Ogunquit News
Final selectmen's meeting of 2006 ends with good will and high hopes for 2007
By C. Ayn Douglass
It can't be found in a Christmas stocking, but Town Manager Phil Clark is happy for the gift of five consecutive days off over the holiday to spend with his family. Clark has been deep in union contract negotiations for town staff members over the last several months and expended hundreds of hours in meetings. He received the thanks and gratitude of selectmen and applause from attendees at the Board of Selectmen's last meeting of 2006 for his effort.
Photo by C. Ayn Douglass
OGUNQUIT - The Board of Selectmen ended the year's business on Dec. 19 in a spirit of camaraderie, respect and admiration for each other's qualities and hard work.
Vice Chairman John Abbott remarked on the board's ability to come together and be productive while doing the people's business.
Particular thanks from Abbott went to Selectman Donato Tramuto in his first year of service on the board, and he complimented Chairman John Miller on doing a great job and credited Selectman Jon Speers and his committee with a "great package on school funding."
Speers, in turn, said he hoped that the board would prioritize a number of different possibilities for the Ogunquit Village School in 2007, and said he would "like to see the selectmen take a bigger part in decisions on OVS."
As Miller put it, "Yeah, we're pretty much of one mind looking back on the year."
Long-time resident and board member Miller said he left the Board of Selectmen in 1998 and came back two years ago and it "feels like we're still playing catch-up," but praised the enormous time commitment all board and committee members make for the town and said he looks forward to meeting the challenges of the coming year.
Town Manager Phil Clark received thanks from the board for an outstanding year and for his time and energy - particularly on his efforts hammering out the four union contracts covering the town's employees that are up for renewal this year.
Clark, himself, admits to looking forward to five days off for the holiday season as he will not be in his office on Thursday and Friday of the two holiday weeks.
Members of the Budget Review Committee, meanwhile, worked right up to Dec. 22 reviewing budgets for 2007 with the town's department heads. The BRC, an appointed advisory committee to the selectmen, has no authority over the town's budget, but has earned the respect of the selectmen over the years for its scrutiny of the town's financial operations - not only during budget season, but monitoring spending through the year.
The five members each have tenure with the committee from three to seven years each and have been praised for working together cohesively and intelligently.
Asked what their fondest hope was for the town in 2007, each responded with the wish for continued good working relationships with the selectmen for the good of the town; resolution of the Old Village School building for its highest and best use; a fair solution to the school funding issue, and getting the mil rate down.
As to what they would personally hope to find in their Christmas stockings, all members said they had everything they need, but as an intangible, all hoped for good health in the coming year.
"Any day I wake up and look down at the grass instead of looking up at the grass is a good day," said BRC Chairman Frank Broomfield.
