LIVERMORE FALLS – The president of the Area Youth Sports group has sent a letter to towns asking if selectmen are interested in hiring the organization to provide a summer recreation program.

Board Chairwoman Louise Chabot read the letter to selectmen Monday night. The board agreed to take it under advisement and ask sports group President Tom Welch to submit a plan.

It is too late for this year, Chabot said, but it may be something to think about in next year’s budget.

Welch said Tuesday that he planned to run the idea by the organization’s directors and wanted to see if the towns were interested.

Welch’s letter said, “With times so hard and towns having to cut budgets it is hard to find places to cut. I would like to offer a possible solution for the surrounding towns that AYS provides services to that could possibly save money without changing the quality of service.”

Welch proposed that Livermore, Livermore Falls, Jay and Fayette summer recreation programs combine and hire AYS to run the program.

Area Youth Sports is a nonprofit organization, fully insured with 50 years of experience with the youth of the four towns, he said.

Its board consists of representatives from each town and to date run 14 successful year-round sports programs with an annual budget of about $50,000, he said.

The organization has set up its offices at a building in the middle of the parking lot the Jay Elementary School, which was formerly housed the school system’s central office.

Livermore Falls runs a six-week summer program with more than 100 children from Livermore Falls and Livermore and is open to children from other towns for a higher fee. Jay runs a five-week program that serves children in that town and possibly others.

Livermore Falls budgeted nearly $26,000 for its program last year, interim Town Manager Kristal Flagg said Tuesday. Jay budgeted $23,426 in fiscal 2008-09 and has $22,624 in the proposed fiscal 2009-10 budget, Jay Town Clerk Ronda Palmer said Tuesday.

Jay Town Manager Ruth Marden said she received a similar letter from Welch and asked him for information before she brings it to selectmen.

Livermore Falls selectmen have also asked to see a plan before considering the issue further.