LIMESTONE — A special town meeting on Sept. 21 to allow the Limestone Public Works Department access to $20,000 from their reserve account to obtain a truck for hauling snow led to heated discussion that concluded when citizens voted against the allocation.
The meeting, which lasted approximately 15 minutes, was followed by a regularly scheduled meeting of the Limestone Selectpeople, during with Town Manager Donna Bernier informed the selectpeople about the difficulty the town is having in obtaining compensation for expenses incurred by the Limestone fire and police departments during the attempted implosion of the former heating plant at the Loring Commerce Centre.
“We have some healthy expenses from the three- to four-day ordeal,” she said.
According to Bernier, the two departments accumulated approximately $49,000 in expenses which the municipality was supposed to be reimbursed by the building’s insurance company. As of yesterday afternoon, they town had still not received compensation for the services provided in early August.
During the Sept. 21 meeting, the selectpeople also agreed to meet with RSU Superintendent Frank McElwain later this month to discuss the sentiment expressed by the selectpeople during their last meeting regarding the potential of withdrawing Limestone from RSU 39.
Selectpersons Tom Devoe and Jim Pelletier reported that they found the elected officials meeting earlier this month to be highly informative.
“The information was unbelievable,” Devoe said.
Selectperson Gary O’Neal informed other members of the board about a recent meeting of the Limestone Downtown Revitalization Committee.
“There was a lot of discussion regarding what people wanted to see,” O’Neal said, adding that the committee is also looking to possibly apply for a grant to assist in revitalizing the downtown area.
O’Neal also mentioned that the committee is hopeful that the soon-to-be-built boarding home in Limestone will help draw more businesses to the community, like a doctor’s office and a pharmacy. As discussed by the selectpeople, boarding home officials are looking to erect the building before winter. Construction activity is anticipated to begin after Saturday, Oct. 1.
At the request of O’Neal, the meeting concluded that evening in memory of John Tweed, who recently died as the result of a Sept. 18 ATV accident.
“In closing the meeting tonight, I’d like to see it done in the memory of John Tweed, who served the community for many years and he was active in the community, he raised his family here, he has four outstanding sons,” O’Neal said, describing Tweed’s achievements. He concluded by saying that John Tweed will be missed.
The next meeting of the Limestone Selectpeople is scheduled for Oct. 5 at 6:30 at the Limestone Municipal Building.
