PERU — The final cost of drilling a well and piping it to the town office was $5,670.10, selectmen were advised Monday night by the Town Clerk Vera Parent.
Selectman Kathy Hussey said results of water tests from the well have not been received, but if any treatment is needed there would be more expense.
The new water supply means the town office is no longer dependent on the supply from the old elementary school, which is on the same property on Main Street.
In other business, a request for a property tax abatement on a fire-damaged structure at 298 East Shore Road was tabled until Hussey hears from the Maine Municipal Association. Taxes are assessed for the fiscal year and the building had been used part of the year. Hussey said she was unsure if taxes should be abated at all.
A letter was signed denying a veterans exemption for Robert Arsenault, who selectmen say had not served the required number of days during the Vietnam War.
Board members Hussey, Ed Ferland and Rick Vaughn appointed Donald Carver to the Finance Committee.
A decision on whether to allow Med-Care Ambulance to use the town office for meetings was tabled because board Chairman Tim Holland and Vice Chairwoman Laurieann Milligan were absent.
Hussey said at a previous meeting it was decided that Med-Care should turn in its meeting times to the town office but it has not done so in a timely manner.
Town Clerk Vera Parent said she wanted clarification on when vacation and sick pay started and ended. She also wanted to know if it was a calendar year or fiscal and requested it in writing. This issue was tabled until a full board is present.
It was learned that Road Commissioner Joe Roach sent an email to a Sun Journal reporter Monday, stating he intends to request a lump sum transfer of funds from road accounts, based on last year’s current fiscal year, to correct the current imbalance.
Hussey said the information should have been sent to the board first.
Selectmen instructed him at last week’s board meeting to come up with a new funding plan to get his equipment account out of the red.
The account is in the red because fuel costs are high and there has been very little snowplowing so there is little charged for use of equipment to the other accounts to go into the equipment account, he said. Also, insurance costs were taken out of the equipment account this year but not last year, he said, which has made a difference.
The board will meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23, for a workshop.
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