Dexter council extends E-W moratorium, reappoints town officials
By Mike Lange
Staff Writer
DEXTER — The Dexter Town Council breezed through its Dec. 11 meeting in 45 minutes with most of the time devoted to reappointing department heads and committee members.
Observer photo/Mike Lange
THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE — Dexter Council Chair Fred Banks presented certificates of appreciation to outgoing Councilors Denise Dinsmore, center, and Missy Stone at the beginning of the Dec. 11 meeting. Dinsmore declined to seek another term and Stone lost her reelection bid.
In a sense, the reappointments were a historic milestone since it no longer has to be done after this year.
During November’s general election, Dexter voters approved a new charter effective July 1, 2015 that permits the town manager to reappoint all department heads for indefinite terms with the exception of the treasurer and assessor.
The council also unanimously extended a moratorium on the construction of “private corridors, including paved highways, pipelines and high-tension transmission lines” through the community for an additional 180 days. Voters approved the measure last month in a non-binding referendum by a vote of 788-630.
Marcia Delaware of the Concerned Citizens Group read a letter at the beginning of the session recapping the organization’s reasons for opposing the corridor. “We believe that it would be a serious mistake for the town of Dexter to open the door to this enormous project without knowing the specific details, the exact route through Dexter, construction plans, if pipelines will be included and (the) long-term impact to our community,” she said.
“Without the moratorium extension, corporate developers would be able to begin application for permits to start the project,” she added. “If this happens, the people of Dexter will have been deprived of the ability to protect themselves, their homes and community; and the permit will prevail.”
Delaware also announced that the Concerned Citizens Group will submit a draft of a community bill of rights ordinance to the council in the near future.
Sangerville passed what’s known as a rights-based ordinance in an attempt to block construction of the corridor through their community in 2013, but Charleston voters turned down a similar proposal.
Voters in Parkman, Garland and Monson have also voiced opposition to the controlled-access highway which — if approved — would be around 220 miles long and connect the Calais-Baileyville area with the Quebec border in western Maine. Cianbro Corporation, the major proponent of the project, has declined to reveal the exact route of the corridor.
All department heads were reappointed unanimously by the council but there are still some vacancies on town boards.
Reappointed for 2015 were Assessor Anita Colomy; Finance Officer/Tax Collector/Assistant Town Manager Marilyn Curtis, Police Chief Kevin Wintle, Town Clerk/Assistant Treasurer Kim Hughes, Facilities Manager Michael Gudroe, Human Services Director Jean Jacobs, Code Enforcement Officer Al Tempesta, Fire Chief Matthew Connor, Airport Manager Roger Nelson, Sealer of Weights and Measures Tim Briggs, Librarian Elizabeth Breault, Recreation Director Michael Martin and Alternate Plumbing Inspector Dalton Mullis.
Town Manager Shelley Watson was also reappointed to her additional position as treasurer.
There are still two vacancies on the planning board, two on the recreation committee, two on the human resources/CDBG committee and one each on the Dexter Utility District Board of Directors and Hospital Administrative District Board of Directors.
Anyone interested in serving should contact Watson or Hughes for details.
Watson has scheduled an informal “roundtable” discussion on Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. with the Highway/Equipment Advisory Committee to lay out plans for the 2015 season.
The council approved a $750,000 road repair bond at last month’s meeting which will be paid back over a 10-year period.
The next regularly-scheduled town council meeting is Thursday, Jan. 14.