POLAND — Selectmen on Tuesday agreed to give some thought to rejoining the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments.
AVCOG Executive Director Bob Thompson, present at the invitation of Town Manager Rosemary Kulow, outlined the services his agency provides municipalities in Androscoggin, Oxford and Franklin counties. He noted that one of the benefits – being able to participate in a joint bid for winter road salt – pretty much allows member towns to recover the costs of their dues.
Thompson said Poland’s dues for the agency’s year that runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30 would be $8,560.
Selectman Wendy Sanborn asked Kulow whether the services AVCOG provided, mainly assisting in planning and economic development activities, duplicate those the town receives from the Maine Municipal Association.
Kulow affirmed that the two organizations assisted member towns in nonconflicting fashion.
Selectman Larry Moreau, who had been on the Planning Board for a number of years before becoming a selectman, confirmed the value of the town’s past relationship with AVCOG staff.
Moreau noted that a few years ago a previous town manager had convinced the board that the town didn’t need AVCOG’s services.
Thompson, noting that Poland is only one of four communities in the tri-county area that is not a member of AVCOG, would warmly welcome the town back into the fold.
Thompson said that his executive board would be meeting Dec. 14 and could act on accepting Poland as a member at that time. He said that a pro-ration of dues would be discussed.
Selectmen asked Kulow to see whether she could find money in this year’s budget that might be used to pay the dues and to report this at the board’s Dec. 6 meeting.
At that time the board will discuss and decide whether to seek to rejoin AVCOG.
In other business selectmen appointed Robert Folsom, Sr., as the town’s interim code enforcement officer, building and plumbing inspector; approved an amendment to the contract with Wright-Pierce, increasing engineering inspection time for the South Village water and sewer project; authorized Kulow to prepare a request for proposals seeking a solution to heating problems in the town office; and gave fire and rescue chief Mark Bosse permission to put the department’s old cascade system out to bid.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
