JAY — Selectpersons will be asked tonight whether they want the new utility poles rewired and brackets put up for lighted Christmas decorations or move toward holiday flags or banners. The meeting is at 6 p.m. at the Town Office.
When the Route 4 road reconstruction was done, the utility poles were mostly replaced in the section in which the work was being done.
“We now have no electrical outlets or brackets on the poles for our holiday directors along a portion of that same section of road,” Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere said.
During the summer months, U.S. flags are put on the poles in the same section of road.
Fire/Rescue Chief Mike Booker and LaFreniere have looked at options. Selectpersons could have the poles rewired and continue to use the decorations the town has or move toward holiday flags or banners in place of lighted decorations, LaFreniere said.
The cost to rewire the poles is $200 per pole, she said.
For years, the town’s Fire Rescue Department has put up the holiday decorations along Main Street, which is also Route 4. Money is raised by taxpayers for decorations, which are included in the Fire/Rescue Department’s budget. In this year’s budget, $500 was raised for Christmas decorations and $500 was raised in 2015-16, according to town reports.
In another matter Monday, selectpersons will consider four quotes to replace the boiler at Fire Station 1 in North Jay. The boiler has had to be repaired numerous times in past years.
Booker wrote in the 2015 town report, “The boiler at Station 1 has been having many mechanical issues over the past year and due to its age and availability of parts will need to be replaced in the near future.”
According to information LaFreniere provided to selectpersons, the Fire/Rescue Department capital reserve account has $416,798 in it.
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