1. Status of Appointments: Stuart said the forms were in the Task Force mailbox; the members must be called to be sworn in. Madeline Olney must be sworn in as General Assistance Fair Hearing Officer.
2. Property & Casualty Insurance, including Fire Department moveables: John said that Rodd Hopper’s figures were far higher than the current MMA Risk Management offer which includes the Fire Department equipment for $9,444.00. It was voted unanimously to accept the MMA policy.
3. Utility Committee meeting: This will be scheduled when Bob Zak returns from traveling
4. Special Town Meeting: Jo has sent a public notice to the newspapers, to start appearing July 5 through July 26. Stuart presented a draft warrant of five articles: the required Election of Moderator; the required LD1 waiver; three devoted to the Road Department’s budget, which includes the snowplow contract; other articles may be amendments to the Blasting, Sign, ... ordinances. Another potential fiscal article may be for $3,000 to cover mooring buoys and speed limit/no wake buoys for the Waterfront Committee. (See New Business, below.)
5. Lallis Lien: No progress to report. Jo said she had heard from the Federal IRS, who are still insisting that the Lallis property be sold in a public sale in order for them to forgive their long-standing lien. The Augusta office sent instruction material on release of federal liens. Stuart explained that when the Town foreclosed on Anthony Lallis, they failed to submit a “right of redemption” form to the IRS; hence the difficulty in lifting the lien. Sale of this property is not possible as it has been committed to the Boothbay Region Land Trust in exchange for the Glenice Church property BRLT currently owns, which is expected to be incorporated into the Schmid Preserve.
6. Dowdy Property Sale: Stuart said the first half, $10,000, will be paid in July; the second, later in 2007.
7. Snowplow Contract: John has talked with Seth Hagar of Damariscotta, who made several good suggestions for points to include in Edgecomb’s specifications for bids. These specs still need to be drawn up. John recommended going with Hagar and his brother, who are the contractors for Damariscotta and Newcastle. It was suggested that a performance bond for the amount of the contract be included in the contract
8. State-Assisted Road Repair: tabled.
9. Workforce Housing Sewer/Water Billing:

   Jim Fitch gave a brief history of Woodard and Curran’s association with the Town of Edgecomb. When Sheepscot Inn first faced wastewater problems, Edgecomb called on W&C to serve as its advocate, to protect Edgecomb’s interests. W&C got a planning grant to study how to complete the water system, to see that the Town had ownership of the system. But there was no Town Meeting vote on this.

   Along with W&C’s supervision of ED LLC, they consulted on a venture by Tom Hibbert et al. to develop commercial properties along Route 1 on Davis Island. This venture did not work out. Frank Perkins brought W&C in on the CHOM project, to provide a set of standards and to provide inspection for the Town.

   John asked about the implications of a Utility District.

   Fitch: Right now, the Town owns the utility assets. The options for such a district are either to keep together with the Town, or to make a separate, quasi-municipal entity under a Board of Trustees, and the Town has no share in it.

   Jo: What the Legislature passed was an enabling act; Town has 3 years to approve or disapprove it.

   Fitch: That legislation establishes the boundary of the district (can be done by map)

   Concerning CHOM, John and Stuart pointed out that CHOM’s water/sewer lines are on the right of the property, away from Route 1; difficult to connect to the Town’s pump station when we have one.

   Fitch: CHOM is tying into Bintliff’s system, a arrangement between two private parties, not with the Town. They have rights to a certain volume of capacity. However, only the sewer connection is private; the water connection is not. The connection across Eddy Road is yet to be completed. When Edgecomb has its own pumping station (agreed on to be on the Eddy/Rte. 1 corner of the Bintliff parking lot), Bintliff’s sewerage will go into Edgecomb’s with payment of accompanying fees.

   John: How can we pay for a pumping station?

   Jo: from TIF revenues.

   Fitch: which are “avoided taxes,” value set at pre-TIF valuation. The avoided tax will pay back the developer; Town’s share in an escrow fund.

   Stuart: The developer’s cost is ~$1.32 mil. The 30 year term of the TIF is a maximum. At 30 years, or whenever Bintliff has been paid back in full, all the taxes will come to the Town. By the end of FY2007, $45-50,000 will have been recovered from the TIF; the extension of lines is expected to be $1mil/mile; pumping station from $150,000 to $300,000.

   Fitch: The extension of the lines [up Route 1] will let Edgecomb take advantage of revenue [under stipulation that TIF revenues be used only for infrastructure within the TIF District].

