LIVERMORE FALLS — Selectmen voted Monday to terminate services with Bill Van Tuinen's assessing company as of Nov. 30 and to allow the town manager to find another assessing agent for the town.

Town Manager Jim Chaousis told selectmen that he was not satisfied with the services the town has received from the company.

The part-time agent works on behalf of the town's assessors who are the selectmen.

Among the issues, Chaousis said, he had was the lack of communication when one agent from the company left the town and another took his place and information was not being provided in a timely manner.

The town pays a "good amount," $18,645, for these services, Chaousis said.

"I personally have not been happy with the assessing agent for some time," select board Chairwoman Louise Chabot said. Since she's been in office, Chabot said, she has asked for information and did not receive it in a timely fashion.

Selectman Bill Demaray asked there be a contract agreement with the new agent outlining the services to be provided.
"It's always a lot easier when everybody knows where they stand," Demaray said.

Chaousis said he put out a request for proposals for assessing services to 35 companies or individuals providing the services. He has received seven replies from interested parties, he said.

Chaousis did say that Van Tuinen is well respected in the industrial appraisal field and his service is very reasonably priced.

Any contract would be brought to selectmen for review, Chaousis said.

In other business, selectmen voted to pay $5,136 to Androscoggin County to bridge a budget gap when the county takes over police dispatching services for the town on Nov. 23.

Selectmen had tabled action on a request to pay $5,500 on Oct. 19 until Chaousis could check to see if the county was obligated to provide the service without additional cost.

The county had not budgeted to provide dispatch services to Livermore Falls this year. Livermore Falls residents voted in September to shut down the town's dispatch in an effort to save money.

County commissioners will include the cost to provide the town's police dispatching services in next year's budget at no additional cost to the town.

Chaousis also stressed that people need to call 911 for emergencies, and not one of the Police Department phone numbers.

In another matter, the board voted to approve the purchase of an 8-foot by 32-foot used trailer for $3,000. It will be used as an office and storage building for the transfer station attendant.

Selectmen previously agreed to let Chaousis put out to bid construction of a building for an office.

Chaousis and highway foreman Bill Nichols decided to explore options for a way to save money.

The trailer is nearly a perfect fit, Chaousis said.

It is from MBI Trailers of Scarborough and will need to be towed to the town's station.

The trailer has electric heat, which resident Wayne Knowlton said could get expensive. He suggested that they look at a more efficient heating system for it.

Chaousis said they will monitor the heating cost and if gets to be too much, they will look at an alternate source.

"We're not looking to make it 80 degrees in there in the winter, just tolerable," Chaousis said.

Chabot said she worked in construction trailers previously, and they are not the most comfortable in the winter.

dperry@sunjournal.com