Livermore selectpersons vote Monday night to hire Mike Cote as a full-time highway worker on condition he obtains a Class B license within six months. From left are Selectpersons Brett Deyling, Scott Richmond and Chairman Mark Chretien, Administrative Assistant Amy Byron and Selectersons Wayne Timberlake and Benjamin Guild. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser
LIVERMORE — Municipal officials Monday night discussed how they can meet state requirements for elections and still provide a heated space for fire equipment while voters cast ballots at the Town Office/Fire Department complex.
Town Clerk Renda Guild said she expects a large turnout for the March 3 presidential primary, necessitating booths being set up in the fire station bays.
Medical supplies and other equipment on the trucks can’t be kept in freezing temperatures.
“There is a window with the state in order to change a voting facility,” she said. “We can’t change it that quickly.”
Guild said the place for voting has to have internet connection and be handicap accessible. The community building was ruled out, she said.
“We were given a list of almost 60 reasons why,” she said. “We had to be here.”
Guild said the problem with the Spruce Mountain Primary School is classes are in session that day. Parking there is also an issue.
“We’re trying to find a location. It’s got to be able to accommodate all the election machines, the booths, everything has to be centralized. It’s not that easy,” she said.
Several suggestions for places to take the trucks for the day were mentioned. Some are not available while others may not be heated.
Selectperson Wayne Timberlake said the firetrucks need to be accessible in case the department is called out.
Selectperson Benjamin Guild said the trucks could be taken outside and kept running and pumping all day. Another option would be to take all the temperature sensitive equipment off the trucks and pile it in the back of the bay.
Selectperson Scott Richmond said if a call came in the equipment would have to be put back on.
“I worry about getting a call during voting with all the cars here,” he said.
Richmond said in the past the town has held caucuses. This is the first year a primary election is being held in Livermore.
Timberlake asked if there was room to keep the rescue truck, which houses the most sensitive equipment, at the town garage.
After Highway Foreman Roger Ferland was told that truck is about the size of an ambulance, he said it could be kept there.
“There are two bays, it could be heated, we wouldn’t have to take the equipment off,” Benjamin Guild said.
Renda Guild added, “If we can make it work, we could do it for November too.”
In other business, Selectpersons unanimously voted to hire Mike Cote full time for the highway department conditional on his obtaining his Class B license within six months.
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