6:00pm

1.      CALL MEETING TO ORDER / PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

2.      WARRANTS/BILLS: All signed

3.      APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Tom McGurty made a motion to approve the agenda, David Winchell, Jr. seconded the motion. All in favor, motion carried.

4.      MINUTES OF LAST MEETING

Minutes of the last meeting were tabled.

5. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR WEEKLY UPDATE

The Special Town Meeting will be held on February 2nd, 2022 at the Acton School.

The Board of Selectmen meeting for that date will be cancelled.

The Request for Proposals for the Town Audit has been mailed to the approved list from the State of Maine. The advertisement for the Request will be posted in The Portland Press Herald. The request is also posted on The Town Website. The process to interview will be a workshop, which will be a public meeting and recorded.

The Audit cost for 2021 was $13,800, with $3,900 paid by the School. The Audit cost for 2020 was 13,650, and for 2019, $13, 650.

The ADT Fee costs were: 2021: $1115, 2020:$2072, 2019: $2000, and 2018: $2015.

The report regarding the York Sheriff’s Department, is that if the Deputy is not hired before March 1, 2022, there would not be a need for a monetary appropriation. There is a balance of $2,300 in the account. The anticipated 4th quarter bill would be $12,000. There would need to be a schedule with Shapleigh, and they will vote on March 11, 2022. The Sheriff’s Department will continue with the program and the Town will meet with the prospective candidates.

The Town shared an informational letter regarding the proposed mineral extraction Moratorium.

The Town Administrator reported that there were many requests regarding the Freedom of Information Act. She reported that she spoke with Richard Flewelling of Maine Municipal, and he reported that the requests for information were public information and could be reported to track resources spent on the requests. In regard to transparency, the requests will be read aloud at the meeting.

The School is working with the Warrant and Finance Committee to set up a Town Meeting for the School Budget for April 26, with the Absentee Ballots to be ready by March 25, 2022. The Board of Selectmen would sign the Warrant on March 23, 2022 at a public meeting. Tom McGurty is the School Liaison.

Animal Welfare has announced a five percent increase for services. There has not been an increase since 2015.

Joanne Bargoni is a local reporter who will start to post communications regarding Acton in the Waterboro Reporter.

There has been some concern regarding the use of Sand and Salt at the Shed. There is sand and salt for the residents to use by shoveling the sand and salt into a 5 gallon bucket and taking the Sand and Salt away. There is not to be any loading of pickup trucks with the sand and salt. Adam Doliber stated he would put a Jersey barrier in front of the shed to prevent that from happening. The appropriate signage regarding residents and property owners only will be posted.

6.      DEPARTMENT HEAD / COMMITTEE CHAIR UPDATES

Leslie Berlan of the Road Commitee reported that she worked with The Town Administrator with MSRS Data Entry. They created new roads, and entered data. She felt that once all the accumulated data was recorded, she could train the Road Commissioners to enter in new information.

7. OLD BUSINESS:

Policies were tabled.

ADT Proposal:
The cost of the new motherboard would be $1442. That would allow the alarm system to be accessed remotely from the Portland office without a call to the Town Hall.

Tom McGurty made a motion to accept the proposed upgrade at a cost of $1442, and David Winchell, Jr. seconded the motion. All in favor, motion carried.

8. NEW BUSINESS:

A. FOI Requests: Letters of request were read aloud by the Town Administrator.

Jeff and Andrea Donahue requested any and all Town of Acton purchase policy regarding the heating system and the new windows. They also wanted to request the fee paid to the Public Access Video recording. And they further requested all contracts signed by Andrea and Jeff Donahue and documents relating to Planning Board and Code Enforcement merger of Lots 8 and 9.2 on Map 252.

B. Warrant Recommendations: The Warrant and Finance Committee voted, and the Moratorium adoption Failed 0 to 5.

Tom McGurty stated that he wanted to discuss on the record, his concerns with compliance of the existing pits. He felt he was unclear on the goals and objectives of the moratorium. He had concerns regarding how to address upcoming issues. Tom felt that there is a long history in the Town of Acton with pits, many town residents are employed by the pits, and feels the moratorium unjustly penalizes new applicants unfairly. He feels that with proposed limits, and containment of residential development, recreational land will be realized and that would be a benefit to the whole town. Compliance must be aggressively pursued. Perhaps the Pit owners could collaborate with the Committees and the town’s people to outline the rights of the pit owners and townspeople.

David Winchell, Jr. stated that the Planning Board and Code Officer had good intentions, but perhaps the Moratorium was not explained correctly. One pit had multiple issues brought forward, but it isn’t a zoning issue, but a law enforcement issue. The taxpayers state that the pit traffic is ruining the road, but there are multiple inconsistencies. The pits are also State regulated, and violations could be addressed by the Board of Selectmen. To rectify these concerns would take longer than 180 days.

David Winchell, Jr. wanted to clarify what the Ordinance states. Even though the Committee voted “NO,” the Town will vote on it at a Special Town Meeting.

Tom McGurty made a motion to approve the Moratorium article as written, David Winchell Jr. seconded the motion to approve the article as written. Two opposed, No one in favor.

C. Pole Permit application: An application from CMP was presented to the Board because CMP needs to install a telephone pole on a public way, a state road. The pole would be installed on Milton Mills Road, at Pole location Number 7.

David Winchell, Jr. made a motion to accept the application as written, Tom McGurty seconded the motion. All in favor, motion carried.

D. Resignation: The Town Administrator read aloud an email from Bernard Broder resigning from the Warrant and Finance Committee. Tom McGurty made a motion to accept the resignation and David Winchell, Jr. Seconded the motion. All in favor, motion carried.

Sign Special Town Meeting Warrant

The Special Town Meeting will be held on February 2, 2022, at the Acton School. A moderator will be elected, a written secret ballot will be proposed, The Clerk will pass out paper ballots.

David Winchell, Jr. made a motion to sign the Warrant for the Special Town Meeting as presented, Tom McGurty seconded the motion. All in favor, motion carried.

9.  PUBLIC COMMENT

Dennis Long stated that he regrets the resignation of Bernard Broder from the Warrant and Finance Committee. He felt he brought a lot to the Committee.

Mr. Crowley spoke on a long-term plan for The Town of Acton. He felt that some of the regulations were old and need to be looked at. What direction should the Town go? He felt that a committee backed by the Board of Selectmen should send out a questionnaire and hear from all the people of the Town. The last Comprehensive Plan for the Town was written in 2005. The Planning Board should be working on zoning changes and outline a new comprehensive plan.

10.     ANNOUNCEMENTS

Thursday, Jan 20 Planning Board 6:00pm

Monday, Jan 31 Warrant and Finance 6:00 pm

Wednesday, Jan 26 Planning Board 3:00pm

Monday, Jan 31 Warrant and Finance 6:00pm

A motion to adjourn was made by Tom McGurty, seconded by David Winchell, Jr. All in favor, Meeting adjourned.

11.     MEMBERS PRESENT: Tom McGurty, David Winchell, Jr.

12.     ATTENDANCE: Dennis Long, Jim Crowley, Adam Doliber, William Langley, Joyce Bashki, Ray and Deborah Lopez