LIVERMORE FALLS – Fire Chief Ken Jones took exception Thursday to comments by selectmen in Thursday’s Sun Journal article about the board’s budget discussion on fire prevention funds and delayed spending by Jones’ department.

Jones said the Livermore Fire Department does share equally in fire prevention efforts at both Livermore Elementary School and Livermore Falls Middle School, not just a $100 donation as board members said.

“When we see comments like that, it hurts the efforts. We’re trying our best to do things together,” the chief said.

“For the last two years, at least, they have supported 50 percent of the joint effort,” he said. “I know, because I received a check for $500.”

He said each department may not have the same number of firefighters presenting programs at the two schools since that depends on who is available on any given day.

Jones said the remainder of the $1,000 the department receives from the town for fire prevention goes toward other programs, such as when a speaker is requested by an organization.

They also have handouts for senior citizens and helpful information for families who are burned out, he reported.

The chief also wanted to remind town officials that he had been asked not to spend funds in July, the biggest reason he had money left in several accounts. “I had to wait for funds to become available in November,” he said.

During this week’s board meeting, selectmen said that if the fire chief needed the money in July, he should have spent it then. They cited large balances in his accounts as the reason they cut $7,500 from the department’s request for $62,887 in the upcoming budget.

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