YORK - From an update on the Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region to bids for the town's waste collection services to concerns about the costs of paving in the budget year ahead, it was a busy night for the Board of Selectmen on Jan. 14.
In its first business meeting of the new year, the board received an update from Mount Agamenticus Conservation Coordinator Robin Stanley on stewardship efforts to improve and preserve the trails and lands of the mountain. Over the past eight years, she explained, work has been done to reduce vandalism and littering and even to address water runoff and erosion issues and help protect streams and wetlands from sedimentation.
This, she said, is just the beginning, as plans continue for even more improvements in the future.
Discussions are underway about converting the summit lodge to an educational center, expanding work to link miles of trails, improving public access points and developing a Friends of Mount A group. The region also has a new website at http://www.agamenticus.org/ where additional information can be found.
"We have lots to do, lots of work ahead of us, and just want to take the time to thank you... The town of York's funding certainly helps us to leverage additional funds from grants and donors, as well as our partnering organizations," Stanley told the board, adding, "None of this would happen without your continued report."
The board praised Stanley and urged her to keep up the excellent work at the mountain.
Also at the meeting, the board had a preliminary budget discussion with Town Manager Rob Yandow, who reiterated that the town's goal is to meet the Tax Task Force's recommendation of no more than a 4.2 percent increase impact on taxpayers.
Taking into consideration such factors as funding requests and increases in costs with the climbing expense of fuel and petroleum products, and offsetting those with revenue raised from sources other than property taxes, Yandow said the preliminary budget amount to be raised by taxes has come in at just over $9.1 million, which exceeds the Tax Task Force formula amount by over $775,000.
"These figures are not exact figures," Yandow cautioned.
He asked selectmen for guidance as the review process continues, noting such requests as additional funding for paving and new public safety positions have been removed from the budget in an effort to reduce the bottom line.
Paving has been an issue of concern, Yandow and Public Works Director Dean Lessard agreed, as the cost of petroleum products used in paving has made it continuously more expensive for the town to maintain its roads.
In addition, Yandow told the board he would like to discuss the possibility of putting the fire inspector request back into the budget based on concerns about the lack of personnel to handle inspections.
The board agreed the town should work within the Tax Task Force's 4.2 percent guide, but the majority of selectmen indicated the paving issue should get a closer look, citing the exorbitant costs that can be incurred if a road deteriorates to the point where routine maintenance will not save it.
The selectmen had different opinions related to the fire inspector position.
"A fire inspector, at this point to me, is a luxury that I don't we can afford," Selectman Dwight Bardwell said, and Chairman Mike Estes and Selectwoman Kinley Gregg also expressed concern at adding new positions.
Selectman Ted Little and Vice Chairman David Marshall asked Yandow to bring back the information on the costs associated with the position as well as paving for the purpose of further review, and Marshall added he hopes the board will hear form local residents on their priorities for the budget year ahead.
Earlier in the meeting, the board heard from Yandow and Lessard about the bids for the town's solid waste contract. The town's contract with Waste Management ends in June, and after reviewing multiple bid submissions and alternatives, Lessard explained that Waste Management was the lowest bidder in every category.
"Our terms of the contract now are very good, and whoever did that 10 years ago looks like a rocket scientist now," Lessard said, adding that even with Waste Management's low bid on the new contract, "It is a sizable increase."
The board will take action on the recommendation at a future meeting.
In other business, the selectmen voted unanimously to extend the town manager's contract for another year with a cost-of-living increase in pay.
The board also voted to award the bid for a new harbor master boat to York Harbor Marine, and Police Capt. Kevin LeConte said the goal is to have it ready and in the water this spring.
The selectmen also heard from Yandow that a citizen's petition against subdivisions located in other towns but accessed only through York has been deemed as having legal flaws by the town's attorney. The selectmen agreed to schedule an agenda item on that issue at a future meeting.
