[{"_1":2,"_115":-5,"_116":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,85,95,105],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6465471,"mediaKeyId","5907725-ee948dc0553dfb723cd5e7d475bb81b6","parentId",5907725,"title","Maine DEP requires secondary containment at North Berwick transfer station; town to budget work for spring","audioSeconds",487,"startMs",1878000,"endMs",2365000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5907725-ee948dc0553dfb723cd5e7d475bb81b6&start=1878&end=2365","thumbnailUrl","https://d352y6ypj4mjo3.cloudfront.net/AudioPlaceholder.png","articleUrl","/articles/6465471/Maine/Maine-DEP-requires-secondary-containment-at-North-Berwick-transfer-station-town-to-budget-work-for-spring","mediaUrl","author","Town of North Berwick","date","2025-09-02T00:00:00Z","article","Town staff told the Board of Selectmen that the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has required secondary containment for the transfer station’s waste-oil storage because transfer-station rules differ from other municipal sites.

The transfer station manager said DEP allowed the town to delay work until spring to avoid winter handling complications; staff will gather quotes and expects the preferred approach is to replace existing tanks with double-wall containment tanks.

The manager provided numbers and options: the facility currently uses 330-gallon tanks, the site consumes roughly 1,500 gallons of waste oil a year, and replacement costs for the tanks plus connectivity and labor are likely to be in the $6,000 per tank range with a total project estimate “near the $10,000 range” for the full installation. The manager said another option — pouring a containment pad and reconfiguring piping — was under consideration but would take more space and additional piping work.

The manager said the town inspects tanks daily and that the DEP recognized the town’s current practice of burning the waste oil reduces some risk; DEP still requires secondary containment as a regulatory matter.

Staff plan: obtain formal pricing from HVAC and tank vendors, consider hiring a contractor to remove oil before spring if necessary, and return to the board with firm figures. The manager said there are funds available in existing accounts to pay for the work if it becomes necessary.

Ending: The board requested cost estimates and a proposal for spring work; staff will return with firm quotes and a recommendation during the budget cycle if the town opts not to use emergency funds.","mediaType","Audio","parentTitle","September 2, 2025 Select Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Town staff reported a Maine DEP finding that waste-oil storage at the transfer station must have secondary containment; town will seek quotes and has until spring to comply, with an estimated cost of $5,000–$10,000.","taxTitle","Town of North Berwick, York County, Maine","taxId",60884,"location","Maine","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":50,"_51":82,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6465475,"North Berwick selectmen authorize immediate replacement of service pistols after national safety concerns",1087,553000,1640000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5907725-ee948dc0553dfb723cd5e7d475bb81b6&start=553&end=1640","/articles/6465475/Maine/North-Berwick-selectmen-authorize-immediate-replacement-of-service-pistols-after-national-safety-concerns","The Town of North Berwick Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to replace the police department’s service pistols after discussion prompted by national reports of unintended discharges involving a widely used pistol model.

The police chief told the board the department purchased the pistols in 2007 and that recent national reporting and an FBI review raised concern about “uncommanded discharges” involving the model. “I don’t honestly believe there’s anything wrong with these guns myself,” the chief said, while adding that a single uncontrolled discharge would “not hold up” publicly even if the department had not experienced problems. The chief recommended replacing the weapons sooner than the scheduled 2027 replacement cycle to reduce risk.

A nut graf: the chief cited an FBI report released in July that examined the pistol model and said investigators could not reproduce an uncommanded discharge under test conditions but also could not categorically rule it out. Citing that uncertainty and national publicity, the chief recommended buying a different design with an external hammer and double-action first pull.

In discussion, board members and staff asked about timing, price and logistics. The chief said replacement costs would likely be in the range of $10,000 to $15,000 depending on training ammunition and accessories, and that holsters currently in use would fit a recommended replacement model. A town staff member confirmed that the weapons were slated for replacement in 2027 under the usual 10-year cycle but that the board could accelerate the purchase and use emergency funds.

Selectmen moved and seconded a motion to expend emergency funds to replace the department’s service pistols immediately. The motion included selling the replaced pistols back to a federal firearms dealer and offering town employees first opportunity to purchase them at the resale amount. On a roll call the motion carried 5-0.

The chief said suppliers quoted delivery timelines that vary by manufacturer; one vendor indicated approximately six weeks, while others were longer. The department plans familiarization training with the new weapons and budgeted ammunition for that training as part of the purchase.

The town will fund the purchase from emergency reserves this fiscal year if the board directs it; if not accelerated, the replacements would remain in the next budget cycle.

The selectmen did not name the replacement model in the motion, but the chief said the suggested replacement uses a different internal design (external hammer/double-action first pull) and would switch the department’s caliber from .40 to 9 mm, increasing magazine capacity from 12 to 15 rounds in the chief’s example.

Ending: The board’s vote directs staff to proceed with procurement and order weapons as soon as practical; the chief said he will return with firm vendor quotes and a final cost before payment is made.","The board voted 5-0 to use emergency funds to replace the department's SIG Sauer P320 service pistols after review of a recent FBI report and national incidents; estimated cost about $10,000–$15,000, with officers offered the old pistols for the buyback price.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":89,"_45":90,"_47":91,"_49":50,"_51":92,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":93,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":94,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6465457,"Votes at a glance: Selectmen approve weapons replacement, warrants, budget schedule and road name",2956,184000,3140000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5907725-ee948dc0553dfb723cd5e7d475bb81b6&start=184&end=3140","/articles/6465457/Maine/Votes-at-a-glance-Selectmen-approve-weapons-replacement-warrants-budget-schedule-and-road-name","At the meeting the Town of North Berwick Board of Selectmen recorded several formal actions. The board approved each motion as described below.

