By Kenneth Roberts,Special to the Sun Journal

TURNER – Selectmen were informed Monday night that the town’s fire and rescue chiefs had arranged for members of their departments to get mutual communication training, and were attempting to set a date for a meeting for themselves to discuss long-standing differences and hostility between the two volunteer departments.

In June, the board advised Fire Chief Steven A. Fish that it had voted “not to reappoint” him to the leadership post he has held for the past 10 years. The issue was raised again at a special board meeting featuring four executive sessions between selectmen, the chief and attorneys for both parties.

That meeting on Sept. 7 ended with passage of a motion by a 2-1 vote “to postpone the decision to reappoint the chief for three months with the expectation that the chief will work with both Fire and Rescue to work out existing problems.”

Information received by the board Monday night indicated that Chief Fish is doing as requested.

Town Manager James Catlin reported to the board that the initial training session in communications had been held. He said Fish and Rescue Chief Laurel Gagne are in the process of setting a date for their first discussion of what has been described by the attorney for Fish, Curtis Webber of Auburn, as “hostility” between the departments.

In other action, the board:

• Agreed to work with the Leavitt Institute Building Board of Directors to tighten security in the historic building, which has become the cultural center for the community. Selectmen learned that items had been stolen from the building that now houses the Turner Public Library, the Turner Museum and Historical Association, and the Turner Center for the Arts. Selectman and building Director Ralph Caldwell said that security at the facility is being “updated, improved, revised, and tightened – the building must be secure and it will be.”

Several actions for achieving that goal were discussed, including additional alarms, motion security cameras and alternative locking mechanisms.

• Approved sending letters to five property owners that unless payment is made in full on taxes, interest and charges by 4 p.m. on Oct. 31, the board will move forward with possession and sale of the property. Letters to two other property owners will explain that no such action will be taken provided payments on the accounts continue to be made.

• Discussed several points raised during Solid Waste Committee meetings about operations at the Transfer Station. Some of the issues are charging for commercial waste, alternative handling of computers and televisions, seeking grants for handling other special wastes and protected stockpiling of clean wood wastes for chipping.

• Accepted a bid of $45.13 a ton for salt for winter roads from the Morton Salt Co. The bid includes both the liquid and the rock salt used in connection with winter storms.

• Heard from both the Fire Department and the town manager for the town’s road crew that trucks are facing much needed and costly repair (fire), and need to be replaced, as repair is too costly for 1988 vintage vehicle. The department will pursue its repairs, and Catlin will look to State Surplus Property and other possibilities for a quality used truck.

• Approved closing of the town office on Thursday, Oct. 6, for employees to attend training sessions offered by the Maine Municipal Association at its annual convention.

• Instructed Manager Catlin to look into the possibility of grants for improving the grounds around the town office. A park-like atmosphere is desired by selectmen for the grounds and they want the manager to report back when he has found funding possibilities.

Copy the Story Link