JAY — Voters zipped through a special town meeting warrant in 10 minutes Monday night, unanimously approving a wastewater agreement, submission of a $250,000 grant application for economic development and money for legal fees.
Residents authorized selectpersons to enter into a new interlocal agreement for treating wastewater for Livermore Falls and Jay.
Livermore Falls sewer trustees approved the agreement last week, Mark Holt, superintendent of the Jay Sewer Department, said.
The original agreement in 1972 was replaced in 1997. The latest document replaces the 1997 agreement.
The towns ended up in arbitration over sharing expenses for the Livermore Falls Wastewater Treatment Plant in 2013. Independent arbitrator Durward Parkinson encouraged the towns to negotiate a new or amended agreement to more clearly define responsibilities and billing protocol for operating and maintenance expenses.
Parkinson outlined his recommendations in a settlement agreement in July 2013. It concluded that Livermore Falls owed Jay $31,643 for overbilling.
Parkinson said in his report that the overbilling was related to employee insurances and sewer clerk health insurance costs. He also recommended the two towns establish a new agreement that clearly outlines the shared costs.
A committee was formed with members from both towns and the new agreement is the result of many hours of work, town officials previously said.
Livermore Falls, which owns the plant, shares the cost of operating and maintaining it with Jay, based on sewage treated at the plant.
The new agreement states that 98 percent of the Livermore Falls Sewer Department superintendent’s pay and benefits will be attributed to the plant. Jay will pay the appropriate percentage of these costs as outlined in the agreement based on sewage flow treated.
The proposal also calls for 82 percent of the pay and benefits for the two plant operators to be attributed to the plant. The costs will be shared the same way as the superintendent’s pay and benefits.
Five percent of the Livermore Falls sewer clerk’s pay and benefits and 1.25 percent of the treasurer’s pay and benefits would each be attributed to the plant. The costs will be shared the same way.
Jay will also pay a flat fee of $125 per month to Livermore Falls for Town Office costs such as heat, electricity, telephone, copier, computer, office supplies and related items.
Set fees were also established for sanding, salting, loader/snow removal and truck/snow removal.
The agreement also sets up an independent Dispute Resolution Board to prevent the two towns going to arbitration. On that board are Jeffrey D. Preble of Auburn, Travis Peaslee of Winthrop and James Crowley of Wiscasset, according to the document.
Also Monday, voters approved an application to the Northern Border Regional Commission Economic and Infrastructure Development Grant Program and to the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments for $250,000.
They also approved transferring $50,000 from the Highway Department account to a designated grant program reserve fund as the town’s 20 percent match for the grant.
Approval was given to transfer $15,000 from the recent sale of tax-acquired property to the Valuation Reserve Account to pay additional legal fees related to the valuation appeal of Verso Paper Corp.’s mill and associated property in Jay.
Daryl Brown was elected moderator.
dperry@sunmediagroup.net
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