Guilford selectmen handle routine agenda

Staff Report
    GUILFORD — The Guilford Board of Selectmen met on Tuesday, April 7  with a mostly routine agenda during the hour-long session.
    Town Manager Tom Goulette distributed a newsletter from the Municipal Review Committee on the status of the landfill project that’s slated to replace the Penobscot Energy Recovery plant in 2018.
    MRC consists of approximately 180 towns that send their trash to the PERC incinerator in Orrington.
    The selectmen also discussed a letter from the Maine DOT, explaining the department’s notice of layout and taking in anticipation of the Memorial Bridge deck replacement. These letters were sent to all abutters where the state will need a construction easement.
    According to the MDOT calculations, use of the town-owned land to store equipment has a value of $250 which they have forwarded, Goulette said.

    John Gillespie has offered to purchase the tax-acquired property at 24 North Main Street for $2,000 with intentions of removing the building and cleaning the lot before September and to annex to his existing house lot. The town had not received any bids on the property. Selectmen unanimously approved the offer.
    The current contractor that mows the town properties has offered to take care of the town parks as well at an additional cost of $10,200. The board discussed how much of the public works duties the town might outsource now and in the future.
    Plowing, cemetery mowing and part of the winter sanding is currently being handled by outside contractors. The town can hire more manpower, purchase more equipment, or transfer some of its risk and costs through outsourcing. The board unanimously approved the expanded mowing offer and Goulette will work out the final details.
    The board also approved the renewal of the Red Maple Inn’s liquor license and a junkyard permit for Cookson’s Garage.
    The town manager told selectmen that Guilford Pride Community Clean-Up Day is scheduled for Saturday, May 9. This is the second year of the volunteer project initiated by Julie Porter-Chase to clean the litter from our roadsides. Trash bags, latex gloves, and water will be provided and The Red Maple will host a free barbecue lunch for all volunteers immediately following.
    The River Festival date has been set for Saturday, July 25 and the chosen theme for this year is “The Wizard of Oz.” Participants are encouraged to incorporate that theme into their floats.
     The board was advised that the town’s “faithful 1990 International dump truck” had finally expired and a replacement was being sought.