Rockport Select Board to consider where to temporarily house town library
ROCKPORT — The Select Board convenes this evening for a regularly scheduled meeting and will discuss, among several agenda items, where to move the library collection as the town considers tearing down, expanding or renovating the existing library building.
The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Rockport Opera House downstairs meeting room. It will be televised live on public access Channel 22 and streamed on the Internet at livestream.com/Rockportmaine.
At the board’s last meeting, members directed Town Manager Rick Bates to investigate potential locations to temporarily house the library collection. The proposed move follows a recent engineering report that cited deteriorating building conditions and the possibility of mold in its walls.
At the end of June, engineers with CES, Inc., presented findings to the public. The Brewer-based company had been hired April 16 by the town of Rockport to evaluate the library building and outline limitations to its potential expansion. The town contracted with CES for $9,800, and the engineers commenced reviewing the building’s existing conditions, its heating and ventilation systems, construction, public accessibility and its safety issues.
The report concluded that building’s frame has exceeded load capacity, and unventilated crawl spaces beneath it create the opportunity for mold growth. Furthermore, the clapboard siding has deteriorated enough that one can stab the outside wall with a screwdriver without meeting much resistance.
At tonight’s Aug. 10 meeting, the board will hear from Bates about possible locations. The board will also meet Sept. 10 with the Library Committee to discuss the future of the library.
The full agenda follows:
- PUBLIC MEETING -
Rockport Select Board
Monday, August 10, 2015
7:00 p.m.
Rockport Opera House Meeting Room Televised – Channel 22
Streamed at http://livestream.com/Rockportmaine
AGENDA I. Call Meeting to Order
Please either turn off your cell phones and other electronic devices or set them to mute while in this meeting room or the hallways. If you need to take or make a phone call, please step outdoors.
Approval of the minutes of the:
Monday, June 22, 2015, meeting of the Select Board Monday, July 13, 2015, meeting of the Select Board
Regular Select Board meeting on Monday, September 14, 2015, 7:00 p.m., Rockport Opera House Meeting Room, to be televised on Channel 22 and streamed at http://livestream.com/Rockportmaine.
Announcements:
Town Offices will be closed Monday, September 7, 2015 in observance of
the Labor Day Holiday
Camden-Rockport Pathways Committee, Wednesday, September 2, 2015,
7:00 p.m., Rockport Town Office, Richardson Room
Cemetery Committee, date and time to-be-determined, Rockport Town
Office, Richardson Room
Leaning and Cleaning Workshop scheduled for Saturday, August 29. To sign- up, see Linda Greenlaw at the town office.
Conservation Commission, Wednesday, September 2, 2015, 8:00 a.m., Rockport Town Office Richardson Room
Harbor Committee, Thursday, August 20, 2015, 5:15 p.m., Rockport Town Office Richardson Room
Investment Committee, next meeting will be on Monday, September 21, 2015, 4:00 p.m., Rockport Town Office
Library Committee, Wednesday, August 12, 2015 and Monday, September 14, 2015, 5:00 p.m., Rockport Town Office Richardson Room
1 Select Board Agenda August 10, 2015
This is a different date than they usually meet; September will also fall on non-traditional dates (September 14)
Opera House Committee, date to be determined, 8:00 a.m., Rockport Town Office Conference Room
Ordinance Review Committee, date and time to-be-determined, Rockport Town Office Richardson Room
Parks Committee, Tuesday, August 11, 2015 and Tuesday, September 8, 2015, 3:30 p.m., Rockport Town Office Richardson Room
Planning Board, Wednesday, August 12, 2015, 5:30 p.m., Rockport Opera House Meeting Room, to be televised on Channel 22 streamed at http://livestream.com/Rockportmaine
Recreation Committee, date to-be-determined
Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) (tentative), Wednesday, August 26, 2015, 5:30 p.m., Rockport Opera House Meeting Room, to be televised on Channel 22 and streamed at http://livestream.com/Rockportmaine
Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) Briefing, Thursday, August 27, 2015, 7 p.m., Rockport Town Office, Richardson Room NOTE: this workshop is required of all elected and appointed committee members who have not received this briefing since their last election or appointment date
Upcoming Workshops:
Fiber Optic Workshop, Monday, August 17, 2015, 5 p.m., Rockport Town Office Richardson Room
Town-Owned Credit Use Policy Workshop, Tuesday, August 18, 2015, 5 p.m., Rockport Town Office Richardson Room
125th Anniversary Planning Workshop, Tuesday, August 25, 2015, 6 p.m., Rockport Town Office Richardson Room
Tech Committee (web) Workshop, Tuesday, September 1, 2015, 5 p.m., Rockport Town Office Richardson Room
Future of the Rockport Public Library, Thursday, September 10, 2015, 5 p.m., Rockport Town Office Richardson Room – a joint workshop with the Library Committee
Cemetery Workshop, Monday, September 21, 2015, 5 p.m., Rockport Town Office Richardson Room – a joint workshop with the Cemetery Committee
Pre-Budget Workshop, Wednesday, October 21, 2015, 5:30 p.m., Rockport Opera House Meeting Room, to be televised on Channel 22 and streamed at http://livestream.com/Rockportmaine
Committee Openings:
Camden-Rockport Pathways Committee – 3 alternate vacancies Cemetery Committee – 1 vacancy
Conservation Commission – 1 vacancy
2 Select Board Agenda August 10, 2015
Investment Committee – 1 vacancy
Opera House Committee – 1 vacancy
Planning Board – 1 vacancy (see below) Recreation Committee –2 vacancies
Zoning Board of Appeals – 2 vacancies
Agenda Changes
Public Comment – public comment should be directed at issues not under discussion on this evening’s agenda. Comment from the public will be welcome prior to each agenda item. Further comment will be granted only by permission from the Board. All public comment should be brief and to the point.
Town Manager’s Report
Unfinished Business
Consideration of the By-Laws for the Parks Committee
Request by the owners of 23 Main St. to extend their 2nd floor porch
Temporary relocation of the Rockport Public Library: discussion of the findings of the town manager regarding temporary space
Public Hearing
a. None this month
V. New Business
Acknowledgment of Gifts to the Town: None this month
Committee Resignation(s): None this month
Committee Application(s):
Warren Erickson – Planning Board
Presentation regarding a possible NEA Grant for the benefit of Bay Chamber and Rockport Opera House
Discussion regarding putting the adoption of the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (or just the Building Code portion) on the November warrant
Task the Ordinance Review Committee to provide a recommendation before the September 14 Select Board meeting
Request the Planning Board to provide a recommendation as early as possible which would appear as part of the November warrant article
3 Select Board Agenda August 10, 2015
Set the date for the Public Hearing on all warrant articles as Monday, September 14, 2015, 7:00 p.m.
Approval of establishing a Pathways Reserve
Approval of the Capital Improvement Policy
Approval of FY2014-2015 Encumbrances into FY2015-2016
Discussion of 2015-16 Goals; next step(s)
Discussion and vote on the Vice President and Executive Committee members for the Maine Municipal Association (MMA) Executive Committee
Approval of Scott Bickford as the Health Officer and James Francomano as the Assistant Health Officer with a term expiration of June 30, 2018
Decision to award bond for Opera House Infrastructure Projects
VI. Wastewater Commissioners
Commitment of Sewer User Rates for the period of June 2015
Wastewater Bill Abatements
Lewis Wheelright on behalf of Riviera Development
Donald and Judith Flock
Andrea Patterson on behalf of Patterson Mobile Home Park, LLC
Continued discussion regarding waiving the sewer connection fee(s) for Fresh Off
The Farm and Rockport Steel
Liaison Reports
Executive Session
a. None this month
IX. Adjournment
Event Date
Address
United States
