By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

CASCO — The Casco Select Board could be compared to a soccer team. They keep on trying to make goals.

Last week, the board reviewed its goals and discussed which ones should take priority. July is an appropriate time to do what some individuals practice in January. The board engaged in goal-setting during the beginning of the fiscal year, which occurred July 1.

“This select board is really energetic on the number of goals. In 2024, you had 17 goals,” Casco Town Manager Tony Ward said. “A lot of towns have substantially fewer goals.”

Perhaps, less is more.

Ward advised the board to focus on a handful of goals, instead of trying to tackle all of them. In fact, zoning in on fewer objectives would provide specific guidance to town staff, he said. Then, town employees would know which ones to apply time and energy toward helping the select board achieve, he said.

“You could have 17 goals, but prioritize the top five,” Ward said.

Select Board member Mary-Vienessa Fernades agreed that close to 20 goals was a bit overwhelming.

In reality, several of the goals have been completed, which lowered the number of items on the to-do list. For example, an updated comprehensive plan was budgeted for, worked on, and approved at Special Town Meeting in January of this year. Last month, the property revaluation — another multi-step goal — was wrapped up. The installation of LED streetlights was finished in July 2023; and the goal of communicating better with the public has been completed after hiring a communication coordinator in 2023.

On July 9, the board reviewed the goals list and discussed details. 

Select Board member Scott Avery provided his priority list for the coming fiscal year.

“I am going to push a plan for public works. We need to figure out the three big topics: public works, the fire station and the Berry property. We aren’t going to get anywhere with public works unless we have a plan in place to show everybody what we want to do. We need to show an idea of how much we are going to save,” Avery said. “We are going to be spinning our heels in the mud if we don’t put it out there.”

Ward said one approach to making goals more achievable is to break it down into steps.

“The public works is already assigned as a goal. One of the subgoals would be to assign the town manager and staff to come up with a 3-year plan. Then, the board would have bullet points to present to the public,” Ward said.

Selectman Grant Plummer quipped, “We wanted that a long time ago.”

Many of the goals, such as purchasing more public works equipment and constructing a building for that department, fall under the category of capital improvement projects, Plummer said.   

“The capital improvement projects can’t all happen in the same year. If your staff can develop that plan, that’s good,” he said.

Plummer priority list is: “The fire barn, the maintenance department also known as public works, and potentially the Berry property.”

Avery expressed some excitement about doing what is necessary for the public to use the trail and waterfront property that is part of parcel purchased from the Berry family.

Plummer asked if Gorrill Palmer, an LJB Engineering Company, could attend a board meeting to discuss proposed road work.

“If we are going to pay an expert, let’s figure out the best way to do this,” he said.

Ward suggested holding a workshop to really focus on roads, rather than trying to address such a meaty topic as an agenda item. The tentative date for the workshop is Aug. 23.

Earlier in the discussion, Ward said that the board has been doing a good job on keeping goals in the peripheral. Many of the board’s objectives are revisited regularly, he said. The board keeps tabs on some of these goals by putting them under old business on agenda. That way the ones on the back burner don’t end up by the wayside, Ward said.

Chairman Eugene Connolly suggested sharing the board’s list with the public.

“Can we put the goals on our website and show which ones we have achieved,” Connolly asked.