FARMINGTON — The Board of Selectmen unanimously appointed Stephan Bunker as interim RSU 9 school board director Tuesday.

The board considered appointing him at a previous meeting but held off to allow others a chance to indicate their interest.

There was no other interest, Town Manager Richard Davis told the board.

Since the last meeting, Bunker has reaffirmed his interest in the position but indicated he might need to miss some meetings, Davis added. 

Bunker will serve until the March elections.

In other business, the board decided to hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, at the Town Office with RSU 9 Superintendent Thomas Ward. The meeting is to discuss an anticipated $1.3 million gap of state funding for the district. The superintendent was invited to discuss how the district will make up the “big gap” and how that affects Farmington, board Chairman Ryan Morgan said.

“It’ll give us a better idea of what we’re looking at,” he said.

The board also approved hiring three part-time employees for the Farmington Police Department.

Police Chief Jack Peck asked them to consider hiring Kevin Brenmer of Farmington and Dean Robinson of Jay to split a five- to seven-hours-per-week position for parking enforcement downtown. 

Since a part-time parking enforcement person resigned earlier this year, there’s been no parking enforcement in the downtown area, Peck told the board.

Comments and complaints caused him to advertise the position, he said. Brenmer runs his landscaping business and Robinson is on call for security work so both were agreeable to splitting the hours, Peck said.

The position pays about $11.50 an hour, he said.

“I hate to say it but it’s time” to deal with the parking issues, Morgan said.

“I’ve received enough complaints. It probably is time,” Peck said.

The board also approved hiring Kyle Ellis of Wilton as a part-time secretary for the Police Department.

A part-time secretary recently resigned to take a full-time position, leaving the department without coverage at times, Peck said. No one’s been available to keep the police lobby open during those times, he said.

“It’s been a real hardship for citizens,” he added.

The department does have a part-time secretary but she is unavailable at times to cover vacation and sick days for the regular secretary, he said.

Ellis was a longtime dispatcher for the county and worked as an officer with the department, Peck said.

abryant@sunjournal.com

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