Sweden Fire Station Building Committee Meeting Notes

May 28, 2008

Present:

Members:

Wolfgang Duve, Julie McQueen, John P. Smith, Patrick Wood, Wayne Miller

Absent: Bill Morrisseau

Public & Guests:  None

Assignments from the May 28, 2008 meeting:

Will put together an abbreviated version of the presentation.

Will write a letter to the Selectmen re: their decision.

Will pick up projector from New Suncook School on Friday May 30, 2008 and will return it on Monday.

Assignments from the May 6, 2008 meeting:

Julie

Will make copies of resources when everything is received. – Done

Wayne

Will have fire association set up chairs & tables At the Meeting House at their May 29^th, 2008 meeting) Meeting has been changed to Friday May 30, 2008 but they will set up that night.

John

Will bring name tags made for committee members and selectmen for the presentation. 

Assignments from the July 10, 2007 meeting:

·       Ted Harris is to make an inquiry with Maine DOT regarding the acquisition/storage of excess fill required for site work.

·       *Warren Noble has received some paperwork on this subject as of the April 22, 2008 meeting.

These notes are not necessarily in the order in which things were discussed. They are loosely organized by topic.

Meeting Notes:

·       Wolfgang called the meeting to order at 10:30 am .

·       The Committee found out inadvertently last week that the Selectmen planned to make a presentation having nothing to do with the Fire Station prior to the advertised committee presentation at the May 31 meeting.  

·       The Selectmen have evidently through no fault of their own, encountered a shortfall of $30,000 - $52,000 in the winter road account and have some other business to discuss.

·       Due to the fact that the May 31 meeting was called by the committee, and advertised as such, the Committee requested that they be allowed to make their presentation as planned and would then gladly turn the meeting over to the Selectmen to conduct any business they choose.

·       Recognizing that the budget shortfall issue creates a hardship on taxpayers; the committee discussed the need to be financially responsible to the community which we are all supposed to be serving.

·       In the best interest of the Town, it was decided unanimously that the committee will make a request from the Selectmen to withdraw the articles regarding the Fire Station at this time.

·       Since a large presentation has been prepared, it was decided that some critical points from that presentation will be made; then an explanation will be made as to why the articles have been withdrawn and questions will be answered.

·       After the abbreviated presentation; the meeting will then be turned over to the Selectmen to conduct their business.

·       The Committee will request that a meeting to make the full presentation be scheduled next spring and the articles be added to next year’s warrant for Town meeting.

·       Julie will cancel the projector from Maine Video Systems and will borrow a projector from New Suncook School .

·       Julie will also contact Eric Grondahl and make him aware of the situation. He will likely decide that it is not worth his time to attend under the circumstances.

·       Julie will put together an abbreviated version of the presentation to be made on Saturday and will write a letter to the Selectmen.

·       After the meeting, Julie will contact all of those who have made proposals for the engineering and design of the building and make them aware that the project is on hold.

·       Wolfgang spoke with Scott Valley who has verbally agreed to extend the property line an additional 35 feet towards the road. This change will not move the proposed building any closer to the road but will give the Town a better buffer along the apron in front of the proposed station.

·       The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 am