Dresden selectmen approved additional items as upgrades and changes to the safety building construction totaling $28,579.
“We are still below budget,” said First Selectman John Ottum.
The budget for construction of the new firehouse facility, now well on its way to completion for use this fall, totals $1 million, he said.
The changes consist of electrical upgrades and others to the original design to be paid for from the contingency fund, which has $22,000 remaining, bringing the total expenditure to $984,000.
“I assure you we are going to be under $1 million,” new Third Selectman Alan Moeller said.
Besides the new firehouse at the Rt. 128 site, part of the project includes the refurbishing of the adjacent Pownalborough Hall to use as a meeting and polling place. Ottum said the meeting space could hold as many as 100 people, sufficient for current town meeting attendance.
The board discussed other matters concerning the new facility under construction, such as exhaust fans and reported the overhead doors for the firehouse bays have been installed along with 99 percent of the sheetrock.
Recycling interest decline
Recycling supervisor David Probert and the board discussed the problem of a decline in recycling going on in Dresden and suggested a survey and renewing interest through the local school.
When recycling first began in Dresden, recycled goods amounted to 57 percent of the solid waste taken to the transfer station, but now it only accounts for 41 percent, according to Ottum.
With special programs in the school in the past, recycling gained public support, but Ottum and the other board members see a need for a renewal of publicity about the local program.
Probert said he would speak to regional school unit officials about the desire to promote recycling more in the local schools.
Ottum said much of the decline could be attributed to newcomers to the community who prefer not to recycle. He said some people have asked about the availability of waste pickup.
Other matters discussed about the transfer station and swap shop centered on its appearance.
Moeller said, “You ought to keep it a little more tidy. Tidiness is my biggest issue.”
The transfer station will be giving bottles to a Richmond dance group with five Dresden residents who want to go to Disney World later this year to enter a dance competition. Selectmen agreed to the Aug. 1 to Nov. 1 time frame the group requested.
Joey Lane issue
The board discussed the issue of mobile home park owner Doug Smith, who apparently obtained permission from the code enforcement officer to change his mailing address to Middle Road, since no sign currently exists for Joey Lane.
Selectmen said the problem puts Smith and residents in his park in jeopardy because the ambulance service has had difficulty in finding residents on the lane.
After discussing the issue, the board voted to override the decision of code enforcement officer Bruce Engert and requests Smith himself put up a sign for the lane, which was the official name given to it with town approval. Members said the 9-1-1 addressing requires it.
Bridge Academy board
Ottum said the board decided a while ago any Bridge Academy trustee has to have some link to Bridge Academy, such as attendance at the school, which discontinued as a high school in after 1972.
Trustee John James, whose term expired, was recently appointed to fill the remaining year of a five-year term, since a trustee resigned.
Appointment of another member will be necessary to fill a vacancy, according to Ottum.
Other business
The board voted to approve a five-year contract for a new town office printer/scanner/copier from A-Copi in Augusta after hearing a presentation from business representative Paul Bennett.
The board made the decision based on cost savings for a new machine and lower service charge for the contract.
Ottum briefly mentioned the board has been working with a contractor on refurbishing of the wood floors in the town office.
Members also approved sending local emergency management agency director Roger David to the county’s H1N1 flu preparedness class, and suggested Ottum should go as well.
The board also gave conditional approval to a zoning name change in the shoreland ordinance. “It’s just a labeling issue,” Second Selectman James Rea said.
