LIVERMORE FALLS — Interim Town Manager Stephen Gould is doing well following heart surgery Friday, Selectmen’s Chairwoman Heather Bronish said Tuesday.

Gould is not ready for visitors, she said, and is hoping to come home Thursday. He is expected to be out of work for four to six weeks.

Town Clerk Amanda Allen, who is also the sewer clerk and general assistance administrator, and Tax Collector Dawn Young, who is also the excise tax agent and registrar of voters, are splitting Gould’s duties. 

Selectman George Cummings asked how many more hours Young and Allen will be putting in as they fill in for Gould. Young said she would be working more hours because she will be doing her own work as well.

Cummings said he did not have a problem with giving them a stipend and was just curious. If someone puts in more time, he or she must be paid for it, he said.

“We’ve literally taken on a full-time job plus treasurer’s work,” Allen said. The town has a part-time treasurer.

The board is asking them to do extra work and take on more responsibility and they should be compensated, said Selectman Rodney Heikkinen.

Selectmen approved a $300 per week stipend to be split between them for the additional work.

Allen and Young were also appointed temporary deputy treasurers. Young will sign checks that Allen makes out and Allen will sign checks Young makes out.

Selectmen also approved having Fire Chief Edward Hastings IV sign paperwork for the Fire Station renovation project when necessary.

The contractor has had workers working ten hours a day to get the project completed, Hastings said. He estimated that the renovations will be substantially completed by Feb. 26.

Residents voted to approve $720,000 for the project after the station was found to have structural deficiencies in late 2014. Fire trucks were removed from the station Oct. 1, 2015, for liability purposes. They have been housed at a Jay fire station and on private property in Livermore Falls since then.

In other matters, Selectman Tom Barker said his son, Alphonso Barker, a former selectman, is interested in filling the Regional School Unit 73 director’s seat until the next election. Director Laurie Sanborn had held the seat, but resigned in January because of work commitments.

In budget discussions, Young said there will not be a budget committee this year because there are not enough members. There needs to be nine members on the panel, making five a majority, she said.

Selectmen on Tuesday also began reviewing a draft version of the proposed 2018-19 budget.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net

Livermore Falls interim Town Manager Stephen Gould is recovering after successful heart surgery. He is expected to be out of work for four to six weeks. (File Photo)

Livermore Falls Selectmen Tom Barker, left, and Nixon Ortiz, Tax Collector Dawn Young, Selectmen Chairwoman Heather Bronish and Selectmen Rod Heikkinen and George Cummings begin reviewing a draft version of the proposed 2018-19 budget Tuesday night at the Town Office. (Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal)