SABATTUS — The Board of Selectmen unanimously agreed Tuesday to submit two resolutions to Androscoggin County commissioners, reiterating its displeasure about budgetary issues.
Selectmen plan to express their dissatisfaction that commissioners are not participating in county Budget Committee meetings, and their opposition to a proposed county charter amendment on commissioners’ wages and benefits.
Former Androscoggin County Sheriff Guy Desjardins of Sabattus, a member of the county Budget Committee, said the committee does not have all the data necessary to make sound, reasonable financial decisions. Repeated requests for commissioners and the county treasurer to participate in budget proceedings have been futile, he said.
“The county charter didn’t envision things to be like this,” Desjardins said.
The Board of Selectmen will write a resolution expressing its dissatisfaction with the commissioners and treasurer not attending the budget meetings.
The board will also develop a resolution expressing its opposition to the Androscoggin County charter amendment on the Nov. 3 ballot. By voting for the amendment, any increase in the commissioners’ salaries and/or benefits will not be permitted without a majority, plus one vote, of the full Budget Committee. However, a yes vote will prevent the commissioners’ current wages and benefits from being lowered, essentially locking in their current salaries, Desjardins said.
The board is recommending residents vote ‘no’ on the amendment.
The town joined others in the county in taking legal action against the commissioners in June.
So far, Sabattus has spent $559 for the litigation and selectmen unanimously agreed to continue with the court case.
Interim Town Manager Tony Ward said the board made the right decision because the commissioners’ action is “a violation of state law and goes against what voters approved for the county charter.”
In other business:
* The board approved a bid of $65,970 from Viking Cives of Lewiston to outfit the new dump truck. The price includes a stainless steel dump body, plow rigging and setup. The truck should be in operation after January 2016.
* The Town Manager Search Committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, at the Town Hall to review applications.
* The Lisbon Road paving project has been completed and Public Works will level the shoulders in the coming weeks.
* The Sabattus Fire and Police departments were awarded a Homeland Security grant. A sum of $5,400 for the Fire Department will pay for on-call pagers. A sum of $5,000 will pay for vests, shields and helmets for police involved in an active-shooter situation.
* A piece of property along Pleasant Hill Road was taken by the Maine Department of Transportation through eminent domain for a restoration project next year.
* The Nov. 3 selectmen meeting was canceled because of voting at the Town Hall from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
