POLAND — A personnel shortage has hit the Fire Rescue Department because of mandatory vaccinations, Town Manager Matt Garside told the Select Board at Tuesday night’s meeting.

Three part-timers, who were not named, left because of the mandate, he said.

A full-timer has left to take a position at Bath Iron Works, but it was for a career change and better financial opportunities, Garside added.

In another matter, Deputy Town Manager Nikki Pratt said an unknown third party has sent voter registration applications to residents.

“We don’t know where these are coming from, Pratt said. “We don’t know what voter list they are using … but they are inaccurate.”

Pratt asked residents to contact the Town Office before filling out and sending in the applications. She said the Town Office can verify if they are registered to vote.

Absentee ballot applications are also being sent to residents, Pratt said, and asked residents to disregard them.

Absentee ballots are only available at the Town Office 30 days prior to any Maine election, Pratt told the board.

In another matter, the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office notified the town that many kayaks are being stolen from lakes and ponds in town. The department is advising residents to pull and secure their kayaks ashore and mark them with some identification in case they are stolen and found later.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.

filed under: