Dresden selectmen moved Mon., Sept.19 to help local drought victims by opening the taps to residents whose wells have dried up.

Selectman Dwight Keene told the board he been approached by five residents whose well water levels were either low or had dried up completely. “One mentioned they were sucking on mud,” said Keene.

The board agreed to let Dresden residents take household water from the Jewett Station #1 in Dresden Mills. The water has been tested and is potable, said Selectman Allan Moeller. The offer is restricted to Dresden residents and only for household use.

In other business, the board agreed to establish a committee to look into the functioning of the town office. Selectman Dale Hinote said that with the approaching retirement of administrative assistant Trudy Foss, the board could use professional advice.

“There are issues on the functioning of our town office. We need some outside people,” said Hinote.

Hinote suggested asking the Maine Municipal Association for advice in finding someone with municipal experience as a consultant. The committee will also include the selectmen and a legal consultant.

The committee will report back to the townspeople with any recommendations, said Hinote. “It could be done at minimal cost,” he said about getting a consultant.

The board agreed to accept a bid of $88,726 from State Paving to resurface nine-tenths of a mile on Call’s Hill Road.

The board voted to send a letter of commendation to resident Sean Scanlon who is credited for rescuing a toddler from the Kennebec River in Augusta on Friday, Sept. 16.

Selectmen voted to have board members check off on all bills submitted to the town

“This is the only town that the bills are not looked over before being paid,”said Selectman Allan Moeller.

The board voted to contract with Goodall Landscaping of Topsham to plow municipal driveways for $4,000. Goodall already has the snowplowing contract for town roads.

Resident Arlene Cousins complained that many residents were not aware of a recent planning board review of an application for a 5000-square-foot greenhouse for the cultivation of medical marijuana.

Hinote said that the review was for an agricultural use. Approval for marijuana cultivation was a state licensing issue, he said. He said the meeting had been posted at the town office and and placed as a legal notice in the Kennebec Journal. “They did everything they had to,” said Moeller.