Note: handouts and other attachments referenced in below are not included here.

Minutes Informational Meeting  - March 8, 2008

Sweden Free Meeting Hall, 144 Bridgton Road, Sweden

Meeting was opened at 9:01 by Clerk Jane Gibbons. She stated the purpose of the meeting was to inform the public about the issue of raising LD1 limits due

to changes in Tree Growth compensation, to answer questions concerning the changes in the Town Zoning ordinance relative to Natural Resource Protection

designations and to hear a report from the Fire Station Building Committee. The Pledge of Allegiance was said.

Selectman Harris presented two handouts (attached) concerning LD 1 and the Tree Growth Tax law reduction. The 2007 amount was $19,000 short of what was

budgeted and the 2008 budget will need to be raised over $20,000 to compensate. There was a call for citizens to object to State legislatures on

Article 40 concerns the Planning Board's recommendation of changes to the Town Zoning ordinance. Julie McQueen gave a summary of the ordinance concerning

shore land zoning regulations, incorporation of E-911 addresses, changes in the process of building permits, and DEP mandated changes in Natural Resource

Protection areas. LEA had updated a map showing the changes. There is a threat that if we do not adopt the recommended changes the DEP may impose

stricter regulations. Our assessor will examine the properties in question to check that no changes need to be made concerning property valuation and

subsequent taxation. Most of the properties could not be built on by previous surveys. A summary is attached.

Article 15 concerns the Fire Building Station: Wolfgang Duve and Julie McQueen reported on the committee's activities in visiting Denmark and Conway

cost range from $70 to $200 per square foot. Designs previously used cannot be adapted due to new liability rules. Ms. McQueen had a fact sheet

outlining the committee's work (attached). An engineer or architect has to make up the plans because it is a municipal building. Warren Noble emphasized

the need for clothes washing machines as Fire Fighter's suits are exposed to hazardous materials. The question was raised concerning prefab buildings. A

plan is needed before you can present a proposal for building even a prefab garage. It may not be a requirement of mutual aid that we have 5 bays, but

even with 3 pieces of equipment you need one bay for repairs. Funding sources have lead to no sources due to our medium income being higher than other

Oxford County towns. Ms. McQueen encouraged people to submit questions to the committee and suggested that a late April informational meeting be held with a

special town meeting a couple of weeks after that. She stated that the committee would suggest an alternate to articles 15 and 38 and possibly table

discussion until more information could be presented and a firmer idea of a plan could be presented at a late April informational meeting.