Shaun Farrar

Jan 12, 2025

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The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Andy’s Home Improvement Inc.

TRENTON—Burning through a very short agenda on January 7 with only two orders of business, the Trenton Select Board heard first from Fire Chief Steve Heckman.

Heckman told the select board that in 2024 the fire department had 113 calls that they responded to. He also said that the fire department had no calls during the latest storm which is unusual but did allow him to sleep through the night.

In December, the fire department responded to ten calls.

• Mutual Aid Assistance: 3

• Alarm Activations: 4

• Motor Vehicle Accident: 2

• Motor Vehicle Fire: 1

On January 11, a snowy Saturday, fire department members spent the day in mandatory training to comply with the latest Maine Bureau of Labor Statistics and OSHA regulations.

“This training is crucial for us to stay prepared and respond effectively to any emergency calls, keeping our community safe,” the department wrote on a Facebook post.

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BUDGET COMMITTEE

The select board confirmed who would be on the town’s budget committee this year. As in years past, the budget committee will consist of the following.

• Select Board Chair R. Frederick Ehrlenbach.
• Select board member John Bennett.
• Select board member Danielle Cole.
• Select board member Charles Farley, Jr.
• Select board member Daniel Monahan.
• Town Administrator Carol Reed Walsh.
• Fire Chief Steve Heckman.
• Planning Board Chair Mark Remick.
• The Solid Waste Committee Chair. Christina Heiniger is the interim chair.
• The road commissioner.
• School Board Chair Jennifer Bonilla.
• Parks and Recreation Committee Chair Jessica Thurston.
• Public member Judy Sproule.
• Public member Mike Hodgkins.
• Public member Bruce Cameron.

The first meeting of the budget committee will be February 18.

The next select board meeting will be January 21, 2025, at 7 p.m.

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FROM DAN

Selectboard member Dan Monahan often sends emails to interested people about goings on in Trenton. This was his pre-January 7 select board meeting email.

Dear Neighbors, a few quick items of interest to start your week:

1. Budget season is upon us. The Select board has an item on its agenda for Tuesday to appoint members to the town budget committee. Typically, this committee has consisted of select board members, town administrator, fire chief, standing committee chairs, and a handful of members of the public. The budget committee usually meets once or twice per month after select board meetings from February through April for 15-60 minutes or so. The meetings are open to the public. If you want to volunteer to be on the committee please contact Carol Walsh at the town office asap or show up for Tuesdays select board meeting and let us know.
2. Some folks have raised the issue of trying to ease the town’s tax burden on low income seniors or residents in the past. In the most recent edition of Maine Town and City magazine there is a blurb about a project in Cape Elizabeth where the town apparently sets aside money for that purpose subject to income guidelines etc. see attached for more info. Happy to discuss further if anyone is interested.
3. Speaking of Maine, in (sic) Town and City magazine, there is an interesting legal article describing the power of municipalities to create new taxes or fees and when a fee is considered an impermissible tax, including some examples of each. Just FYI for folks interested in some of the legal framework around this issue. See attached.Have a great week!

Best,

Dan

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