Approved items

1) Replace police service pistols. Motion: authorize expenditure from emergency fund to replace the department’s service pistols (to a different model), offer replaced pistols to employees at resale amount. Outcome: approved, vote 5-0. Note: staff will provide vendor quotes and final cost to the board before payment; chief estimated replacement costs roughly $10,000–$15,000 and lead times vary by vendor.

2) Accept budget schedule. Motion: accept the schedule for the FY27 budget process (town meeting scheduled for April 18, 2026 as presented). Outcome: motion carried (voice vote).

3) Name private road Carlson’s Way. Motion: adopt the name Carlson’s Way for a private road off Bonnie Baykill Road. Outcome: motion carried (voice vote).

4) Approve warrants. Motion: approve the warrant for 08/26/2025 in the amount of $18,669.81 and the warrant for 09/02/2025 in the amount of $136,655.05. Outcome: motion carried, vote recorded as 5-0.

5) Approve minutes. Motion: approve minutes of the 08/19/2025 meeting with a small clerical correction noted. Outcome: motion carried (voice vote).

Ending: Staff will carry out the board’s directions tied to each motion (procurement and follow-up reporting, administrative filings and budget schedule tasks).","The Board of Selectmen carried several motions by voice or roll call: replacement of police service pistols (5-0), adoption of the budget schedule, naming a private road Carlson's Way, and approval of two warrants totaling $155,324.86.",{"_33":96,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":97,"_41":98,"_43":99,"_45":100,"_47":101,"_49":50,"_51":102,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":103,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":104,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6465462,"North Berwick updates: road projects complete, Route 4 signal parts ordered and private road named Carlson’s Way",535,2140000,2675000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5907725-ee948dc0553dfb723cd5e7d475bb81b6&start=2140&end=2675","/articles/6465462/Maine/North-Berwick-updates-road-projects-complete-Route-4-signal-parts-ordered-and-private-road-named-Carlsons-Way","Town staff updated the selectmen on several infrastructure items: road projects, traffic signals, street lights and a private-road naming.

Roads: Staff said most town road projects for the season are finished and that the work remained under budget. Cemetery-related paving work will be scheduled separately and may occur next year.

Traffic signal and \"no turn on red\": Staff reported that a traffic signal assembly at the Route 4 intersection uses obsolete incandescent components that are no longer manufactured and that the replacement head will be all-LED. The component replacement was quoted at roughly $8,000. While awaiting parts, the town will install a temporary static \"No turn on red\" sign for northbound Route 4 traffic; a permanent LED component is expected to be installed within about three weeks of order arrival.

Street lights: Staff said funds previously set aside in the electric/street-light account (carried forward yearly) will pay for planned replacements and upgrades at several intersections; the Randall Road light will be upsized from a low-wattage head to a higher-wattage LED to improve visibility.

Private road naming: The board considered a request to name a private road off Bonnie Baykill Road. Selectmen moved and seconded the motion to adopt the name \"Carlson’s Way.\" The motion carried on voice vote.

Ending: Staff will continue coordination with CMP (Central Maine Power) and street-light contractors and will return with installation dates when available.","Town staff reported road projects are mostly complete and under budget, the Route 4 traffic signal component that supports the \"no turn on red\" feature will be replaced (approx. $8,000) using streetlight/electric account funds, and the board approved naming a private road Carlson’s Way.",{"_33":106,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":107,"_41":108,"_43":109,"_45":110,"_47":111,"_49":50,"_51":112,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":113,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":114,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6465467,"North Berwick staff report $66,100 community resilience application and explain FY26 tax-bill notices",88,432000,520000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5907725-ee948dc0553dfb723cd5e7d475bb81b6&start=432&end=520","/articles/6465467/Maine/North-Berwick-staff-report-66100-community-resilience-application-and-explain-FY26-tax-bill-notices","Town staff told the Board of Selectmen that the town submitted an application to the Community Resilience Partnership and that the request was originally $62,500 but was increased to $66,100 to fund a study identifying vulnerable populations.

\"The main reason they wanted us to do...is to identify our vulnerable population; they want us to do a study to do that,\" a staff member said, and staff added the additional funds would pay for the study work.

Separately, staff provided an update on FY26 commitments and tax bills. The town mailed tax bills and staff warned selectmen they may receive questions about $0 tax bills. A staff member explained the state directed municipalities to print $0 tax bills for accounts where taxes are paid by the state (for example, certain veterans or state-paid personal property accounts). The town sent roughly 60 $0 tax bills to comply with that direction.

Ending: Staff said they will handle public inquiries and noted tax-bill mailing and the resilience application are in regular process; no board vote was required.","Town staff updated the board on a Community Resilience Partnership grant application increased to $66,100 for a vulnerability study, and explained why some taxpayers received $0 tax bills this year following a state order.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Maine DEP requires secondary containment at North Berwick transfer station; town to budget work for spring

North Berwick selectmen authorize immediate replacement of service pistols after national safety concerns

Votes at a glance: Selectmen approve weapons replacement, warrants, budget schedule and road name

North Berwick updates: road projects complete, Route 4 signal parts ordered and private road named Carlson’s Way

North Berwick staff report $66,100 community resilience application and explain FY26 tax-bill notices