OWLS HEAD — An online meeting of the Owls Head Board of Selectmen was hijacked at its start Monday afternoon, leading to a postponement of the virtual gathering that was to consider, among other items, bids received on a fire truck to replace one destroyed last year in a crash.
The meeting was to be held through Zoom, an online meeting platform, when an unidentified man took control of the meeting electronically and began playing loud music and video clips that disrupted the proceedings.
Officials ended the meeting and planned to reschedule it with additional security measures.
Similar incidents have disrupted meetings in Bath and Falmouth.
Owls Head officials were meeting partly to consider bids for a new fire truck to replace the one lost in an Oct. 17 crash on the Clark Island Road in St. George. The crash occurred when the Owls Head pumper tanker truck was heading to a house fire. A St. George fire truck was heading in the opposite direction on the narrow road when the trucks collided.
Insurance through the Maine Municipal Association will pay for the replacement, Owls Head Fire Chief Frank Ross said.
The fire truck committee has recommended the town purchase a pumper with a 3,000-gallon tank from K&T Fire Equipment in Island Falls. The price is $324,000.
The fire chief said the department was considering either replacing the 1990 pumper tanker truck or restoring it before the crash.
The purchase may be more complicated, however. Owls Head Board Chairman Tom Von Malder said the town’s attorney has advised selectmen that the purchase of the vehicle must be done at a town meeting in which residents gather and vote on the warrant article.
Such a town meeting would not be allowed under the current state emergency order in place to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The fire chief said the Maine Municipal Association has indicated selectmen could vote on the purchase without a town meeting vote.
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