Board of Selectmen Meeting, August 5, 2024
Tax Liens
In June the Town was finally allowed to send the Building Inspector to inspect several taxable structures at Cedar Waters. Cedar Waters is under new ownership. The prior owners would not permit the visits. The situation is complex and involves disputes about non-conforming construction and consequent litigation between the Town and the former owners that goes back to the 1970s. The Building Inspector was able to establish that some of these structures are either gone or in such a state of disrepair as to be uninhabitable and of no taxable value. Further, many of the owners of these structures are long deceased and their estates have been liquidated, leaving no real entity capable of being taxed. The board will decide at a future meeting what to do about these liens.
Other News
The Pawtuckaway Lake Improvement Association requested a volunteer from the board to help obtain a grant to study water conditions at the lake. Prior grants for this were received in 1995 and 2008. Selectman Decker volunteered. The primary water quality issue in the lake is excess phosphorus, which is causing low oxygen levels.
Volunteers from the Pawtuckaway Lake Improvement Association cleaned and did maintenance work at Town Beach, including painting the shed.
Swimlines have been installed at Town Beach.
New stairs have been installed at the trash compactor at the Recycling Center.
The library will be closed from August 11 to 19. During this time the Highway Department will install a new leach field at the library.
The board approved the purchase of a new Dominion ballot counting machine.
The efforts to rid Town Hall of rats appear to have succeeded. No further signs of rats have been sighted; however, there are still signs of mice.
A city Councilor from Nottingham, England, paid an official visit to the town. Selectman Welsh gave him a tour. The town was presented with several gifts, including an official statement from the Lord Mayor. In turn, the town presented our UK counterpart with several items from our 300th celebration.
The Historical Society’s annual blueberry pancake fundraiser is August 11 from 8:00 to 10:30 a.m. at the schoolhouse in Nottingham Square.
The town is auctioning off two of its old trucks.
