The Dresden Board of Selectmen voted Monday 2-1 in favor of a 15-mil tax rate to cover about a half million dollars in the property tax-supported portion of a total $696,251 budget for 2012-2013 approved at the annual June town meeting.

In tax dollar language for individual property owners, the new mil rate, one mil higher than the 2011-2012 tax rate, means a $150 tax increase for a property valued at $150,000, Administrative Assistant Trudy Foss explained. Tax bills go out September 1.

The 15-mil tax rate allows for an additional $35,000 overlay for contingency, which currently totals $249,000

Selectman Allan Moeller opposed the 15-mil rate citing the current total of $75,000 in delinquent taxes. “When are we going to buckle down and start getting back taxes?” he said.

Instead of the 15 mils, Moeller stated his preference as 14.9 mils even though the overlay would not be that much less, according to Foss’s calculations.

Board Chairman Phil Johnston said the board has a goal of replacing the surplus in four years and the town should find new sources of income.

Moeller’s comments about the delinquent property taxes generated a whole discussion about what should be done about the issue. He advocated the town’s sale of any property foreclosed on after three years as other towns do.

“I would like us to begin moving on this,” Johnston said concerning action to resolve the delinquency in town.

Foss said, “In the past we had said we are not going to sell property out from under anyone.”

Johnston asked Foss to provide an outline on what has to be done to move forward with clearing out delinquency from the town books that might include the possible hiring of someone to do the work.

Rangeway issues

Selectman David Probert gave the board a follow-up report on action taken after the last board meeting August 13 concerning a trip wire across one of the town’s rangeways (paper roads surveyed during colonial times), which exist as a public way. The wire caused an ATV driver to fall from his vehicle recently, and board members fear serious injuries could occur if others collide with it.

Probert said he checked out the spot off Old County Road, took photos and spoke to the Warden Service about it. A warden investigated it and marked the wire with tape and notified Probert about his finding.

Before hearing back from the warden, Probert said he spoke with the landowner about the hazard and explained what could potentially cause injury to people passing on the rangeway and received a positive response from the landowner.

Where the road veers off from the straight line of the rangeway on the map, it creates a questionable situation regarding the town’s authority there, according to Foss. Apparently the landowner owns property on both sides of the rangeway and desires to fill in holes on the pathway with gravel. Even though he may have the right do that, Johnston said the board would like to know when he does something there and he should contact abutters as well.

“Nobody knows what the stipulation is on rangeways,” Foss said. Foss said she owns to the center line of another rangeway but believes she cannot do anything on the rangeway itself, which is a 65-foot wide right-of-way.

In the meantime, members agreed it would be good idea to find out where the actual rangeway lies. Foss suggested surveying work to settle the questions about its actual direction.

“It’s a selectmen’s issue,” Foss said. “We were going to do research years ago, but to date it’s never been done.”

Fireworks question

The use of fireworks in Dresden has raised several questions lately which the board raised Monday concerning the prospects of a town ordinance regarding their use. Although fireworks are allowable now according to state law, each community can decide whether to prohibit or limit their use.

According to the law, citizens cannot light any fireworks after 10 p.m. except for New Year’s Eve, Moeller said.

Apparently a proponent of an ordinance was expected to attend the Monday board meeting but did not appear. Probert said he sees nothing wrong with someone gathering signatures for an ordinance as part of an acceptable democratic process followed by a public hearing and town meeting vote.

Johnston said the town could decide to limit the use of fireworks to holidays as an example of what might appear on an ordinance.

Next meetings

The next board meeting will be held Monday, Sept. 10 at Pownalborough Hall at 6 p.m., and the next workshop will be held on Monday, Sept. 17, at the town office at 6 p.m. The town office will be closed on Monday, Sept. 3 for Labor Day.