Windsor select board recommends abolishing Conservation Commission Committee

by The Town Line staff

At their October 22 meeting, the Windsor Select Board voted unanimously to recommend a warrant article to abolish the Conservation Commission Ordinance at the June 2024 town meeting.

Adrian Prindle, chairman of the Conservation Commission Committee reported they were going through the process of the ordinance and there is legal technology within the ordinance that is confusing and is causing the committee members to have many questions..

The conservation commission committee members are entertaining to have the ordinance abolished and then create a Belle Grove Parke Advisory Committee. The same members of the conservation commission would want to be part of the Belle Grove Parke Advisory Committee and would submit by-laws/rules.

They are meeting on Tuesday, December 10, at 6 p.m., and will suggest the process of forming a new group. Chester D. Barnes Jr. said the legal terms of this ordinance are for them to maintain a list of wetlands public and private property and he feels the town does not have the authority to do that, commenting, “We are not DEP.”

In other business:

– Town Manager Theresa Haskell said she has two letters from the assesdor’s agent regarding abatements and an abatement denial. The board approved an abatement in the amount of #3,761.88 for errors in building valuations for the Hysom, Shelia, heirs of $439; Carver, Ryan and Loralee of $958.62; Castle, Marcella and Collins, Matthew of $701.04; Bradbury, Joseph and Debra of $153.74 and Shorey, Timothy of $851. The board also approved the recommendation of the assessor’s agent for the denial at 139 Casey Road which lacks supportive documentation to substantiate what the assessment should be and is unclear as to how they calculated the reduced assessment.
– Public Works Supervisor Keith Reed reported on multiple issues with town trucks. He said the new truck was shipped November 14. Also, truck #5 needed to have transmission lines replaced at a cost of $3,000; when asked about what the future is going to bring for plow truck drivers, he said everyone that drives wants $30-plus per hour. He said, “we’ll have to go with what we have since we have not had many applicants.”

On the backhoe, locking pins, control switch and wiring had to be replaced at a cost of around $2,000.

– It was reported the medical marijuana petition will need to be formally voted and denied by the select board and for them to state the reason. The Maine Municipal Association recommends that it’s OK to have an ordinance ready before any vote. It was approved by the board on Select board member Allison Whynot’s motion to deny the petition as the wording is not a specific warrant question.
– Haskell handed out an updated Windsor Educational Foundation and Reed Fund Statment of Investment Policy for the select board to review until tne next meeting, and having someone from Kennebec Wealth Management attend the meeting as well.
– Haskell said the June 30, 2023, audit is complete and will be receiving the final audit soon.
– Finally, Haskell received a request from Aaron Ready to allow his truck to be parked in the town’s parking lot because he comcommutes to his job at Bath Iron Works with another driver. The select board said they had no issue at this point but would suggest they do not utilize the parking lot during snowstorms.

The next meeting of the select board was held on November 5.