Towns may take over transfer station

Board rejects Breau's Too liquor petition

WOODSTOCK — The Woodstock Board of Selectmen has received a proposal from Pine Tree Waste to essentially take over operations at the G&W Transfer Station.

The two towns, Woodstock and Greenwood, would pay $3,980 per month. Pine Tree would staff the facility and handle all trucking of waste and recyclable materials. Woodstock just allocated $112,000 for its share of operating the transfer station.

Recyclables would all be placed in a 40 to 50 yard open-top roll off container and hauled for no extra cost. A Zero-Sort recycling program would accept a wider variety of materials than currently accepted.

Although there are several questions about the agreement, Chairman Rick Young said "It is a place to start."

There will be a G&W meeting next Tuesday, April 26 at the Greenwood Town Office at 5:00 p.m. Both town's boards of selectmen and town managers comprise this committee.

No liquor license

The selectmen rejected the efforts of a local businessman to obtain a liquor license.

Citing serious flaws in the wording of his submitted petitions, selectmen refused to accept signatures turned in by Bob Breau in his effort to obtain a license to sell hard liquor.

Maine law requires referendum petitions to have specific language, the actual words that will appear on the ballot, rather than a broad statement of support. Breau's petitions asked "Do you support the sale of spirits in Woodstock?

Selectman Ronald Deegan said "We want to get it going, but at the same time we want it right." If the petitions are reworded and sufficient signatures gathered, the proposal will be on a ballot question in June.

Selectmen unanimously appointed Joelle-Corey Whitman as the new Code Enforcement Officer, following the resignation of John Gauthier.

Town Manager Vern Maxfield told Ms. Whitman that "We have had contractors calling and thanking us" for this appointment.

Ms. Whitman will also be CEO for Norway and Greenwood. She is working on all certifications and is planning on being in Woodstock on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Planning Board Chairman Tom Hartford said that he looks forward to working with her.

By two unanimous votes, selectmen approved the purchase and outfitting of a new 7500 International plow truck from CB Kenworth, with the extra work to be done by HP Fairfield. The total cost is $133,975, a bit less than Town Meeting approved last month.

Once some repair work is done to the town's 1999 Sterling plow truck, it will be put out to bid.

Sale of the old fire station will begin when the property is appraised.

Mowing bid proposals will go out after the next selectmen's meeting.

Citing the "no kill" policies of the Harvest Hills animal shelter in Fryeburg, selectmen voted to utilize it as Woodstock's animal shelter. Animal Control Officer Ozzie Hart recommended Harvest Hills.

The Planning Board reports "not a whole lot going on. We only have one building permit tonight." according to Tom Hartford.

Hartford also reported that Fire Department personnel are all being checked out on SCBAs (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) this week.

Selectmen will be looking at two "dangerous buildings" and a junkyard under the town's Health and Safety Ordinance. Both buildings are vacant and are not for sale.