Paris special town meeting and regular selectmen’s meeting

Oct. 24, 2016

Paris Town Office

What happened: Voters at a special town meeting approved bonding to pay for engineering for the stormwater separation/catch basin removal project.

What it means: The 18-year bond of up to $737,000 has an interest rate of 1 percent. The total debt service is $785,115. The $64,000 to pay for engineering costs will come from surplus. The town, in conjunction with the Paris Utility District, must remove 22 catch basins from the sewer system to prevent stormwater from unnecessarily being treated by the district. If it’s not completed by 2019, the district could face fines from the Department of Environmental Protection and the district could have its license renewal denied. 

What’s next: Rob Prue of Pine Tree Engineering will finish his engineering work to give definitive numbers for the project so Town Manager Vic Hodgkins can finish the paperwork for the bond. The project should go out to bid in the spring and work begin in midsummer 2017. After the project is complete, scheduled for 2017, the town will no longer pay the district roughly $46,000 to treat stormwater and will use that money to pay off the bond.

Oxford County Regional Recycling Corp.

What happened: A public hearing was held regarding the dissolution of Oxford County Regional Recycling Corp.

What it means: As numerous towns turn toward single-stream recycling, the corporation, which has 15 member towns, has outgrown its purpose, according to Janet Jamison, corporation chairwoman, who is chair of the Board of Selectmen. Paris and Norway residents would still have multi-sort recycling at the Transfer Station on Brown Street in Norway and would not see a change in operations there.

What’s next: Voters head to the polls on Nov. 8 to vote on whether to dissolve the corporation.

Town meeting format

What happened: A public hearing was held on changing from the traditional annual town meeting on a Saturday morning in June to voting on warrant articles at the polls.

What it means: If approved, voting would take place by secret ballot for a longer period of time – most likely 12 hours – instead of the usual Saturday morning in June. This would allow for absentee voting. Hearings and discussion would be held ahead of time and three options – selectmen, Budget Committee and residents’ recommendations for each warrant article – could be on the ballot. Town Clerk Liz Knox said the budget timeline would have to be moved up a few weeks for her to comply with state statute for absentee voting.

What’s next: Voters will weigh in on Nov. 8 about what town meeting format they prefer.

Liquor license hearing

What happened: A hearing for a liquor license and special entertainment permit for Stars and Strikes Bowling Center at 108 Park St. was held and selectmen approved both.

What it means: The bowling alley can serve alcohol and have live entertainment at its establishment.

Road commissioner

What happened: Selectmen voted to have Hodgkins serve as road commissioner.

What it means: Hodgkins will oversee the town’s road programs financially.

What’s next: Hodgkins will meet with Highway Director Jamie Hutchinson to go over the roads plan.

Kirchherr resigns

What happened: Selectmen accepted the resignation of Robert Kirchherr from the Budget Committee and thanked him for his service. They made Richard Penley to a full member.

What it means: The Budget Committee will have to vote on a new chairman.

What’s next: Selectmen are looking for a resident to join the Budget Committee as an alternate. An application can be picked up and dropped off at the Town Office, 33 Market Square.

Office closed Election Day

What happened: Selectmen voted to close the Town Office on Election Day, Nov. 8, so clerks can work the election.

What it means: The Town Office will not be open for business, but motor vehicle and snowmobile and ATV registrations can be done online at www1.maine.gov/online/bmv/rapid-renewal/ and www10.informe.org/ifw/atv-snow/step01.html?DL=GO respectively.

Auditor’s report

What happened: Hodgkins announced that he and bookkeeper Paula Lock will meet with the town’s auditor, Bill Hall of RHR Smith & Company, on Nov. 10.

What it means: The final audit report will be released then.

What’s next: Once Hodgkins receives the audit, he will schedule a workshop with selectmen to discuss it and the town’s financial status.

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