Baiamonte hired as new county finance administrator

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — A local CPA who also has a background in criminal justice and business development is slated to be the new Piscataquis County finance administrator.
    The Piscataquis County Commissioners approved the nomination of John Baiamonte of Dover-Foxcroft for the position at their April 22 meeting.

    Baiamonte, a staff accountant with Edwards, Faust and Smith, was the top selection of four candidates who interviewed for the job, according to County Manager Marilyn Tourtelotte. He will succeed Phyllis Lyford who plans to retire.
    “All the candidates were highly-qualified. Their (interview) scores were very close,” Tourtelotte said. “In fact, the first- and second-place candidate scores were tied. But we decided to recommend the person who we felt would serve the county the best.”
    Baiamonte has lived in Dover-Foxcroft for the last 10 years, but works in Bangor “and would like to have more of a home life and serve the community,” she added.
    Baiamonte has degrees in accounting and criminal justice, worked for Alaska’s Department of Probation and Parole and also performed compliance audits for the state. He also has a commercial pilot’s license and experience in business development.
    Tourtelotte also noted that Baiamonte’s criminal justice background would be a big plus because he’s familiar with jail operations.
    In other business discussed at last week’s meeting, commissioners passed up an offer to hear a presentation from Joseph Young, the executive director of the Maine Orthoimagery Program.
    Maine Orthoimagery creates high-resolution maps which can be purchased through a statewide contract at reduced prices, according to Young. “In the first three years of the program, nine counties have participated … and 67 communities have been able to save an estimated $1.3 million, thanks to county participation,” he wrote.
    But Commissioner Eric Ward said that he’d rather have the specific cost first. “Maybe it does have some benefits, but we really don’t need him coming up here for a presentation,” Ward said. The other two commissioners — Fred Trask and Chairman Jim Annis — agreed, and asked Tourtelotte to have the firm submit an estimate of the cost of mapping the county.
    Commissioners also approved the liquor license renewal for Raymond’s Country Store in North East Carry, owned by Shirley and Edward Raymond.
    Tourtelotte also reported that some road contractors have advised her that the county’s policy of routinely sending jobs out to bid may actually be more expensive in the long run. “If you continue to rotate all the contractors through the jobs, then no one really has an interest in the road system in that town,” Tourtellote said. “I think we really need to discuss this policy.”
    The county still hasn’t filled the position of road agent, a part-time position formerly held by Tracy Lord who has relocated to Florida. Tourtelotte said that three people are being interviewed and a candidate may be recommended by the May 10 commissioners’ meeting.