   Fees can be generated in two ways: User service charge, readiness to serve fixed costs charge to people who choose not to connect; also seasonal charges based on water use + variable costs based on use; or, betterments (used in Massachusetts) which are assessments against user property owners, so users take on the debt. Jim Fitch also pointed out that the value of the CHOM property is going up in value.

   Sid Gammon asked, will people who live outside the Utility District have to pay? John said that the Wiscasset Water District is self-sufficient, since the people in the District pay against bond issues; it would depend on the district’s charter.

10. Broadband Internet Committee: Since the Committee is interviewing prospective vendors, they have asked to meet at the Town Hall. Jo will supply Barry Hathorne with a key. The Committee meets regularly on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m., although they will meet with Express America Tuesday, June 26, at 7:00 p.m.
11. Gateway I: Jo must arrange a meeting of the Town Response Panel, to study scenarios derived from the three route options for the Wiscasset Bypass.

1. Harbor Masters, Waterfront Committee: Stott Carleton presented the current needs of the Waterfront Committee. He explained that there are two mooring areas, one above the Davey Bridge for smaller power boats; and one below it, for larger power boats and sailboats. The committee is in process of documenting all the moorings. Edgecomb’s eastern boundary is in the middle of the Sheepscot channel, not the river; therefore over halfway across the river [to the west].

   Stott is working on establishing a federal anchoring area, strictly for anchors (sited on boats), no moorings (sited on river bottom) so visitors can use their own ground tackle, etc. for 72 hours. Many visiting yachts are too big for Wiscasset facilities and interfere with lobster trap lines. It will be highly desirable to clear away any abandoned mooring apparatus before establishing and opening new mooring positions.

   It was asked why, at present, all boat excise taxes go to the Road Department budget? When did they cease to be applied to the Woods End Landing Fund? Stuart asked if a fee is charged when the mooring permits are issued. No such fee is charged. It was suggested that an annual mooring fee be imposed, each mooring to be coded with owner’s name, address, contact info, etc. Or this information might accompany the excise tax form.

   Miles Geisler reported that on the Damariscotta River, no problems except on-going tensions between aquaculture lease holders and property owners.

   Bob Norton addressed the issue of enforcement. A Harbor Master can remove unmarked moorings. A Harbor Master can be authorized to enforce, but Bob does not want to carry a weapon. The Coastal Marine Sheriff has only one boat, which works out of the Coast Guard station in Boothbay, patrolling all the way to Tenants Harbor. Stott said the first line of defense is the fisherman, a kind of vigilante.

   Bob said that the day of the volunteer harbor master is over. $600/year for expenses is not enough. Edgecomb needs a professional, on salary. This will need a Town Meeting warrant article. Stuart asked Bob to draw up a trial budget and consult with Rick Elder and the Budget Committee. He advised that a tentative warrant article be written for the Special Town Meeting, for $3,000 to cover eight markers with ground tackle to mark the external limits of the mooring fields.

   The need for launch ramps was discussed. The Waterfront Committee likes Bob Zak’s idea, to partner with MDOT when the Bypass comes through, to create a public landing cum park where the Bypass lands in Edgecomb.

   Miles Geisler said Edgecomb is ignoring the Damariscotta River which needs launch ramps and mooring areas, too. But if it had them, Edgecomb would need a police department.

2. Edgecomb sheriff’s deputy: Sheriff Brackett will come to the July 9 Selectmen’s meeting.
3. Midcoast Co-Housing Legal Bill: Grace Goldberg sent back a number of legal bills which had been sent to MCH for payment. John will follow up on this.

   Katharine Braid suggested that the Land Use Ordinance should explicitly allow the Planning Board to refuse an application if an applicant is unwilling to pay for expert advice the PB might need for an informed decision. There should be a notice in writing about these more formal procedures. Stuart suggested the legal fees might be pulled from the PB budget into the General Fund, and put a lien on the property in question.

1. Grace Goldberg: see Midcoast Co-Housing above.
2. David Soule, quitclaim deed: This was signed by John and Jo; Stuart will have it notarized.
3. General Assistance: A note of thanks from a GA recipient, who returned the unused portion of her food/supply voucher.
4. MMA Salary Survey: referred to Town Clerk.
5. IRS instructions in re federal liens: referred to Stuart.
6. Wachovia, check in the amount $5,075 for three Hammond Trust projects: referred to Town Treasurer.
7. MDOT inventory of state-owned property: referred to Tax Collector.
8. County tax bill in the amount $244,799.91: referred to Stuart.

#29 in the amount $13,475.14 was voted unanimously to be accepted.