing, to stretch the budget across more roads. Since November, when Shane told the board that chip seal offers “more bang for the buck”—more roads for less money—the board had wanted chip seal in the conversation to keep their options open.
As it is, residents can look forward to smoother sailing on Snow Hill Road, Sabbathday Road and Penney Road sometime this season. Jack Hall may be delayed due to needed culvert work, Shane told the board.
Support for preliminary Climate Resilience work. The Environmental Resources Committee had requested a letter of board support for 207permaculture to be appointed the town’s partner-consultant for developing a climate action plan. Now ERC Chair Doug Smith and Rachel Lyn Rumson of 207permaculture, L3C were on hand to discuss the needed letter, the steps involved in developing a plan, and a possible later Climate Resilience grant request.
As Smith explained, the state helps municipalities partner with an environmental consultant to develop a climate action plan. The partner contracts with and is paid by the state, not the town. They conduct local needs assessments and hold workshops with stakeholders, subject matter experts and community members to collaboratively develop a plan. Having a plan then makes the community eligible for grants. Smith explained that the initiative could even be cross-community, and he said that Durham, Gray and MSAD 15 are already also interested.
207permaculture’s Rumson described the process and a nine-month timetable for communities’ self-assessment, public workshops, and priority-setting; preparing a grant application would follow. She has previously worked with ERC members and is a New Gloucester resident, making Rumson both an ideal and an informed choice. The board unanimously agreed to the letter supporting appointment of Rumson and 207permaculture. Any resulting grant request will come before the board for review.
Spirit of America Award. After discussion, the board decided to forego selecting a recipient for the Spirit of America Award this year. Instead, the board will invite citizen input and consider that award when they decide on the dedication of the town’s annual report. That way, the award could be timed so that honoree(s) can be recognized at town meeting and at a celebration of statewide honorees in Augusta. The Fraternal Order of Eagles was recognized with the town’s inaugural Spirit of America award last year.
Status of ARPA funds. The board reviewed the town’s commitment and expenditure of American Rescue Plan Act funds to date but made no decisions about what to do next. Some $229,000 has been spent or is spoken for, leaving $384,000 of the anticipated two-year $614,000 payout available.
So far ARPA funds have been used or promised for Fire Rescue equipment, air filtration systems and heats pumps for town buildings, the new Pak-Mor trailer at the transfer station and an upgrade of the town phone system. Other spending ideas from the board and town staff—not yet acted on—included internet assistance, hazard pay for town staff and bathroom facilities at the Fairgrounds. https://ngxchange.org/arpa-funds-public-comment-revisited-special-town-meeting-msad-15-appointment/ The board decided to decide later, perhaps with input from the public.
Public comment. Earlier, during public comment, after briefly acknowledging the rights of free speech and assembly, resident Linda Chase asked the board to consider removing from the newly formed Ad hoc Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee “anyone who was involved” in the demonstration at the Memorial Day parade. “Why? Diversity, equity and inclusion,” Chase said. “I do not believe community members should be recommending a vision statement, updated policies and procedures if they are not able to support, understand and live with the concept.”
Chase added that she understood “there are strong feelings around the Confederate flag, but some of the protesters took it beyond the flag and took it personally to the people.” Chase did not say who those protesters were, who the people were whom the protestors allegedly took it personally to, or how. Since Chase made her request to the board, a first-hand account has emerged that challenges Chase’s assertions. It is unclear whether the board will act on Chase’s request.
Public comment returns at the board’s next scheduled meeting on Monday, June 27.
To watch video of the Select Board June 6, 2022 meeting, click here. For Select Board meeting agendas and related documents, click here.
