FARMINGTON — Selectmen have rescheduled their Tuesday meeting to Thursday at 6:30 p.m. because of the snowstorm forecast for Maine.

The board is being asked to approve a road closure on March 24 for “March for Our Lives” and decide on telephone services for the Police Department. Selectmen will also consider proclaiming September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. 

Team Hailey Hugs held its first Go Gold Maine Do It kickoff last September. Hailey Steward passed away that month. Her mom and nonprofit organizer, Tabaitha Steward, and others want to have September as Go Gold Maine Do It for Childhood Cancer Month. 

Municipalities are encouraged to sign the proclamation. Everyone can decorate in gold for the month to participate.

Mt. Blue High School senior River Lisius sent Town Manager Richard Davis a letter requesting the road closure March 24 in solidarity with Parkland, Florida, student survivors demanding policy changes concerning gun control.

The group would start at the Mallett School at 11 a.m. The march would use the Chester Greenwood Parade route to Meetinghouse Park. Speeches would be given there with the program expected to end by 12:30 p.m.

Lisius’ letter says she has applied for approval with Maine Department of Transportation because the group wants to march on Route 27. Police Chief Jack Peck has been consulted and the group will cover the cost of an officer to help with safety. 

An email from Peck to Davis states a minimum of four officers are needed to close Main Street: one at Main and Front Street near Gifford’s Ice Cream and another at Park and Main to divert traffic to Front Street; one at Main and Broadway for crowd control and to stop cross traffic; plus a floater to move from High to South to Main to Depot to Academy streets.

Peck’s email states, “The cost of hiring four officers would be $1,220 due to outside detail contractual obligations. I would not want to close down Main Street without a minimum level of staffing.”

Deputy Chief Shane Cote provided information regarding the department’s telephones, which have partially failed and could completely fail at any time.

The telephones only work to make and receive calls. Access is not available to make changes to the handsets, add or remove users or utilize voicemail.

Farmington’s utility consultant, Larry Jordan, recommends moving to a hosted solution that would make future hardware issues the responsibility of the service provider.

Three quotes will be presented to the board. Pioneer Telephone’s monthly cost is $305.83 and an initial cost of $1,514.82. It has a 36-month service term.

GWI, another Maine company, has a monthly cost of $364.95, no initial cost and a 36-month term.

Jive, a Utah-based company, has a monthly cost of $405.60, no initial cost and a 60-month term.

Jordan and Cote are recommending Jive because Pioneer does not include required features which, when added, would cost the same. GWI does not offer call recording.

pharnden@sunmediagroup.net

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