LIVERMORE FALLS — At the town meeting referendum vote on April 29 voters will be asked to fund a fulltime code enforcement officer/planner under general government after selectmen approved the change to fulltime at a Feb. 20 meeting.

During that meeting Town Manager Carrie Castonguay said the idea had been discussed for a few years. “It’s becoming abundantly clear that it may be time to move to a full time CEO,” she noted. “Just this week, I had probably half my day today and half my day yesterday spent doing CEO stuff. I just can’t find somebody to do it part time, not that that’s the reason to create a full time position, but I do think it warrants the creation.”

The position has been vacant since December, there is enough funding in the wage line to pay for 16 weeks, Castonguay stated. Half of the position would be funded with TIF [tax increment financing] money, she said. “So if we run short, we could always take the money out of TIF, because it is for economic development, it is also a planner position as well,” she noted. “So I am looking for approval to post a full time CEO slash planner position.”

“I think it’s overdue,” Selectman Bruce Peary said.

Selectmen Jeffrey Bryant and Jim Long agreed.

Selectmen John Barbioni and William Kenniston were absent.

“It will be very beneficial to write grants and various proposals and bring additional money in from various organizations,” Long said. “I’ve noticed a lot of towns seem to be much more lucky than we are. And I believe the town manager is rather busy. Not necessarily doing what we would probably like her to.”

Castonguay said she is working on a job description for the position, will bring it to the selectmen at a later meeting.