FARMINGTON — Selectmen Tuesday night, June 13, accepted donations for a flagpole and accessories to be installed in Fairview Cemetery.
“I would like to get it installed before the 4th of July,” project organizer Debra Daggett said. Efforts to get it done before Memorial Day weren’t successful, she noted.
Everything is at Public Works and ready, Daggett said.
Selectman Stephan Bunker asked where the pole would be placed, if the flag would be up year round.
“That is up to the town,” Daggett replied. “I have spoken with Phil Hutchins [Public Works director], he thinks it might be better to take it down over the winter. The location is also up to the town. We have picked a center point for it.”
“My concern is in the wintertime having to plow or snowmobile our way in and back to maintain it,” Bunker said. “Lighting was the other issue.”
Chair Matthew Smith said it will be lit with solar lighting similar to what is used at the World War I Memorial Arch.
Selectmen last September approved writing a letter of support for the cemetery flagpole project. At that meeting, organizer Peter Beane said money would be raised and donated to the town with installation and maintenance done by Public Works. It would be nice to have a flag in the middle of the cemetery that could be seen from both roads, he added.
The 35 foot flagpole with a gold ball, two flags, two ropes, one lock and top solar light have been delivered to Public Works ready for installation, according to information Daggett provided selectmen.
Additional information indicated:
• The $3,045 project was paid for with donations. The flagpole and accessories were purchased at The Sign Store & Flag Store in Auburn, which gave a $500 discount.
• There is $225 remaining in the account for flowers to be planted around the pole. Watering and care of the plants will be done by Debra Daggett and Emily O’Donnell. A mound of soil with a 12 foot radius has been suggested.
In other business, selectmen approved the transfer of a 2013 Ford SUV from Farmington Fire Rescue to Public Works.
“It was brought to my attention Phil Hutchins had a use for it,” Chief TD Hardy said. “We stripped it out, put the equipment from it in the new one.”
Public Works has several uses for it, including weekly runs for parts and construction supplies in and out of town, patrolling highway conditions on a regular basis during winter and summer months and acting as a spare vehicle when needed by staff, Hutchins said.
“When we need parts overnight, it will save us hundreds of dollars, eliminate overnight freight,” he noted.
The town paid around $16,000 for it in 2015 or 2016, Hardy said. If it was put out to bid it could bring in a couple thousand dollars, he noted.
Selectman Joshua Bell’s concern was that the transfer would increase the town’s number of vehicles, in a few years trading it in for another one would be asked for. He also questioned if the SUV was the best vehicle for Public Works, thought grants could be used to obtain an economical vehicle.
Hutchins said there aren’t many grants available, a truck would be more practical, increasing the fleet isn’t the end game. He said his department maintains the cemeteries, if the mechanic’s truck is in the shop he doesn’t have a vehicle if needed so uses Hutchins’ truck. When that happened recently, Hutchins couldn’t get to a meeting.
Where the SUV isn’t worth much, see if Public Works actually needs it, Chair Smith noted. “Track it’s use for six months, see how much it is used,” he said. “If it is not worth it, ship it.”
Selectmen approved a premise extension of Ayah Cider’s liquor license for United way’s fundraising event June 24 at the fairgrounds.
They also approved a late renewal of the innkeeper license for Farmington Motel at 489 Farmington Falls Road. Contact information for the business had changed and owner Steven Guerrette couldn’t be reached, Smith said. The business was told if it happened again, the licensing process would have to be restarted, he added.
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