Allison “Alli” Brochu at left is the new assessor for Farmington while Susan Murphy is now the town clerk/human resources director. The two were introduced and their appointments confirmed by the Select Board Tuesday evening, Dec. 27. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser
FARMINGTON — Selectmen Tuesday evening, Dec. 27, confirmed Town Manager Christian Waller’s appointments of office personnel and approved equipment purchases requested by Police Chief Kenneth Charles.
Allison “Alli” Brochu is the town’s new assessor.
“Alli comes to us from Waterville with more than 10 years experience there,” Waller said. “She has been diving right in with the baptism of fire to get her hands on to all of the different aspects of how things are done and what needs to be worked on. We are excited to have her here.”
When asked, Brochu said Waterville is still home and she started working there when that town was just starting the revaluation process that was finished in 2016. “I cut my teeth on reval,” she stated.
Farmington has an revaluation coming due, it is something required periodically by the state, Selectman Stephan Bunker said. “I am glad that you have had that experience,” he noted.
Brochu said she has been working with former assessor John O’Donnell who has been extremely helpful. She used a different data base in Waterville, is getting used to the TRIO program, is figuring it out.
Waller was excited to have Murphy join town staff. “She comes with a very deep wealth of municipal experience and experience in education with human resources,” he said. “She is a life-long learner who is very excited to apply her skills and talents to mastering the Town Clerk role.”
Interim Town Clerk Twila Lycette will help Murphy with some training, help get things set up, Waller said. If the Selectmen confirm her appointment, she would start tomorrow, he added.
Selectman Joshua Bell asked about her town clerk experience.
“I have performed Town Clerk functions,” Murphy said. She began her career in municipal government in Massachusetts, first as an office manager, then as an administrative assistant, following that as an executive assistant.
Murphy then moved to Maine, working first for Maine Municipal Association and most recently with the State of Maine in a service center for the state police and Department of Labor.
“I have a lot of experience in customer service,” Murphy said. “If I don’t know how to do something I will find out how.”
Murphy, who lives in Vienna, has experience as an election worker. “I am very anxious to reach out to my friends at MMA and get in my town clerk training,” she noted.
In other business, Selectmen approved $43,836 for the purchase of 13 new replacement Tasers and $12,622.50 for five new radar units for the Police Department.
Tasers offer an effective and safe, less lethal use of force option, Charles said. They are highly effective with a higher likelihood of compliance, he noted. It is a very important tool that should be replaced every five years, he stated.
The department has 10 Tasers, six of which are past their expected life cycle by five to seven years, Charles said. When they reach that point, they should be taken out of service and Taser will no longer support them, he noted. The remaining four are within half of their life cycle and out of warranty, he stated.
The Police Department currently has 11 positions on its 13-man roster staffed. There are not enough Tasers for current staffing or when those vacancies are filled – and there are no spare units, Charles said. The department has two different models, the equipment isn’t interchangeable, he noted.
Charles said sending back the units Farmington has and using the Taser 7 Certification Bundle would purchase 13 of the latest model. All needed supplies would be paid for up front with no price increases over a five year period, with training and duty cartridges provided at no additional cost, he said. The plan provides a warranty at no cost and would avoid approximately 10% in annual price increases, he noted.
The Police Department’s safety equipment line is expended but the overall operating budget is lower than expected [because of not having been fully staffed], had $300,000 remaining in it as of November probably has $250,000 available, Charles said.
Selectman Byron Staples said needing to replace the 13 units every five years would be a big payment.
Waller indicated the replacement could be part of the town’s Capital Improvement Plan.
Buying the Tasers individually with no warranty would cost more money, Charles noted.
The Select Board also approved $12,622.50 to purchase five radar units for Police Department vehicles.
Charles said the situation for radar units was similar to that for the Tasers. Two new cruisers have been purchased, will need units to help enforce speed limits and the effort to get people to slow down, he noted. The town’s three oldest units are 10 to 16 years old, others were purchased as refurbished and one newer unit is inoperable, he stated.
There is a buy four, get one free offer from Stalker, Charles said. The line item the purchase typically would come out of is expended, the operating budget could be used, he noted.
Bell asked if quotes from three companies had been obtained, as is stated in the town’s purchasing policy for items costing over $10,000.
“I do not,” Charles said. “The sale opportunity from Stalker appeared to be the cheapest, it is a direct quote from the vendor. This is the standard we have been installing.”
Bell said he understood where Charles was coming from, was just trying to follow policy.
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