The Boothbay Harbor Board of Selectmen met for one hour and 45 minutes in executive session prior to their regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, June 9. In the open portion of the meeting, the board revisited the proposed fee schedule, changes in agenda format, the repeal provision, and whether to require Linekin Bay Resort and Mt. Dora developers to cover costs for roadway improvements. Selectman Louis Burnham was absent.

In executive session, the board and town manager met with Dave Barrett of the Maine Municipal Association (MMA) regarding collective bargaining contract negotiations. During open meeting, the board voted to hire Barrett as a consultant for contract negotiations with union police officers, and for possible negotiations with other town employees, who are scheduled to vote on unionizing in the next two weeks. The board also decided to schedule another executive session on collective bargaining negotiations for June 16 at 5 p.m.

In public forum, Jerry Closson questioned the purpose and use of executive sessions by the selectmen. Closson requested that the reason for any executive session be posted before the session and that the selectmen brief voters of their deliberations afterward. Selectman Bruce Engert read the allowed purposes for executive sessions from the Maine statutes, which include labor negotiations, and stated that the executive session was "not secretive," but dealt with sensitive information. The selectmen agreed to schedule future executive sessions before, rather than after, the public portion of their meetings, when necessary.

Public works director Jody Lewis stated that he had talked to the landowners at the intersections and thought they would be willing to consider site changes to improve the situation. Lewis suggested that a professional engineer draw up plans and that the public works department do the construction work, if the developers cover the costs. The board voted to authorize the planning board to assess the costs for these intersection improvements to the developers; Selectman Denise Griffin abstained from the vote. Lewis and selectman Robert Splaine said that they would attend the June 11 planning board meeting regarding Linekin Bay Resort's application.

It appeared at first that the fee schedules proposed at the last selectmen's meeting were heading for an easy approval. Opening discussion on the matter, Griffin moved to accept the fee schedules, with a fee reduction for Barrett Park use, and Splaine seconded. Then, Engert stated that the fee changes proposed would require homeowners to pay $50 for any repairs or renovations to their property. "I can't believe that's what the voters would want to do," said Engert. Splaine responded that the repair fee would only apply to permit level repairs, which are fairly big repairs. Engert responded that he questioned the reasonableness of any fee for property repairs. Splaine moved to table the fee schedule until the next selectmen's meeting on June 23; the board approved this motion.

In public forum, Closson asked if the fee schedule would be posted, a public hearing held, and the decision go before town meeting for voter approval. Woodin responded that fee schedules were a decision for the selectmen and "Mr. C disagreed wholeheartedly." Splaine, reading from town code, stated that the board of selectmen was authorized to review and approve fee schedules. When questioned further about the need for public input, Engert and selectman Linc Sample noted that the selectmen's meeting provided a forum for the public to "guide" the selectmen's decision.

Sample noted "We, more or less, invited Norm Pierce" to discuss a repeal provision but that it was not on the agenda. Pierce noted that in the past, when there was a need for change "that change didn't come because the state process for repeal was too much of a hassle."

Griffin said, "There is a downside; it could make for an extremely dysfunctional town." Griffin noted that, in theory, the provision could result in frequent recalls and that if there were a repeal provision, valid reasons for a repeal would need to be defined. Splaine stated that he hadn't seen the need for the provision and had concerns that only 45 signatures were needed to recall an elected official in Pierce's provision. Sample said that he agreed with the concept, but maybe not the mechanics that had been proposed. Pierce responded that he had just provided an example and that most of the mechanics of it could be changed. Although the board agreed to continue to consider the provision, no action was taken.

John VanOrsdell of Boothbay noted that the Maine Department of Transportation was expected to announce its preferred route for the Route 1 bypass on Tuesday. VanOrsdell said that any route option DOT chose would be unpopular with Wiscasset and would be unlikely to obtain federal funding. He requested that the board sign a letter to Exxon Mobil that requests their funding of the tunnel route, proposed by VanOrsdell but dismissed by DOT because of high costs, instead. Sample asked VanOrsdell to define the dollar amounts involved and expressed reluctance to "put my name to this." The board said that it would review the letter and give VanOrsdell its decision at its June 23 meeting.

In other business, the selectmen agreed to add a town manager's report to their regular meeting format. Woodin notified the board that Sewall Maddocks had agreed to a three-year lease extension for public use of his restrooms.

Griffin questioned Woodin's authority to replace a part-time clerical staffer who resigned. Engert said that the town manager has the discretion to hire and fire staff. Sample and Splaine agreed that this hire was within the town manager's purview. Griffin suggested that it would better to discuss such decisions in advance so that other alternatives could be considered.

Finance officer Julia Latter reported that the town is expected to $73,653 in the black at year end.

The next public selectmen's meeting is scheduled for June 23.