Newcastle plans to resume land use workshops next month at a date, time and location to be determined.
A series of workshops in late 2010, early 2011 came to an abrupt end late last winter after the administration of Gov. Paul LePage scrapped Gateway 1, the Dept. of Transportation program that subsidized the workshops.
Newcastle, using municipal funds, has retained Beth Della Valle, the lead consultant from the previous round of workshops, to lead the upcoming sessions.
According to tentative agendas, the “community engagement and planning effort” will focus on the Newcastle comprehensive plan and its treatment of the town’s rural area.
Town administrator advertisement
Newcastle will start advertising for a town administrator Nov. 1.
The advertisement will appear on the websites of the International City/County Management Association and the Maine Municipal Association and in six newspapers, including The Lincoln County News.
The Newcastle Board of Selectmen will meet in special, workshop-style sessions on Tues., Nov. 1 and Mon., Nov. 21 from 7-8:30 p.m. to discuss the hiring process, including the formation of a hiring committee.
The deadline for applications is Nov. 30.
The selectmen will meet with Damariscotta interim Town Manager Don Gerrish on Nov. 21. Gerrish works for Eaton Peabody, a firm that provides interim management services as well as consulting in the search and hiring process.
The forester will walk the site prior to the meeting and prepare a cost-benefit analysis of a timber harvest on the parcel.
In other business, the Newcastle Board of Selectmen met in joint session with the Damariscotta Board of Selectmen Oct. 24 to discuss the first quarter of joint public works operations.
Newcastle Town Administrator Ron Grenier characterized the event as “a productive meeting” with generally positive feedback from members of both boards.
