JAY — Selectpersons will consider a citizen petition Monday, June 26, to ask voters to raise and appropriate $120,000 for curbside trash and recyclable collection.
The discussion will take place after a special town meeting at 6 p.m. at the Town Office.
On Friday, the town received the petition which contained 373 valid signatures of registered voters, Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere said.
The town-contracted curbside service is on track to be eliminated as of July 1. The last collection days are June 28 and 29.
Residents at the April 25 annual town meeting referendum approved $330,450 for the Transfer Station, 364-217. The article did not include money for the curbside service this year.
Discussions at the budget meetings with selectpersons, Budget Committee members and residents earlier this year was to eliminate the service to save the town $120,000 annually.
The decision came in the wake of Verso Androscoggin LLC downsizing its paper mill and associated equipment and laying off workers. Also factored into the decision was the town’s $1.33 million second payment in 2017-18 to Verso to settle a three-year tax dispute. The final payment is due in the 2018-19 budget.
LaFreniere said she has sent the petition to the Maine Municipal Association to see what options selectpersons have.
Voters overwhelmingly approved keeping the service provided by the town in 2010. In a November 2013 advisory vote, residents voted 457-322 to have the town contract with an outside company to provide the service rather than eliminating it.
In other business June 26, voters will be asked to consider creating a special revenue account for the purpose of paying for future training costs for Police Department personnel.
The town received $24,300 in reimbursement for training costs from the town of Wells after a Jay police officer was hired there. The officer graduated from Maine Criminal Justice Academy in 2016.
Residents will also be asked to consider amending the town’s Administrative Ordinance to allow the town board to accept and spend funds from governmental agencies or private sources which become available during the year.
Currently selectpersons can accept funds from federal, state and local entities and donations on behalf of the town.
During the regular board meeting, there will be discussion on marijuana-related businesses. A resident is interested in knowing the town’s opinion on establishing a marijuana business.
dperry@sunmediagroup.net
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