MINOT — Selectmen on Tuesday voted to support the Androscoggin County Budget Committee in asserting its authority to set the county commissioners’ salaries and benefits.
Selectmen also directed Town Administrator Arlan Saunders to notify other county municipalities that Minot would consider supporting legal action, along with a majority of the municipalities, if it comes to that.
The action was taken in response to Mechanic Falls’ Town Manager John Hawley’s email sent to elected officials in the county’s municipalities. He asked whether they wanted to continue the effort after Maine Attorney General Janet Mills declined to become involved.
The issue arose on Nov. 25 when, following attorney Bryan Dench’s opinion that the new county charter gave commissioners full control over the budget and the Budget Committee was limited to an advisory role.
Commissioners Beth Bell and Elaine Makas voted to restore most of the cuts the Budget Committee made to their salaries and benefits. The third member of the commission, Chairman Randall Greenwood, abstained.
In other business, selectmen signed the warrant for the March 7 annual town meeting and gave approval for the town report to be sent to the printer.
Selectman Eda Tripp is proofreading the town report’s final version and said she expected it will be off to the printer by the end of the week.
The town meeting begins Friday, March 6, with the election of municipal officials.
The names of three people will be on the ballot seeking two seats on the Board of Selectmen. No one has come forward to place their names on the ballot for two seats on the Regional School Unit 16 board of directors.
Saunders reported that Town Clerk Heidi Schreiber has absentee ballots available at the Town Office for those wishing to vote early.
Reporting on the status of property taxes owed to the town, Tripp said liens recently were placed on 10 properties, 44 properties are listed with unpaid 2013 taxes and 196 properties have unpaid 2014 taxes.
Highway Supervisor Scott Parker said the highway crew has been “plowing for what seems like an eternity” and the equipment has had only a few minor breakdowns.
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