Castine Select Board Approves Warrants, Gift, and Blessing of the Animals

[3:14] Speaker A (unidentified): Why in here you [3:28] Speaker B (unidentified): just can't hear, okay? [Speaker C (unidentified): Can] you guys hear me? Yes, I can't hear you guys. Just say no. Oh shoot, nope, go to that little arrow next to the microphone. I think you already did it and just do a test, and if all else fails, you might be on Bluetooth or something, and so the speaker's not coming through right, the microphone, so you might have to like reboot. [Select Board Chair: Test. Yeah, I] don't know why my camera's not working. It's all right, I can see you guys. Okay, all right. [6:07] Select Board Chair: Okay, you are live. Okay, here we go. Hello everyone, it is Monday, October 5th, 2026 at five minutes past four, and I'm gonna call this meeting to order. We have a quorum. Do we have any additions, deletions, or corrections to the agenda? Up. Okay, great. Okay, warrants. We have a general fund warrant for twenty nine thousand nine hundred and ninety one dollars and eight cents. Everything looks pretty normal. The biggest part of this bill is all of our associates and a little bit of Central Main Power and our business card, but it is pretty normal. And with that, I will make a motion that we approved $29,991.08 for a general fund warrant. Do I have a second? Second. All in favor? [7:14] Speaker E (unidentified): Danny Gutierrez says aye. [7:15] Speaker F (unidentified): Montero Pascua says aye. [7:17] Select Board Chair: And Dan Leder says aye. We have a water warrant for $13,960.66. Sense the bulk of it is Oliver Associates, which is 13 125, and I will make a motion that we approve this as well. Do I have a second? All in favor? Any good? Just as I've prepared and Dan. Okay, we're going to approve minutes for previous meetings. We have a town and gown, can do them all at once. Soon, can I? Do I have to do individually? You can do them at once. Okay, so we have a counting gown meeting from September 21st, we have a select board meeting on the 21st, and we have a work session and meeting on the 28th. I will make a motion that we approve all these. Do I have a second? Second. All in favor? [8:27] Speaker C (unidentified): Dean Buecher says aye. [8:28] Speaker F (unidentified): Brian Osborne says no. [8:30] Select Board Chair: And Dan Buecher says aye. Okay. Now we are going to approve ZVA alternate member of Department of Food as a regular member. [8:42] Speaker E (unidentified): And that is who? The? [8:44] Speaker C (unidentified): Vixell, Virginia Vixell. [8:46] Select Board Chair: Okay, so we are going to approve Patty Vixell to stop being an alternate and start being a regular member, okay? Which is very happy. I will make a motion that we do this. Do I have a second? Second. All in favor? Any group that says aye. [9:06] Speaker F (unidentified): Roberta Voskut says aye. [9:07] Select Board Chair: And Dan Leder says aye. And then we have a wonderful gift. We're going to accept a gift from William Redford depicting the battle scenes from 1779, and those are here somewhere, it's here. [9:23] Speaker B (unidentified): Yeah, is it only one of them? They haven't given us the other ones, but I did email them. Do you really want to put them up on the screen? No, it's fine, it's fine, but it's a, it's a wonderful [9:37] Select Board Chair: gift, and I think it'll be great to have it here. Is there a home court yet? There hopefully in that room someplace. Okay, great, okay, so I will make a motion that we accept this gift. Do I have a second? All in favor? And Dan Leader says aye. Okay, we have updates. Yes, do we have [10:04] Speaker G (unidentified): someone who would get a thank you for this gift? I think we probably would send it to a William, remember? Yeah, or we can get his contact information or something. I know Derek has it. [10:13] Select Board Chair: Okay, we will do that. Okay, now we're going to get updates from boards and committees, and Dan, you are on first, the Red Committee. All right, here [10:27] Speaker H (unidentified): is our quarterly update. So in particular order, we had a successful Bachelor Beach Bash in August, as well as July 4th pie eating contest, although there wasn't controversy there around who could or could not participate in fighting, but you know, we sorted it out. We tried to host a coverage tournament in July, nobody showed up for that, but try again. And for our upcoming events, we have Trunk Retreat taking place on Saturday, after we're 31st, 3 30 to 4 45 will be Trunk Retreat, and then five till whenever we're done will be the costume contest upstairs for all the little kiddos. And then we were, we were approached by the MMA athletics department. One of their core values is community, so they were looking for ways to partner a community just like on campus or between sports teams, but community within the broader sense of town gown, so they approached us to see if we'd be interested in partnering with them for some casting days, so one day each season, so like fall, winter, spring, we want to do a casting day. We're gonna kick it off on November 14th at the MMA versus Huston football game for a turkey tackle. That's all I can say, the surprise, but there will be a turkey and little kids presumably trying to tackle Turkey, so more to come on that. Oh, and then we also have new this year for