FARMINGTON — Selectmen at their March 26 meeting approved renewing two agreements with Industry, one for fire services and one for bulky waste/recycling.

Town Manager Erica LaCroix and Farmington Fire Rescue Chief Timothy “TD” Hardy were authorized to sign the fire services agreement.

Voters at the Industry town meeting in March 2023 approved the two year-long contracts with the town of Farmington. Farmington selectmen supported the fire service agreement that February after Industry officials approached Farmington Fire Rescue about providing that town with fire service protection. The agreement, which runs from April 1 to March 31 [to coincide with annual town meetings] included payments from Industry of $10,000 to cover administrative services plus $20,000 to provide emergency response to calls and daily duties.

There are no changes in the agreement from last year, Hardy said. “We are sticking with the same price, same terms,” he noted. “We are just starting to wrap up our first year, so we have kind of got a full year of data. We have actually tackled a fair amount of little projects so I think it should go pretty smoothly from here on out.”

Industry voters approved continued funding at their town meeting, there have been no big hiccups, Hardy stated.

The contract mentions weekly and monthly equipment inspections, are those different types, Selectman Dennis O’Neil asked.

“By Bureau of Labor Standards, there are things that have to be done monthly, things that have to be done weekly,” Hardy replied. “We run into a slight variation. If you go by Bureau of Labor Standards, volunteer fire departments all they have to do is inspect their air packs monthly. Full time firefighters have to inspect their air packs weekly. We basically go out there every Friday and we do truck checks, equipment checks. They still have their staff do it, but to be sure we are meeting Bureau of Labor Standards requirements that is why we do every week.”

There are some things that are just inspected monthly, Hardy noted.

O’Neil also asked about indemnity, if there are ever claims made from homeowners or businesses for putting out a fire.

“There could be claims from something that happened,” Hardy stated. “If you had an incident happen at a fire, you could run into kind of that technically. I am their fire chief but I am a town of Farmington employee. The town of Farmington more or less subs me out. I am not an Industry employee other than that.”

“Do they provide us with an insurance certificate that says that,” O’Neil queried.

Hardy assumed there was one, the issue was something the town’s attorney worked on when the contract was written. It was added to clarify some things because Industry provides workers’ comp for their employees, insurance for their trucks, he noted.

Selectman Richard Morton said there should be an insurance certificate available, the contract requires Industry to have insurance so it should be part of the packet.

Chair Joshua Bell asked that the insurance certificate be checked into.

Morton asked if Industry pays their firemen or does any of the $20,000 or $10,000 go for paying per diem firefighters.

Industry firefighters attending training with or responding to calls in Industry are paid with money from their department, Hardy replied. One employee works for both towns, he is paid by Industry unless he is on duty for Farmington, he stated.

Farmington has added per diem staff to have three available on Saturday, plus has per diem coverage Monday through Friday, Hardy said. The Industry Fire Department still has a $35,000 budget, uses it for maintenance and testing.

“One of our staff is a mechanic, is not an Industry employee,” he stated. “If we send him out there, we use some of that money to cover that. He has gone out to periodically to make some repairs off duty. So we have reimbursed our account out of the Industry funds that come to us to offset his costs.”

Industry owns their building, own three pieces of apparatus, Hardy said. “About four weeks ago they lost the engine in their pumper,” he noted. “They just funded $75,000 to buy a used one. They have asked nothing from us other than we will probably do some set up stuff when it gets here. Other than that, it is all on them.”

Renewing the bulky waste/recycling agreement for the transfer station was also approved.

Recycling Director Phil Hutchins said there are no major changes, the agreement covers facility impact costs only. “The price per capita is $4.92 and that would fluctuate mainly based on budgetary increases and decreases,” he stated. “The Industry residents understand that when they come to our facility they are to be charged for disposal directly.”

Morton spoke of recycling bins at the Industry Town Office, asked if recycling is still done there.

“I believe they do,” Hutchins replied. “They have the option to bring it to the town office or come to our transfer station.”

O’Neil asked if Industry residents needed dump stickers for the Farmington facility.

Hutchins said they do. Stickers are available at the Farmington Municipal Building or attendants have them at the Transfer Station, which saves a trip, he noted. Proof of residency is needed, he added.

In other business, LaCroix said the first hearing on the town revaluation project is set for 6 p.m. April 17 at the Community Center. Mt. Blue Community Access TV will live stream that meeting, she noted. A second meeting will be held but the date has not been determined and it isn’t known if it will be live streamed, she stated.

RSVPs to Franklin Savings Bank are needed for those planning to attend the first Meet the Manager set for 5-7 p.m. April 10 at The Homestead, LaCroix said. The bank is paying for the refreshments, needs to know how many to expect, she stated. The focus of this session will be more on the business community, she noted.

“I hope it will be the first of many opportunities to get out and have general public meetings to start visiting and getting feedback,” she added.

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