Minutes of the meeting of the Town of Chebeague Transition
Committee, October 18, 2006 at 7:15 at the Parish House (Accepted 10/2506)
Members present:, Mark Dyer, Leon Hamilton, David Hill,
John Martin (Chair), Jim Phipps, Doug Ross, Stephen Todd, and Carol White
Absent: Donna Damon
Visitors: 18
Next Meeting on October 25 at 7:15 at the Parish House
- Minutes
from 10/11/06: Motion to approve; seconded; unanimously approved.
- Questions/comments
from the public: none at this time.
- Old
business:
- Mark
asked if we would consider a small group to review the existing town
ordinances from Cumberland that might apply to the Town of Chebeague
Island. Jim offered to put together a small task force to
divvy up the ordinances amongst the subcommittees and to contact Bill
Shane to seek out whatever book/documentation exists – in terms of
a full and complete set. Carol will do the same re: SAD51 educational
policies. Carol offered that
Maine Municipal Association can also offer assistance here – in
terms of templates, examples of other towns, and eventually possibly even
legal review of our eventual proposed ordinances.
- John
has arranged with the Library that CITC committee members and
subcommittees can use the Library¹s copying facilities; John/CITC will be
billed at a later date.
- Leon
mentioned that Jane Frizzell offered to take minutes at his last
subcommittee meeting, and that her work is appreciated!
- Communication
- Access/transportation:
Jim mentioned that several folks have asked him about enforcement issues
at Stone Pier. He then asked
where this issue should live: Access/transport? Public safety?
He also opined that current problems should be dealt with by the
current Town and its structure; his committee, however, will take on the
task of future approaches to this issue.
- Leon
offered that Cumberland has (somewhat of a surprise to him) set up a
meeting re: Marine Issues – and then Leon learned that Bill also
did not know about the meeting.
Seems like evidence of the importance of the communication
protocol that Bill and John have established (ie that subcommittee chairs
can request meetings with town departments, but to do so through Bill
with a copy to John).
- John
offered that a few committee members received an email from a summer
resident who feels that they would like to be more involved in the
current process. This person
has been reading minutes of the meetings, and appreciates that
effort. But, this person
asks that the Committee take extra efforts to include the voice and
thoughts of summer property owners who are not always here, and who are
not voters. Donna replied to
the writer that, voting laws notwithstanding, there are ways for summer
residents to be involved in subcommittee work.
- Mark
was asked by a resident if non-residents who are on subcommittee members
are able to vote on issues in that subcommittee¹s work. Jim noted that subcommittees only
make recommendations to the Transition Committee – that the MMA
regs apply to the Transition Committee, and not necessarily to
subcommittee members. David
offered a motion that all subcommittee members – Chebeague voter or
not - be able to vote within that subcommittee¹s work; Carol seconded the
motion. Discussion ensued. Motion has been deferred until
item #7.
- Carol
offered pamphlets from a research organization regarding current macro
issues in Maine – streamlining of local government, urban sprawl,
etc.
- Subcommittee
updates:
- Government
structure: first meeting last night; reviewed their subcommittee¹s charge
and focused on an initial list of questions / r&d; recommends that we
follow the town meeting form of government. Forward assignments for subcommittee members (such as
reviewing MMA descriptions of town job responsibilities).
- Finance/budget:
will be meeting with Bill Shane et al at 10:30am Saturday at the
Cumberland Town Hall – anyone interested is welcome. F/b has prepared a list of
questions/topics (Budget Thoughts; document distributed, and to be placed
on the website) that David would like to have added as an agenda item for
next week¹s meeting. Next
meeting Tuesday night of next week at David¹s house.
- Education:
has organized their subcommittee into several topical sub-subcommittees
(transportation, personnel, curriculum, etc) – the process is
underway, 18 or 20 members are working. Next meeting Tuesday of next week at the school. If you want to be copied on their
minutes, contact Carol.
- Public
works: 7 members, met last Sunday 7pm at the firehouse (this is their
regular meeting place and time).
Reviewed the charge; lengthy discussion of how to setup a
department, what items might be subcontracted. Planning to break into small groups to visit a few
towns each to review their structure and process.
- Public
safety: has met twice; Tuesday nights 7:15, for now at the Firehouse, is
their regular time for meeting.
Doug has also exchanged several emails with Bill regarding
possible strategies. Will
meet with Bill and others from the Town Saturday after the Finance
subcommittee meeting with Bill.
Also good conversations with the Fire Chief in terms of future
help. Jill has met with the
regional EMT organization.
- Land
use: Beth out of town, no report at this time.
- Community
services: has not yet met; John has been researching with Cumberland the
details of what they have provided to Chebeague in the past. Regular meeting schedule to be
determined.
- Marine
issues: 10 members, Ken Hamilton has agreed to chair. Currently reviewing ordinances
from different towns. Focus
this week is the Cumberland ordinance (the Coastal Waters ordinance), in
an editing function (this ordinance includes job descriptions as
well). In terms of
recommendations, they are tackling one or two major issues at a time;
then, they¹ll bring their recommendation to the Transition Committee, and
then move on to the next few issues.
- Access/transportation:
Jim will modify this subcommittee¹s charge to include parking / Stone
Wharf issues, as discussed earlier tonight. Committee has not yet met as a group, but each
interested individual has met with the subcommittee chair. First focus: coordination of
existing efforts around Joint Standing Committee work, including pending
land/legal situations at hand.
Work plan is to use their charge as a table of contents for their
eventual recommendations to the Transition Committee.
- Waste
management: has not yet met as a group; Mark, as chair, has been
familiarizing himself with the finances and operations of the transfer
station.
- Review
Transition Committee expectations of the subcommittees, combined now with
7. discuss the development / need for a Transition Committee Workplan:
Nominate
chair/spokesperson
Regular
meeting schedule
Status
reporting
Other
items
- David
reviewed a document that he passed around titled Suggested Administrative
Procedure For Sub-Committees.
Carol suggested that we supplement David¹s proposal with a hard
copy binder, maintained by the subcommittee, at the Library. Added to the original proposal
David distributed: all subcommittee members can contribute to the
subcommittee¹s decisions on recommendations; the agenda published for
TCTC (Town of Chebeague Transition Committee) will include a listing of
meetings upcoming for the next week to the extent possible. And, subcommittees to maintain
paper copies in a binder at the library. Motion by Mark: to adopt the 11 items of the Suggested
Administrative Procedure For Sub-Committees, as discussed tonight, of
subcommittee procedures.
Seconded. Passed,
with one ³no² vote.
- Transition
Committee Workplan: basically, a reporting timeframe for the work of the
subcommittees – a ³milestones² approach that outlines when each
subcommittee would report on their work to date. Suggestion was made that we add
to the existing draft workplan the concept of regular public meetings
that incorporate these subcommittee progress reports – both to
share more broadly with the public and to gather input. Another suggestion was to
incorporate Town Meeting concepts into these public meetings, as a way
for all of us to learn. Next
week: decide whether Jan 6 or 7,
morning start, for this ³mock town meeting² / public update. Leon moves that we table this
item till next week; seconded; passes unamimously. David to email the draft workplan / schedule to all
TCTC members, for discussion / decision next at week¹s meeting.
- Motion
to adjourn; seconded; passes unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Bob Earnest