Board: Sabattus Selectmen

Met: Tuesday night

No PD merge, search on for chief

Issue: Selectmen and Town Manager Rick Bates have been exploring whether to combine police services with Lisbon after police Chief Thomas Fales retired last month.

The scoop: The department is going to keep business as usual. Selectmen voted to not consolidate and to start looking for a new chief. Bates said the move might have saved both towns $50,000 to $70,000 a year, but that was a best-case potential. “It might not have been worth going that far to save that little bit of money,” he said. “We looked at it, we came up with a number, we heard from residents they’re pretty happy with what they get.”

The board, he said, is also supportive and appreciative of the police.

Up next: Interim chief Jerry Hinton will help Bates plan a search for the new chief. It could be six months before the position is filled.

Tax rate

Issue: Bates and department heads crafted — and residents approved at town meeting in June — a budget that they hoped would keep the town’s current tax rate, $14.15.

The scoop: Assistant Town Manager Andrew Gilmore told selectmen the 2012 tax rate is estimated to be $14.15; he’s awaiting additional tax information before firming that up. There is some desire on the board to get it lower.

Up next: The tax rate will be revisited at the selectmen’s July 19 meeting.

Odds and ends

Issue: Before consumer fireworks become legal in Maine next year, the town is going to work on a fireworks ordinance.

Issue: Sorted recycling stays. The town had looked into whether it could save money by going to single stream. Bates told selectmen it wouldn’t. Sabattus’ recycling rate is up to 41 percent.

Staff writer Kathryn Skelton can be reached at 689-2844 or kskelton@sunjournal.com