Halloween, we're gonna do scarecrow making, so we have some hay, some straw, some clothes from Goodwill, and then we're gonna put out a message that people can stop by town hall, grab whatever supplies they might Want to take and then build themselves a scarecrow? Cool questions. Yeah, could you repeat some of the details about concrete? Yeah, Saturday the 31st, 3 30 to 4 45, followed by the costume contest. Thank you. No parade? Did you say no parade? Well, she asked if there was a parade. [12:44] Speaker E (unidentified): Oh, sorry, not that I don't know, you guys have a role in that, but thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you for your committee. [13:02] Select Board Chair: And next up, Matt, the Merchants Association. Cool. You guys go. [13:09] Speaker A (unidentified): Okay, so a quick little overview about membership. We're at 31 members right now, so it's a little bit lower than past years, but that usually happens when we don't have a map production year. So this coming year will be a revision of the map. We did a quick one in the spring to just push us through the rest of the season, but so we should probably be back up to 40 again next year for membership. The visitor center is up in terms of visitors, so we had 4,300 plus visitors this season, which is a 5% increase from last year, but notably, the increase in sales in merchandise was up by 47%, which is awesome. Again, that's helpful that we had the partnership with MMA this year, and we also had some new merchandise, and our VC team was really just on it this year, pushing that stuff, so that was great. Great. Notes on current officers, we are switching out the VP with Johanna to King Julia Gray's place after two years. Johanna's really enthused to take that spot as just moving into the new mercantile space. We've already started our efforts for Light Up Castine. The first round of fundraising requests went out on Friday, hoping obviously to surpass last year. But that said, we're already planning a spring fundraiser, and we're also working on some more for next year. So I last year only last year learned that the town allocation was not supposed to be a built-in normal thing that happened all the time. I didn't know that we were trying to be working toward that being zero, so we're going to take a rather, what's the word looking for, like a aggressive approach, and we're going to try to slash that in half for this coming year's budget, which I think we can. Very much do with some of these new fundraising ideas that I have in mind, as well as, of course, the merchandise sales. Notes on how much membership is right now, it's 125. It went up this last year, so we're not gonna increase it this coming year. Social and marketing presence is still very strong. We saw a growth of 20 in terms of reach for our accounts over the last season, and we had about 11 percent follower growth over the summer season, which is about eight percent higher than most platforms of this style would expect, and you can see where we're listing our advertisements in several different print medium and digital medium there. I felt like this is just a better year in terms of cross merchant collaboration. You know, we had some major, events. It was kind of like one after the other this summer. So I just think that it was amazing to see how we banded together this summer. And we also got some major press mentions, thanks to a lot of merchants coming together to make some really awesome journalistic experiences. Experiences, so of course the biggest one was the Boston Globe, that's a 1500 word piece. We've been getting visitors at the inn and at the casting in, and casting kind of like everybody's been talking about how everybody's coming from that piece this fall, which is great. And then on top of that, we got Nat Geo to come and USA Today, all great mentions. And of course we're looking forward to the holidays, and to speak on Halloween, it sounds like we're gonna have some pretty exciting events, not just rec committee, but Wilson Museum is doing pumpkin carving. We're doing stuff at the Pedagogic. It's gonna be a lot of fun [16:52] Select Board Chair: this October, so I'm excited for the holidays, and last but not least is the [17:06] Speaker F (unidentified): the school board. Yeah, we stand up here. Yeah, hi, I'm Kate from the school board, and we have started off very strong. So we have several new students, actually one over than where we were last year, so we've gained, but we have 11 new students, and what was really exciting is that they have spread right over every class here. So we have new students from pre-K and then second grade all the way through eighth grade. So every class has a new or several new students. So it was a total of five or six new families into town, which was really exciting for us. So that's kicked off really well. We have a couple of new teachers that have settled in really nicely and have added to that dynamic of the education at the Adams School. The new bus driver who's doing quite well, and bus drivers in this surrounding community are rare find, and so we were very lucky to be able to transition from our own bus driver who was very well loved to a new bus driver who is starting to become very well loved as well. Very different style, and we completed roof work on the older part of the building that needed a new roof and had