Town short a councilor after recent resignation

GLENBURN – At the beginning of Thursday’s Town Council meeting, Councilor Mark Stevens resigned to fill a post in southern Maine.

“Three weeks ago I was contacted with an employment opportunity in Saco,” he said in his resignation letter. “After very careful consideration, my family and I have decided to take advantage of this opportunity.”

Stevens has been a Glenburn resident for 27 years and has served the community for 23 of those. “My intent was to stay here a lifetime,” he said. “This community has allowed me to serve with the best of the best, I will be eternally grateful.”

Anyone interested in stepping into Stevens’ vacant council position can pick up an application at the town hall. Applications will be accepted at the town office until 7 p.m. Nov. 6. Interviews will be held with potential candidates before the council makes its decision that evening.

During the meeting, the council also held the second public hearing on updating the town’s supplemental plumbing code and then approved the new code. that is needed to complement an existing state law dealing with shoreline zoning.

The supplemental code states that building plumbing must be up to code before a seasonal dwelling is converted to year-round, the property is sold or the structure is expanded for human habitation. The new code also calls for inspections on subsurface wastewater disposal systems during installation and a $20 fee for additional inspections.

Penobscot County Sheriff Glen Ross was at the meeting to discuss starting a Neighborhood Watch Program in Glenburn. He talked to the council about several different options and, with the board, decided a special forum should be held to address the issues. The group hopes to have the forum in early December.

“Parents need to know what heroin is,” said Ross. “It used to be a New York drug, but heroin can now be found in Bangor, Maine, for $10. Parents need to know what to look for.” Besides drugs, suggested forum issues include bad checks, identity theft, telemarketing and driveway paving scams.

Members of the Glenburn Evangelical Covenant Church also received approval to produce and distribute new resident information packets. The packets are available at the town office and include businesses, services and organizations in town. Organizer Wendy Lagasse said any changes that need to be made should be brought to her attention so the update can be made.