BOARD OF SELECTMEN
TOWN OF MADISON
MINUTES
Selectmen Present: Chairman John Arruda, Michael Brooks, Michel Benoit.
Others Present: Administrators Melissa Arias & Sue Stacey; Budget Committee Members Carol Batchelder, Earl Mayhofer, Fay Melendy, Fred Ham, Jim Lyons, Ray O’Brien; Madison TV Videographer Tim Hughes.
Where and When Posted: Town Hall upper and lower bulletin boards, Madison & Silver Lake Post Offices on February 11, 2009. The purpose of holding the meeting was so the Selectmen and Budget Committee could formally vote to either recommend or not recommend the warrant article mistakenly omitted from the tentative Warrant. The $2,000 article was discussed at the February 10, 2009 Public Budget hearing but votes were not taken.
Meeting Called To Order: By the Chairman at 6:10 p.m.
VOTE ON LIBRARY’S WARRANT ARTICLE #10 – The Chairman read the wording of the warrant article to place $2,000 in an expendable trust with the Board of Trustees as agents to expend. The Board of Selectmen recommended the warrant article on a vote of 3-0 and the Budget Committee recommended the warrant article on a vote of 4-2.
RECONSIDERATION OF RECOMMENDATION ON FIREWORKS ARTICLE #17 – Benoit thought input received at the Public Budget Hearing warranted a reconsideration vote for the Old Home Week firework.
Motion: Benoit made a motion to reconsider the Selectmen’s vote on the Old Home Week fireworks warrant article, seconded by Arruda, and so voted.
Discussion: Benoit said the concept of funding the fireworks through donations was brought up at the public hearing and should be considered. Benoit offered to be one of the early contributors. The Selectmen took a revote on the recommendation of the fireworks warrant article with Arruda not recommending, Brooks recommending, and Benoit changing his previous recommendation to a not recommend. Brooks said there’s a chance the Old Home Week Committee may move to pass over the article on the floor at Town Meeting.
Decision: Selectmen’s tally on the fireworks warrant article will be changed to Not Recommended by the Selectmen 2-1.
SELECTMEN’S RECOMMENDATIONS: Brooks felt the statement made at the Public Budget Hearing that Selectmen’s recommendations weigh heavily on the residents and voters was incorrect and self-serving. Brooks said the Selectmen just made an attempt to get support for a new Zoning Amendment concept but received nothing but criticism.
SEMI-ANNUAL TAX COLLECTION PUBLIC NOTICE – The Selectmen were in agreement to move forward with spreading the word on semi-annual tax collection starting in 2009. Melendy said there are only two towns in Carroll County not currently billing semi-annually (Madison and Bartlett). Brooks said this decision is considered a prudential affair of the town, which the Board of Selectmen is charged with managing. Arruda said for every $1,000 a person pays at the first billing in July compromises between $6 and $7 by going to semi-annual billing. Stacey suggested contacting the newspapers for a story, posting signs around town, and asking the town columnist to include the details several times over the next few months.
APPROVAL & SIGNING OF THE 2009 WARRANT – The Selectmen approved and signed the 2009 warrant.
Motion: Arruda made a motion to sign the 2009 warrant, seconded by Brooks, and so voted.
Decision: Selectmen signed the warrant for posting.
ADJOURNED – 6:31 PM – Arruda made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Brooks, and so voted.
Respectfully submitted,
Melissa S. Arias, Administrator
Recording Secretary