Staff Writer
LIMESTONE — The Limestone select people met with President and CEO of the Loring Development Authority (LDA) Carl Flora Jan. 27 to discuss the future of police and fire department coverage of the Loring Commerce Centre. Currently, the LDA has contracted law enforcement coverage with the town of Limestone and fire department services with the towns Fort Fairfield and Limestone; Flora proposed that the LDA grant the municipal responsibilities of fire and police services to the town of Limestone, as many properties on the Commerce Centre directly contribute to the tax base of the town.
There are many facets of the proposed transfer that require further information and discussion, but the purpose of the meeting was to initiate dialogue necessary to sort out a mutually beneficial agreement.
Flora’s suggestions to the board consisted of three main points. “Knowing that [the LDA] would like to try to continue curtailing our overall costs attributed to municipal services, we would like to negotiate an annual payment in lieu of taxes with the town,” he explained. “Secondly, we would like to discontinue the practice of negotiating individual contracts for specific scopes of service, and third, we would like to see the town take on general responsibilities for initially law enforcement and fire protection at Loring, and have the town determine what the best way is to provide those services,” Flora said.
While details of the prospective arrangement are still under review, it was suggested the LDA would still pay for specialized services outside of regular parameters of service.
According to town manager Donna Bernier, with last year’s mill rate set at 22, the town received $92,701 in property taxes and $30,586 in personal property tax from Commerce Centre entities. Since approximately 2004 when the Caretaker Contract between the LDA and the Air Force began to phase out for the provision of municipal services, the LDA has been selling properties. Upon sale, the properties entered the Limestone tax base though the LDA has been paying for municipal services covering the properties. Limestone residents living on the former base also contribute to the excise taxes collected by the town, though a specific number is not currently available.
Due to some unresolved and unique issues with ambulance services and road maintenance, Flora stated that the LDA would continue to finance those costs, “but we’d like the town to be involved in an ongoing dialogue on those issues as well,” Flora said.
Two prominent questions discussed included the salary of the Limestone/Loring/Fort Fairfield Fire Chief and the continued staffing of a 24-hour firefighter at the Loring Fire Station.
It was explained that the salary of the fire chief is paid by Limestone and Fort Fairfield, and was discussed as to who would be responsible for providing compensation for the full-time firefighter required to be present at Loring, though no decision reached.
Future discussions are in the works, as the selectpeople and Flora discussed additional information that needed to be obtained in order to proceed with the possible transfer of municipal responsibility.
“If we could work out a percentage, equitable for the citizens of Limestone as far as the tax base value, and in that, I think that there should be something that we can work out here that everyone can agree upon,” said Selectperson Chair Walt Elliot.
Flora agreed to provide the selectpeople with the requested budget information.
At the end of the meeting, Selectperson Wade McLaughlin rescinded his verbal resignation given during the prior selectpersons’ meeting.
“At the last board meeting, I verbally tendered my resignation due to circumstances beyond my control as far as being offered a job,” he told fellow board members. “I’ve thought about it, discussed it with Donna [Bernier] and Walt [Elliot] and I’m going to rescind my verbal resignation.”
The next meeting of the Limestone Selectpeople is scheduled for tonight at 6:30 at the Limestone Municipal Building.