budgeted in for that, so that was, and we actually were able to, it was able to fly over and inspect the roof, so all very positive things there. And we're looking forward and starting to think about budgets for next year and looking at maybe some work on the bell tower, but we don't have any major capital improvements that are rearing its head at the moment, so we'll cross that bridge as we really start picking apart all the numbers. And other than that, the students are full on into school. They've started their state testing already and taking field trips and gelling as a new school unit with all the new students, so [19:33] Select Board Chair: I'm happy to answer any questions. Okay, a question in the comment. Yeah, I know we had spoken a couple months ago about doing a work session, yes, with the school board, and we're still at board, I'd still very much like to do that. Yeah, and then and then my comment is, I happen to speak to one of the parents today whose kid went, is at John Baps now in ninth grade and is in like three or four AP classes, and I was just like, what a wonderful thing for the school to graduate these kids and have them be able to go to a wonderful school like John Baps, and not only go to the school, you know, it reflects both on the school and the student, but I just think it's, it's, it's, it's [20:19] Speaker F (unidentified): their kids are getting amazing quality education. Well, and to further that comment, we had two students apply and get accepted into the main school of science and math last year, and they're both there and thriving, so that is one of the most competitive elite STEM schools in the state, and so they are there. It's a boarding school, it's up in the far reaches of northern, four hours if you want to go visit, but they are doing really great, so we have given a very solid foundation to our students and We're in the middle of soccer season actually. That was one point I wanted to bring up is that the sports are for fourth grade through eighth grade. We have two MMA students right now helping to coach the soccer team, so that's a really phenomenal bridge between the academy and the school, and the students at the school just look up to these kids and go there absolute gods. But we also have two different students from MMA looking to assist in the basketball season, so we're continuing to get more of that student, MMA student to add on school student bridge. So if you know of any other students that want to help out, we're always open. And do you have done substitutes this year? Well, that's always a problem or a challenge at the school level. I don't know exactly how many substitutes. We haven't had an issue right now so far, but yes, substitutes could always be of great value within the broader school network [22:00] Select Board Chair: work. So any questions from the audience? Substitute teachers or [22:05] Speaker C (unidentified): substitutes for the basketball team? Yeah, you want to do some coaching? Yeah, the [22:14] Speaker F (unidentified): travel season's in tech, so just be careful. There's three soccer games this week if anybody wants to watch. The one tomorrow's home, and so is at the Port for Georgia. We're 4 30, and then the next one's at the base school, and then [22:31] Select Board Chair: we won in Brooklyn. Okay, thank you. Okay, next up, Derek, are you going to do a report remotely or [22:42] Speaker B (unidentified): not? Well, yeah, I'll do one real quick for you. So today Greg and Asha, one of the attorneys, met that to fine tune the last part of fire station architect and engineering contract. We're working a last couple of little details on that. Hopefully get those ironed out this week. Still working on the Fort Madison Water Street thing I get a call thing embankment projects with the engineers, but also with MIMA on Thursday to have a little discussion with them. Wood for the additional dinghy docks was approved to be ordered by me late last week with Sue, so we can get that stuff in, and so the public works can actually start working on those docks, continue to work on these policies. The MMA convention is, of course, this Wednesday and Thursday in Augusta. And finally, I've started looking at our debt service and figuring out the projects that we reviewed at the public forum and actually figuring out how and if we can ladder out future expiring debt service in order to come up with a battle plan for achieving a few of those projects in the near future. And that's it. [24:16] Select Board Chair: Thank you so much, Derek, and we hope you feel better. [24:19] Speaker B (unidentified): I hope I do too. [24:21] Select Board Chair: Well, we have you here. We have this letter from the key municipal officials of MMA membership about the meeting on Wednesday at 1 15 and yeah you have said that you will do it yeah I will [24:38] Speaker B (unidentified): hopefully as long as I'm able hopefully I'm on my way out here okay great thanks Sarah [24:45] Select Board Chair: yeah any other business oh no wait that communications here wait a second here we are here okay the week with us comes next okay do you have any business amy yeah okay comment from the public on agenda items and who would like to go first i would it's not a comment so much as a question go for it can you describe this gift from it do you want me to go [25:17] Speaker B (unidentified): see