DIXFIELD — Police Chief Richard Pickett announced to selecctmen Monday a new program to check on people living alone or with needs police can help with.

Operation Sunshine, which will start Tuesday, involves regular checks on people who may be living alone or have some need.

He said part of a patrolman’s routine duties will be calling such people twice a week and visiting them once a month. He and other officers have identified five individuals who will be monitored. He asked for residents to call the Dixfield Police Department at 562-4517 with the names of any other people who may benefit.

Pickett said adult children living away may have an elderly parent who may need a welfare check. Also, he said the personal contact between police officers and those being checked can make it possible for such people to contact the police if they are concerned with some matter.

He said scams have taken advantage of several in town. He wants people to feel they may contact the police with any questions about such matters, or any others that may be of concern.

Pickett also said that another drug disposal program will be scheduled in the spring. Last fall, police asked residents to bring outdated or nonused prescription drugs to the department where they were properly disposed of. The program was an effort to keep prescription drugs off the streets as well as to dispose of them in an environmentally responsible way.

He expects two sites to be set up for the program this time.

In other matters, Town Manager Eugene Skibitsky said the preliminary valuation of the town for 2012 is slightly below the state’s figure for 2011. The new value is $149,250,000 which is about 1 percent lower than last year’s figure.

He said the state valuation figures into the amount of county and school taxes the town must pay. He doesn’t know of the impact yet.

Also on Monday:

* Selectman Norine Clarke asked for community volunteers to help the town’s annual Outdoor Market which is scheduled for Aug. 21. Last year’s event was nearly canceled because of the lack of volunteers to help during that day.

* The board voted to appropriate $550 so one high school girl and one high school boy may attend the annual Girls State and Boys State leadership workshops.

* the board announced that the speed limit on the Averill Hill Road has been reduced to 35 mph.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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