Dresden selectmen on Monday continued discussions about staffing levels at the town office.

“I have had many complaints about the town office. We have fallen backwards in the last four years,” said First Selectman Trudy Foss. “Too many people are coming in and not getting what they need.”

Foss said with the current office hours schedule, a funeral home could wait five days to get a death certificate.

Selectman Alan Moeller, Sr. asked Tax Collector Anne Pierce and Town Clerk-Treasurer Shirley Storkman if adding seven hours to the 23 weekly hours would ease their workload.

“We are going to have to fork up some money,” he said.

Pierce said she has two other jobs and would not like to add hours to her job. “I like my free time.”

Storkman said if her work hours were expanded, she might not seek reelection. She said the job goes beyond collecting money and issuing licenses. The public asks questions beyond the scope of people’s duties.

Foss said the 10 hours added to the administrative assistant job when Michael Henderson was hired last year could be used to cover the service desk. Moeller said the board plans to ask voters at next year’s annual town meeting to consider changing the elected jobs to hired ones. 

In other business, gravel pit owner Dick Condon asked if he would be libel for damage to Ludwig Road not caused by his trucks. The planning board has requested a $25,000 bond to cover possible damage to the pit access road.

“I have only hauled one load out,” he said.

Condon asked if he could avoid the bond by fixing any damage that might occur. Moeller said the town owns the road so leaving repairs to a private person would not be possible. “I just put $30,000 in to the road,” said Moeller. “I have gone out of my way to fix that road.”

“They had a law school at my college but I did not go to it,” said bonding consultant Darby Erickson, representing Condon.

Erickson questioned how it could be known who created damage if there are no witnesses.

Moeller said he would consult with the planning board about the bond.

Gravel pit owner Heather Beasley thanked Foss for taking two hours to travel around the property and trails next to Ballard Road.

The board voted to remove a privacy wall at the town office. “It has been falling down,” said Selectman Dwight Keene. And the board agreed to place a $9,325 check from Gardiner Ambulance Service into the ambulance account.