if i can find it well yeah it's an art print wasn't david at the last meeting [25:28] Select Board Chair: david wasn't at the last meeting it's a picture of a battle scene from the revolution [25:36] Speaker F (unidentified): the revolution and it 's like storming testing it's not the same there's a couple of them yeah [25:45] Select Board Chair: Right. Pretty amazing. You would think we wouldn't want to forget that. [25:51] Speaker C (unidentified): I know, right? [25:57] Speaker B (unidentified): And it appears to be the first of a few, because there's also other pictures depicting similar scenes they plan on donating also, and that's a smaller one. [26:10] Speaker E (unidentified): And I think, Derek, am I correct that the one that Karen's holding, that's the one that shows the storming of dice head that is actually dice head and the other prints they want to give us depict what other battles might have looked like but don't necessarily depict casting [26:27] Speaker G (unidentified): and there's actually a correct assaulting dice head continental marines climbing pushing back the detachment of 82nd regiment pickets under the command of lieutenant john moore original art by Charles H Waterhouse assault on Penobscot 28 July 1779 print from the National Museum of the Marine Corps so that's that's the gift it's very nice it's great and there's a [26:53] Speaker C (unidentified): larger one so there's a much bigger one yeah anything else good more questions no that's good [27:02] Select Board Chair: good anyone else calling once calling twice okay the comment section is closed communications we have a letter from amy of the universal church of casting that they want to do a blessing of the animals on the comments saturday october 10th at 11 a.m blessings given by representatives of our town space communities green bandanas will be given as long as they last this will be for all pet owners in towns they're a very nice thing is there anything you need to vote on that since so i will make a Motion that we approve the blessing of the animals October 10th at 11 a.m. and we will make sure they don't have any fights while we're blessing them. We're taking that response. Yeah, we'll we'll we won't we won't bring our dogs. We won't bring one of the dogs. Okay. I do I have a second. All in favor. [28:13] Speaker E (unidentified): Sue, I assume we don't have anything else going on the time coming on Saturday. [28:18] Speaker F (unidentified): Natalie talked to them, and I believe not. I'm just saying now. [28:22] Select Board Chair: Okay, all in favor. And then reader says, Okay, is there any other communication? [28:33] Speaker E (unidentified): No communication. I have a comment. Okay, go first. [28:37] Speaker F (unidentified): So I learned this last week that the Maine Municipal Association is this year for the first time offering an advocacy training for anyone who would like to go to Augusta. If you have had a burning desire to go to Augusta and advocate for something for the town of Castine, they are going to offer training and how to do that and how to be very persuasive. So it will be in early December. We will get more information to you as soon as they have a date and time. I think it will be an all-day training we will also be sending this out to everybody that's on a board or committee in case some legislation comes up that might really hit your board or committee and but anyone is invited to do this. So if anybody wants to do it let us know and we'll figure out how [29:35] Select Board Chair: to get you signed up. Thank you Amy. No I'm all set. Okay I just have a it's a future comment but I want everyone to think about it. You know we start the budget process in January and we meet every week almost for three months and most for 99 of the meetings it's five of us in a room with an occasional guest but I mean it's I think it's really important that people understand how the budget gets put together and how much work we put into it and how many balls we're kind of juggling in the air and how we're balancing the needs of the town with keeping taxes you know as controlled as possible. It is a really difficult job and I just would really like to encourage people in town to pay attention to the process because it's it's it affects all of our lives for the next year and sometimes it's a little lonely up here to just be making these making these big decisions and you know ultimately the voters have to approve the budget but I think that you know any input along the way is appreciated. And very much appreciated. So that's, that's, I know it's a little early, but I just wanted to get everybody thinking about that, okay. Having said that, our next meeting, we have a town and gown meeting on Monday the 19th at 2 30, and we have a select board meeting at 4 p.m. the same day. Again, town and gown meetings are open to the public, and it's, it's important for the public to come. And with that, with nothing else, I will make a motion that we adjourn the meeting. Do I have a second? All in favor. Dan Reader says, I speedy wow, what I'm trying to roll out for you, I've only got, I've only, I've only got one more official, yeah, only one more official Caribbean, but Amy, you will bring your aminess through all those days. Thanks for coming. Thank you. [32:06] Speaker B (unidentified): I was just going to say, Gabe, shut her down.