Hollis reintroduces municipal code of ethics for review; multiple administrative items discussed

At the July 15 meeting, Select Board member Mike Harnois presented a revised municipal code of ethics intended to apply to all town boards, committees and advisory bodies. The draft updates a 2024 effort to reflect the town’s municipal-manager/5-member select board structure and adds an acknowledgment section that would require members of town boards and committees to sign that they have received, read and agree to comply with the code.

Harnois summarized the key provisions — impartiality, disclosure and recusal obligations, required disclosure statements within 30 days of appointment, and a violations process that could include outside-attorney review and penalties up to removal under Maine statute (30-A). He recommended the board review the draft and bring attorney feedback to the next meeting; the board agreed to review the draft and consider adoption on Aug. 5 pending legal review.

The board also considered administrative items: it opened appointments and approved Tracy Jacek as deputy code enforcement officer, deputy building inspector and deputy local plumbing inspector. Staff reported payroll and warrant totals and discussed several purchase orders for highway and other routine work; a board member flagged competitive-bid threshold considerations for POs at or just below $10,000.

Separately, Rob (the road commissioner) updated the board on the Salmon Falls Bridge replacement project and detour planning; tentative construction timing runs from March 1, 2027, with an expected substantial completion around Nov. 1, 2027. The town manager and board members agreed to schedule a finance-committee meeting to coordinate potential funding decisions for ongoing projects.