Public comment on agenda to return

DIXFIELD- After a long hiatus, a new public comment policy for selectmen’s meetings is being examined by selectmen. Chairman of the board, Macky Gill, drafted a proposed policy and submitted it to fellow selectmen during Monday night’s meeting.

“I am not looking for a vote on this,” stated Chairman Gill. “As chairman I am in charge of setting the agenda for each meeting. I want to see public comment back, but I want to be sure there is a good policy in place first.”

Chairman Gill’s proposal suggests that there be a four-person limit to speak no more than five minutes each, with no transfer of minutes. Selectmen are expected to have their input ready for the next scheduled meeting and by February have public comment added back to the agenda.

Police Chief Richard Pickett noted in regard to the proposal, “If you allow yourselves to start giving input on a particular complaint made to a department, you are disqualifying yourself from being involved at the end of a dispute. There is a chain of command and it is there for a reason. It does work.”

Following remarks made by selectmen Hart Daley and Scott Belskis in regards to a recent complaint made by a citizen, they felt the chain of command had room for improvement.

In other business, selectmen approved the paving project for Route 2 this next summer by Maine Department of Transportation.

“The funding is available,” stated Chairman Gill. “We were able to save $23,849.21 by having the town crew do the repair work on Holt Hill this past year. Our share of the paving project will be $13,000.”

Chairman Gill handed out photos of the proposed sidewalk and paving project to fellow selectmen and upon a motion by Withrow, selectmen approved the work to begin this summer.

Before adjournment, Selectmen Robert Withrow added that the withdraw committee will meet at the superintendent’s office tonight at 6 p.m. to meet with two different lawyers who are interested in handling the withdrawal process for the town.

Selectmen adjourned the meeting to enter into executive session to continue their process of seeking out a replacement for town manager Eugene Skibitsky, who resigned as of the beginning of the year.

The next regular selectmen’s meeting will be Monday, January 28, in Ludden Memorial Library beginning at 5 p.m.