FARMINGTON — Selectmen on Tuesday night approved two expenditures for the police department and steps to take in the absence of an assessor.
The town of Jay will be reimbursed $34,428 from the department’s Training Reserve Account. Newly hired officer Rex Schweighofer completed his Maine Criminal Justice Academy training while employed by Jay.
New Farmington police officers, from left, Donald Gray, Jonathan Parker and Rex Schweighofer, were introduced at the April 25 selectmen meeting. Farmington will reimburse the town of Jay $34,428 for Schweighofer’s training at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy while employed there. Farmington Police Department
“We are lucky we have a reserve training account that is used for that purpose,” police Chief Kenneth Charles stated. “It was just a matter of if Jay was going to invoice us. We were lucky with our last hire to not get an invoice, so that was definitely helpful.
“The unfortunate thing is the reserve account is healthy, because we had lost people and I was quick to get the invoices out.”
The academy’s board of trustees requires a department that hires a full-time certified officer from another agency to reimburse the former agency the expense of training the officer, according to information Charles provided selectmen. Schweighofer graduated in December 2021, and the information states adjusted reimbursements are required for five years after graduation.
Selectmen approved spending $52,515.80 from the department’s Vehicle Reserve Account to purchase an outfitted 2022 Ford Police Interceptor Utility vehicle.
“We had gone under contract back in November for two vehicles,” Charles said. “During the budget process, we had planned for one vehicle out of the operating budget. The second would be out of vehicle reserve.”
Selectmen also voted to have interim Town Manager Cornell Knight approach KRT Appraisal about assessing services. Last month the town hired the company for the upcoming revaluation.
The town’s assessor, Allison “Alli” Brochu, stepped down last month. The position was advertised the first week of April, but no applications were submitted, Knight said. The town needs to get updates done from last year to this, he noted.
Knight approached John O’Donnell about contracting the work, but he is too busy. If the board approves, contacting KRT was Knight’s next proposal.
Selectman Joshua Bell asked if a request for proposal could be put out for tax assessing services.
Knight said one could be, though time is his concern.
“I am guessing a lot of them … are right out straight,” he continued. A number of towns have assessor openings listed on the Maine Municipal Association website, he noted.
Because of time concerns, Knight would rather try KRT, which will be working in town. If that isn’t possible, he would approach other companies in the central Maine area.
“We have got two issues, immediate and long-term,” Selectman Stephan Bunker said.
In other business, selectmen:
• Tabled a decision on naming a new road as Gantley Drive, pending verification from the town’s E911 officer that no other road has that name.
• Set voter registration hours for the upcoming election, which includes the Regional School Unit 9 budget referendum. Though residents may register to vote at the Municipal Building any day during normal business hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., there will be extended registration hours on election day, June 13. Voters may register that day at the Community Center, where registration and voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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