Blue Hill Selectmen

Town Park condition re-starts public works discussion

Wednesday, October 9 - Members present: Chmn. Leach, Best, Dow. Others participating/present: Town Adm. Shawna Ambrose, John Miller.

Discussion:

♦ Town park - Discussion of citizen complaint over park, playground equipment: broken boards, graffiti, sandless sandbox, etc. Best noted playground reserve account holds $40,000, after 2019 town vote to place $33,200 in from undesignated funds. Also complaint of hospital staffsmoking by park entrance. Law requires 20’ distance from playground for smoking; Ambrose to look into No Smoking signage; concern is vandalism to sign.

♦ Public works - Public works employee considered for 2020 but “came offthe table” when budget work began. Leach: “The list just grows and grows and grows and the work continues not to get done.” Town employee would mean not having to find contractor for multiple town needs; contractor costs could fund position. Best: “I feel like we have enough different things in the town maintenance-wise that we could support a person full-time.”

♦ CDBG grant - Selectmen to set meeting with state representatives, Community Compass ex.dir. over grant guidelines, obligations, possible liability to town. Community Compass awarded $50,000 over two years to expand programs; town would act as fiduciary agent, if town accept funds.

♦ Grant application - To Nature Conservancy, for share of $50,000 for assessment on replacing town hall lighting with LED lights, completed, Dow reported.