Alna selectmen on Nov. 21 again grappled over what if any involvement to give former selectman Ed Pentaleri in the Ben Brook Bridge project. After several new go-rounds over how much help Pentaleri has provided and should or should not provide now — including Second Selectman Steve Graham's describing some of the past help as "a little skimpy" and Pentaleri's and Third Selectman Coreysha Stone's denials of that — Pentaleri told Graham about the project's handling, "You break it, you buy it."

Stone described Pentaleri's written communications as long narrarives that are not easily digested and take a lot of combing through. Graham agreed. Then Stone said to please stop using "'skimpy' ... This is water under the bridge. This is the problem. We keep rehashing old stuff. Can we please ... get moving on what needs to happen?"

While Pentaleri was first selectman, the board looked at options and favored replacing the bridge, largely with outside funding. Since losing his board seat last March, he has reminded the board of steps still to take; and Nov. 14, Stone proposed making him a point person on the project. Graham and First Selectman Nick Johnston instead chose to ask Pentaleri questions, if any, but not assign him a role.

Then on Nov. 21, in a non-voting working meeting, Pentaleri urged the board to amend the project’s action plan and get reimbursed for $86,000 spent on design and environmental review. That amending should have been underway last summer or earlier, he said. "It appears to me as though we are months and months behind where we could have been ... The project isn't going to execute itself, and we are not going to get reimbursed without doing this stuff."

Graham reiterated the project is the board's responsibility. He said he would agree to having Pentaleri prepare an amended action plan, but not contact the agencies involved, including Maine Department of Transportation and Maine Department of Environmental Protection. "They are looking to deal with someone who is responsible for those projects. That's something that I have offered to do and have been doing," Graham said.

At one point in the discussion, Stone suggested she work on amending the action plan with Pentaleri's help. Graham still opposed Pentaleri's contact with agencies. Stone said that leaves Graham to amend the action plan. "Can we please get a deadline? It needs to be done. Can you do it in a week? Can you do it in two weeks? When can you do it?"

"Likely in January," Graham said.

Stone suggested the topic be on the board's next agenda. "If you want to bring it up formally, yes," Graham said. 

In the board meeting earlier that night, selectmen agreed to hire William Butler of Jefferson as code enforcement officer and plumbing inspector for $250 a week, “upon receiving three favorable professional references.” The board made Greg Lumbert of Pittston the alternate CEO.