TOWN OF ACTON

SELECTMEN'S MEETING

OCTOBER 30, 2007

PUBLIC FORUM: Dennis Long asked if selectmen have taken any action relative to drug testing for all employees. Nancy said they are taking it under consideration.

Andy said he understood selectmen will be discussing the land purchase with Nancy Wakefield during executive session. He hoped they will offer a realistic price.

Pat Hannon asked if selectmen had investigated the Conway property devaluation. Assessor Rod Wood said Conway had come to him in June and said his property was over assessed. He and Conway sat down together and went over the assessment and he made adjustments to the areas that Conway said were incorrect. Hannon noted his concerns were that there was no paper trail, Conway denied knowledge of it, and Nancy nor Jim had any knowledge about it.

Scott Dunham asked for an update on the “End of Town Way” signs. Nancy said the signs had been put up for general information.

Larissa Crockett suggested that Conway allow his property to go back to the original assessment, pay his taxes and request an abatement. That would create a paper trail.

Barbara Seckar asked about having town meetings televised. Nancy said that is part of the negotiation with the cable company.

Dennis Long noted that last week selectmen said MMA had advised them they could not use money from the budget that has not been appropriated for the retaining fee for the land sale. Nancy said they will check with MMA to see if they can use money from the Government Account. Jim said it was his understanding that they cannot use any money without Town Meeting approval.

1.      APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Approved as written.

2.      APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF LAST MEETING: Approved as written.

3.      WARRANT: Approved and signed.

4.      OLD BUSINESS

(A) ASSESSING: Rod was in last Friday and dealt with abatements.

      (B) CABLE CONTRACT: Still under negotiation.

      (C) CARTOGRAPHIC CONTRACT: Tabled for another week.

5.      NEW BUSINESS

      (A) PETITION INFORMATION: Town Clerk Jennifer Roux  reported two petitions have been submitted to her, a request for an ordinance for recall of elected officials and a request for another moratorium for commercial development. She explained there were several gray areas on both petitions which require further legal advice before determinations can be made on how the selectmen should deal with these petitions, based on the wording of the petition requests, signatures collected, time frames, and the proposed ordinances. Jennifer stated she is in contact with both the legal department of Maine Municipal and Durwood Parkinson's office, and will update the selectmen prior to the next board meeting.

      (B) JIM DRISCOLL RESIGNATION: Jim Driscoll read his resignation from the office of selectman, effective January 1, 2008. His stated reason was that he feels during the recent assessment issue,  Selectmen Nancy Ruma and Mike Conway have conducted themselves in a manner that is unconscionable and  runs against the very fiber of what he believes. It is apparent that his approach and philosophy for what is best for Acton is far different than theirs.

      (C) EXECUTIVE SESSION -Statutory Citation M.R.S.A. Section 405 (6)(C): On a motion by Mike, the board went into executive session at 8:00 pm and came out of executive session at 8:45 pm. Andy Brazier asked if they had made an offer on the proposed land and Nancy said they had.

6.      ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 8:55 pm.

7.      MEMBERS PRESENT: Nancy Ruma, Jim Driscoll, Mike Conway

8.      OTHERS PRESENT: Sandra Shields, Barbara Seckar, Marian Elliott, Larissa Crockett, Pam McAlinden, Scott Dunham, John Moore, Percy Lowell, Floyd Folsom, Ann Germon, Karen and Mike McManus, Vicki Ridlon, Rod Wood, Virginia Grover, Roger Roy, Jennifer Goodwin, Andy Brazier, Bob Anderson, Wayne Ham, Tony Cogliandro, Pat Hannon, Chip Venell, Ken Paul, David Cote, Davey Winchell, Dennis Long, Richard Neal, Dan and Jane Archambault, Jennifer Roux, Lorraine Yeaton.