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Select Board authorizes up to $30,000 for Tamarack fire-pond survey and related costs; approves $5,896 and $390 reimbursements
Summary
The Lee Select Board voted to reimburse the fire department for two items (a $390.54 hydrant-evaluation expense and a $5,896.35 survey) and authorized withdrawals not to exceed $30,000 from the fire ponds capital reserve fund to cover a survey, legal and potential land-transfer or easement costs after a survey showed part of a fire pond sits on private property.
The Lee Select Board approved two reimbursements and authorized a larger funding cap after staff reported that a recent survey found a significant portion of a town fire pond sits on private property.
Board members moved to authorize withdrawal of $390.54 from the fire ponds capital reserve fund to pay for work related to a hydrant evaluation and then separately to authorize payment of $5,896.35 for a property survey. Trustees and staff explained the $5,896.35 covered the initial survey work to determine how much of the pond lies on private land and that the board had been asked to authorize up to $30,000 to cover additional surveying, legal fees and potential land-transfer or easement costs.
"When the public works department went to do the maintenance around the pond, they were informed that that part of the pond was on private property," John Tapen, chair of the Trustees of Trust Funds, said. He described the 5,896.35 amount as an accurate survey cost to determine how much is on private property and said additional costs could include legal and land-transfer expenses if the town needs to acquire an easement or property interest.
Board members asked for clarification: approving the up-to-$30,000 authorization allows the town to reimburse amounts already spent and to cover future costs up to that cap without returning to the board for incremental approvals; if costs exceed the cap the town would need to come back to the board. After discussion, the board voted to authorize withdrawal of an amount not to exceed $30,000 from the fire ponds capital reserve fund to pay for costs related to the Tamarack fire pond project, and the motion carried.
The transcript shows the board recorded the specific smaller reimbursements and separately approved the not-to-exceed authorization; it does not show any completed land transfer or easement agreement during the meeting. Staff said decisions about whether to purchase land, acquire an easement or do a line adjustment had not been determined and would be addressed as the work proceeds.
