JAY — Selectpersons voted unanimously Monday to accept an agreement to share a sewer superintendent with Livermore Falls.
Jay Superintendent Mark Holt will oversee both towns’ sewer employees, collections systems and operation of the Livermore Falls’ Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Livermore Falls approved the measure Thursday by a 4-1 vote.
The Jay board also voted to authorize Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere to sign the contract.
A joint sewer committee made up of Jay and Livermore Falls town officials have been reviewing ways to find efficiencies for about a year. There are two sewer superintendents, one in each town, with Livermore Falls’ superintendent retiring in June.
Holt will spend 10% of his time on the Jay collection system, 10% on the Livermore Falls collection system and 80% overseeing the wastewater treatment plant. Each town would be responsible to pay its 10% share. This will be revisited annually.
The 80% would be paid based on the sewage flow formula. This year’s flow rate is Jay, 58.2% and Livermore Falls, 41.8%. The percentage of the flow formula is expected to rise on Jay’s side because all of that town’s sewage is now going to Livermore Falls to be treated.
Holt will report to the Livermore Falls town manager. He will remain an employee of Jay to keep his benefits and not have to start fresh in Livermore Falls. Jay would pay his salary and Livermore Falls will issue a credit to Jay in the monthly operation and maintenance bill for wastewater treatment. The average monthly bill to Jay is between $15,000 and $20,000, Holt said, prior to the start of the meeting.
The two towns will split the cost of the upgrade to the plant, which is estimated to cost $12.2 million.
The Jay Select Board signed a letter Monday and the Livermore Falls board signed it Thursday, in support of a joint application for Community Project Funding submitted by Congressman Jared Golden, D-Maine, under the Environmental Protection Agency State and Tribal Assistance Grants on behalf of the towns. The letter is being sent to the Committee on Appropriations, U.S. House of Representatives.
The towns have been seeking outside funding for the 2021-2023 project. To date there is $4.55 million in grants through the U.S. Department of Agricultural and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection Clean Water State Revolving Fund programs to help offset the cost.
With the grants, it leaves a $7.65 million loan, according to the letter.
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