January 2019

Memo

To: Board of Selectmen

From:  Serena Bemis-Goodall, Town Manager

Date:  January, 2019

Re:  Town Manager’s Monthly Report

_____________________________________________________________________________________

*Budget Committee meeting again – they are not happy with anyone getting raises this year. Comment that the schools do not get raises every year… on the other hand, they do get a great healthcare package. Guess we will not agree on this particular piece because I know how hard the town employees work.

 

The minimum wage going up to $11.00 an hour (which started 1/1/19) made all of those who were not making $11.00 an hour are now there which includes our library workers, cemetery crew as well as our firefighters.

 

*Superintendent has scheduled 2 meeting sessions with the area towns; either Thursday at 5:00 or Friday at 1:00. I had originally said that I would go to the Friday afternoon meeting but with all the changes to the budget paperwork, Lee went in my place.

 

I was told that the meeting was a good one and that Superintendent Hammer and Jennifer Conners did a great job in presenting their after audit financials from Runyon Kersteen Ouellette. They are hoping that the state will provide the funding that they are anticipating and that what they anticipate for revenues and expenditures stay that way. In a nutshell, the Superintendent said he was trying very hard to not have an increase, that he is trying his hardest to keep the same payment(s) as were given to the towns as last year.

 

* Met with a group of Penosbcot Town Managers in Brewer to discuss cable contracts. Mr. Mike Edgecomb from Sewall Company did a presentation on Cable TV Franchise Agreements. Mr. Edgecomb spoke of the need for revising Statutes Title 30-A: Chapter 141§3008 – “Ordinance relating to cable television systems,” which includes:

 

A. Areas to be Served

B. Line Extension Policy

C. Provision for renewal -15 YR max

D. Procedure for customer complaints  

E. Any other terms and conditions that are in the best interest of the community

 

Another piece was a discussion regarding LR-130 - “An Act To Ensure Non-Discriminatory Treatment of Public, Educational and Governmental Access Channels by the Cable Operator”

*This bill first corrects §3008, which states that “a franchising authority may not grant an exclusive franchise”.  

*Second, this bill amends §3008, to require all new cable franchises to provide line extensions with a minimum homes per mile requirement not to exceed 15 HPM.

*Third, this bill prevents “automatic franchise renewals” beyond the initial term of the franchise renewal period.

*Fourth, this bill includes a provision that requires Peg Channels be placed in the same numerical sequence location as the local commercial network broadcast channels

*Fifth, this bill updates the Maine Model Franchise paragraph and prevents the cable operator from amending this model without the consent of the municipality as arrived at during negotiations.

*Sixth, this bill amends §3010, the Ordinance Chapter 141 of Title 30-A regarding Consumer Rights and Protection

 

We will be having a follow-up meeting in April I believe.

 

*Had our first Grant Committee meeting of the new year. We are trying to get the Betterment Grant in so that “hopefully” it can help pay for us getting the books out of the auditorium and down to the Climate Control Room. The grant will also help to purchase and install shelving in the room as well as a small work area. Another piece of the grant is covering the operating funds for the training of volunteers who will be cleaning, re-shelving and doing the inventory of the books that are up in the auditorium. Part of the operating funds will be to cover additional grant writing for the programming of the kiosks for the Private Library Museum and to make the museum open to the public. Also, it is the hopes of the group to be able to have Levi Stewart's book collection and additional letters etc. available to those who would be doing research or are writing papers etc. for their schooling or just to have the knowledge.

*The town had its second audit with James Wadman. The people that we have met from this company are all very professional and a pleasure to work with. They answer any and all questions right on the spot and ask that many pieces be sent along to them before their visit here in the office. There are normally 2 people who come and they are here from the time we open until about 5 but they are able to complete what they need to do and if they need additional information, they get it emailed to them.

*Had our Budget Committee Selectmen Workshop for the 2019 budget, there are some items that we will not see eye to eye on. We do have people here who work for this town who have contracts, our CEO is not one of them.

*Had our Worker’s Compensation Audit today, this time of year we have many and I am hoping that this one goes as smoothly as the last one.

*Met with Marcus Ballou, Member Services Supervisor, from Maine Municipal Association’s Risk Management Department. We went over the Towns Property and Casualty Insurance coverage, the empty buildings (Health Center) that we have and went over the different grants that were available for the town to put in for. With Mr. Ballou was Corina Steeves who is our Risk Management Representative, what a pleasure it was to finally meet her face to face.  The discussion about the empty Health Center led to the coverage having to be changed to Actual Cash Value due to it being vacant at the present time. Once we have it occupied, I will let them know. The other piece was to discuss the valuation of the Fire Department property as the Mobile Equipment listed at the current time is undervalued. Marcus and I agreed that with the renewal it would be a good idea to meet with the Fire Department Chief and assist with the completion of the renewal application so the values are more up-to-date. 

*Had the second Grant Committee Meeting where the members feel it would be better to “hopefully” have the 2018 audit financials accompany the Betterment Grant. I am hoping we get that information from our auditor by the time we have to submit the grant. 

 *Met with Mark Ouellette, CEO & President of Axiom – the company who is helping out with the broadband with Vicki Rusbult, Director of Community Initiatives from Eastern Maine Development Corporation. Even though we have a call-in this afternoon, I am meeting this morning with Mark and Scott Brooks, Manager of State Government Affairs from TDS. The meeting with Mark and Mr. Brooks was to get the companies in our area who provides broadband involved so that we can see how it is being provided and what we can do to make it better.  It was a nice meeting and now I have someone to call when there are issues that come up and he was more than willing to get involved and answer questions.

 *Double booked myself for the afternoon but I believe I can make this work! Had a conference call with other town managers and Eastern Maine Development Corporation on Broadband in the area. They wanted to know how and if each town had their meetings with those who are providing broadband in each town. We have not been scheduled for another meeting as of yet but it will be coming soon.

 *Have met several other times regarding the Betterment Grant and how soon we can finish up the paperwork to get it in.  Donna Lambert has done a wonderful job pulling this all together! Thank God for Donna!

 *Have also met several times regarding the budget…think it is close now!!!! *Any other “spare” time that I have had this month has been spent on EVERYTHING budget! Getting the Town Report put together page by page….good way to do it then it is not all rush at the end!