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Acton Select Board approves lease extension, accepts DOT payment, awards paving contract and funds fire-department compressor
Summary
At its July 17 meeting the Town of Acton Select Board unanimously approved a five-year lease extension for Blueberry Hill, accepted $1,000 from the Maine DOT for Rt. 109 right-of-way, awarded a paving contract to F.R. Carroll/Allstate and authorized purchase of a new SCBA fill-station compressor funded by a $50,000 private grant.
The Town of Acton Select Board on July 17 unanimously approved a series of routine and budgetary actions, including a five-year lease extension for the Blueberry Hill property, acceptance of a $1,000 payment from the Maine Department of Transportation related to Rt. 109, award of a municipal paving contract to F.R. Carroll (doing business as Allstate) and authorization to purchase a new SCBA fill-station compressor for the fire department.
The board voted to extend the Blueberry Hill lease for five years at $500 per month with property owner Darlene Ham. Select Board member Tom McGurty moved the measure and Ed Walsh seconded; “All in favor. Motion carried,” the board recorded.
The board also accepted a $1,000 payment from the Maine Department of Transportation in consideration for the state taking property associated with the Rt. 109 expansion adjacent to town athletic fields. McGurty made the motion to accept the payment and initial the acknowledgement form; Walsh seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
Road bids were opened at the meeting. Road Commissioner Will Langley recommended accepting the F.R. Carroll/Allstate bid at $96.10 per ton. Acting on that recommendation, Select Board member Tom McGurty moved to award the paving contract to F.R. Carroll/Allstate; Ed Walsh seconded and the board voted to accept the bid.
Fire Chief Wayne Ham told the board he had secured a $50,000 grant from the Steven and Tabitha King Foundation earmarked for a new SCBA fill station. Chief Ham recommended buying an Artic Air Compressor for $49,228, plus an extended-warranty package for $3,685, for a total purchase cost of $52,913.68. The board authorized the purchase with $50,000 coming from the King Foundation grant and $2,300 drawn from the fire department’s compressor line. Select Board member David Winchell Jr. moved to approve the expenditure and Winchell’s motion was seconded by Ed Walsh; the vote was unanimous.
The Town Administrator provided routine staffing and operations updates: the APAT Director position was publicly posted with a July 31 closing date and one resume received to date; the part-time transfer-station position will be interviewed next week with Ed Walsh serving as liaison and Robin Ham participating. The administrator also briefed the board on repeated alarm-system outages at town buildings after an excavator struck the back of the gym; the administrator recommended switching alarm providers and scheduled a local company to review the system, with Tom McGurty suggesting Seacoast Security as a vendor to consider.
During public comment, resident Joyce Bakshi asked whether the town owned the speed trailer on Goose Pond Road; the board confirmed town ownership and said the trailer is moved among locations. The board also noted an upcoming public hearing on July 24 for an item labeled Iron Tails and reminded the public that APAT director resumes are due July 31.
The meeting closed with a procedural motion to adjourn that carried unanimously. The Select Board will reconvene for regularly scheduled business and the July 24 public hearing noted at the meeting.
