Dresden selectmen

Foss moving to Richmond

Cemetery committee planned
Wed, 01/22/2020 - 9:15am

At Tuesday’s Dresden selectmen’s meeting, First Selectman Trudy Foss gave her notice of resignation from that and from her health officer post, effective Feb. 29. She is moving across the bridge to Richmond in March, making her ineligible to serve.

She said in her letter to selectmen, “I have enjoyed working for the town for the past many years and will still be in town doing my Water Department position, which I am retiring from at the end of December 2021.” With town votes coming up in March and June, she felt confident the town can get nomination papers out in time to fill the rest of her three-year term that ends in June 2021.

In other business, the board discussed finalizing the transfer of Forest Hill Cemetery from Sherry and Dan Moody. After a deed is finalized, a new Dresden Cemetery Committee will be formed to oversee Forest Hill Cemetery and others, including 42 ancient ones. “We’re excited about it,” said Sherry Moody, who also has expressed interest in the cemetery sexton job that will be created as part of the transfer. Town Administrator Michael Henderson expects to have a job description drawn up by the next board meeting. Both Moodys have volunteered for the committee, which will also include a selectman in an advisory role and several other residents.

Henderson said the town office is considering buying a scanner for voter registration cards, for efficiency and to more easily to report voter participation at the district level.

The town is exploring installing video cameras to increase security and will receive a bid from Cunningham Security. Foss was nominated to represent the board at the closing for 540 Gardiner Road. Voters at a special town meeting Jan. 15 approved the $50,000 purchase. Dan Stewart and Jay Cummings were named to the budget review committee; the appeals board still has a vacancy. 

Selectmen met in executive session with legal counsel.