BUCKFIELD – Officials from Buckfield, Hartford and Sumner this week addressed 10 areas in which they hope to save money by regionalizing services, manpower, equipment and purchasing.

Buckfield selectmen’s Chairman Skip Stanley suggested the group take one of the 10 priorities listed and get a committee organized. It was decided that each committee should have at least six members.

Mark Silber, a Sumner selectman, said he would be chairman to investigate wind power. Buckfield Town Manager Glen Holmes said he had done some research and found that on top of Streaked Mountain the average sustained winds were between 15.7 and 16.8 miles an hour. He said the mountain had all three needed factors: wind, accessibility and power. He said only 2 percent of Maine was viable for wind power.

Silber quickly had several volunteers, including George Jones of Sumner and Buckfield Selectman Oscar Gammon. Anyone in the communities interested in the study can contact Silber through the Sumner Town Office. The committee will meet April 29 at Silber’s home.

Hartford Selectman David Bowen offered to head the committee to study the highway departments. Gary Bennett of the Buckfield highway department, George Jones of Sumner, Sumner road commissioner Jim Keach, and Buckfield Selectmen Skip Stanley and Chris Hayward offered to serve. They will meet April 28 at the Buckfield Town office. Anyone interested in the committee should call the Buckfield Town Office.

Hartford Selectman Hope McCabe chose to group the code enforcement, plumbing inspector and building inspector priorities together. McCabe will be enlisting members, and those interested may call the Hartford Town office.

Other areas to be considered for saving tax money are the fire and rescue departments, animal control officer and town office consolidation.

During the regular selectmen’s meeting, fire Chief Steven Campbell reported that some of his equipment was failing and he was over budget. He is replacing some pagers and air packs.

Gammon moved that the highway department be allowed to take up to $1,500 from the highway reserve account to purchase a one ton Dodge truck from state surplus if they would pay the funds back from the sale of a firetruck.

Holmes reported that word from the annual meeting of the Buckfield Village Corp. was good. The corporation has been able to refinance its loans at a much lower rate and can now afford to pay the town clerk/treasurer $5,000 a year for administrative help and work space.

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