The following is the regular town manager’s report submitted by Camden Town Manager Audra Caler Bell to the Select Board, and town at large.

Town Manager’s Office:

• CMP will be beginning their major tree pruning along their utility lines in Camden within the next few weeks. Lucas Tree Experts will be the landscapers performing this work.  CMP’s trim specs along the utility are approximately 8 feet either side of primary wires, ground to sky and minimum of 15 feet above the conductors. Secondary / service drop cables to businesses and residences are 2 feet of clearance from trees/branches.   CMP does not expect to get full trim specs/clearances around the wires, given what’s been done in the past trim cycles. In this case, we will trim back to previously established locations for pruning. Some locations will necessitate heavier pruning to mitigate potential hazards, such as rotten or storm damaged leaders and perhaps tree crowns. 

CMP has agreed to honor the wishes with regard to “shelf” limbs below our conductors in the Urban Compact of Town. The shelf limbs will be left, unless someone from the Town instructs CMP to do differently. 

Any City trees deemed to be hazard trees targeted for removal will be brought to Rick Seibel’s attention and will be approved by him. 

Lucas Tree will be checking their work computers to ensure that any customers listed in our contacts for tree trimming, will be contacted prior to trimming at their location.

• We have all been working on putting together the first draft of the FY19 Budget.  I’m particularly encouraged with all the progress we’ve made on determining capital improvement priorities for this year.  We still have a large number of projects that have been prioritized but I’m confident the list we have so far is much more realistic in terms of what we can achieve in this upcoming financial year. 

• I have the first round of interviews scheduled next week for the Planning & Development Director position.  I’m looking forward to interviewing the candidates for this role – we had quite a few applicants with great experience and qualifications.  I’m hopeful we’ll find an applicant who will be a great fit for this role. 

• I met with the Personnel Board this week to go through employee feedback to the new Personnel Policy as well as the updated appendices.  We’re putting out the revised appendices to employees to provide one last round of feedback.  I’m pleased to say that by March we should have the draft ready for approval by the Select Board.  I’m certain this will be a relief for Steve Melchiskey and Rick Rector who have been working on revising this policy for 10 years.

• I will be meeting with the Managers of Hope, Lincolnville and Rockport next week to develop a framework for the new contract the towns will enter into with Northeast Ambulance Services to provide EMS to the four towns.  The most recent meeting with the EMS Oversight Committee resulted in the committee determining a desired level of service and discussing some performance criteria they would like included in the new contract.  The Managers have been tasked with negotiating a draft contract with Northeast, which will be brought back to the committee for approval prior to approval by each Select Board.

Police

• The department has finalized its plans for the upcoming Toboggan nationals and has assignments posted to respective officers.
• 200 complaints received as outlined on the attached report.

Code Enforcement

The 2015 MUBEC Building Code has been signed by the Governor on January 23, 2018.  The town will start enforcing the new 2015 MUBEC Building Codes on April 23, 2018. This will give the staff enough time to inform contractors, change permit applications and hand out packets of the most significant changes to the codes. 

Public Works

• Public Works has been busy with the recent rains and warmer temperatures, then with temperatures dropping and creating ice buildup in the roadways, mostly due to ground water runoff.  To remove ice buildup we need to use salt and heavy equipment.

• A large amount of ice on Norwood Avenue was the cause of a water main break.

Below is data for snow and ice removal to date for this winter:

As of 1/31/2018 we are slightly over our budgeted overtime (approx. $3,000), due to this season’s snow removal needs and we have spent approximately 60% of our sand & salt budget.  

Fire Department

• Call volume for the month remained higher than typical
  • Included two mutual aid responses to Fisher Engineering in Rockland and a building fire in Lincolnville
• Continuing review of Code Enforcement educational materials
  • Land Use test has been completed and submitted
  • Shore Land Zoning test has been requested
  • Provided office coverage in the Codes office
  • Accompanied the CEO on some inspections
• Conducted two Department training sessions
  • An ice/water rescue training
  • A mutual aid training in Rockland with Rockland & Thomaston Firefighters
• Reviewed new CRMS plans for the Planning Board
• Provided review of safety programs for employees of the Police Department
• Participated in NARCAN training program
• Continued appratus & equipment maintenance programs
• The town's Emergency Operations Plan has been updated and submitted for adoption
• CFD has an adult ed offering for a Citizens Public Safety Academy 
  • https://fivetowns.coursestorm.com/searchResults?search=public+safety 
• Attended a meeting of the EMS Review Committee
• Multiple conversations during the month about the area's ambulance services and upcoming contract
• AC Lowe attended a meeting of the Knox County Fire Training Academy
• Chief's training program at the National Fire Academy was cancelled due to the federal government shut-down