JAY – Towns contracted to send solid waste to Jay’s Transfer Station will pay $78 per ton for tipping fees, a decrease of $3.41 per ton.

The amount will be lower despite an increase in Jay’s portion of the fee. Selectmen voted Monday to increase Jay’s portion from $19.50 to $20 per ton.

Recycling and Transfer Station coordinator Rhonda Irish recommended the increase.

Of the $78, $58 would go to Maine Waste Management services, which Jay contracts with, and $20 would go to Jay to pay for its services, including handling and trucking, Irish said.

In other business, selectmen authorized making the final payment of $6,441 to C.H. Stevenson for work on Pineau Street. Concerns of water in basements were addressed, Sewer Department Superintendent Mark Holt said.

The town plans to do some work on the entrance to Jim Shink’s driveway in spring, Town Manager Ruth Marden said. There is a high spot that needs to be dealt with, she said.

Although selectmen agreed in December that they would take no action on agenda items listed as “Other Business,” they set precedent Monday.

The board voted, at Selectman Alan Labbe’s request, to send a letter of congratulations and commendation to Jay police officer Richard Caton IV for earning a perfect score on firearms training at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy.

Labbe also suggested discussing the way the school budget warrant articles are set up. Voters approve condensing the articles at a town meeting. As such they do not vote on separate accounts for such things as administration, instruction and transportation, but rather vote on a total sum.

Labbe said the way the school portion of the warrant is set up now, it allows transfer of money from various lines voters having to vote on such transfers.

The town government portion of the warrant allows voters to vote on separate accounts, such as police and fire departments, with an itemized list of proposed expenditures.

The town would not be able transfer money from account to account without voters’ approval, he said.

Labbe asked that the item be put on the Jan. 17 meeting agenda.

Marden said Tuesday that school Superintendent Robert Wall has agreed to attend the meeting.