Interim removed from county manager’s title

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Little will change in the day-to-day operations of Piscataquis County, but Interim County Manager Tom Lizotte was appointed as the county manager following an 11-minute executive session at the end of a Feb. 7 meeting.
“I did not request an employment contract or a raise in salary as a result of the change in status,” Lizotte wrote in an email after the meeting. “Nothing should really change, other than removal of the ‘interim’ tag from my title.’”
In early January County Commissioner Jim Annis said the time had come for the commissioners to consider making Lizotte’s position permanent based on the quality of job performance.
Lizotte was hired as interim county manager in October 2014. He had previously been a commissioner from 2003-12, serving the last half dozen years as chair.
“It has been a good experience for me to return to county government as an administrator, rather than as an elected official,” Lizotte wrote. “I thank all of the county department heads for their support, and am grateful to the county commissioners for the confidence they have shown in my ability.”
In his report, Lizotte said “the tax bills to the communities were mailed out on Jan. 20.”
The 2017 county budget — the spending plan is on a calendar year schedule — of just under $4,039,000 is up by $20,760 or 0.52 from 2016. The corresponding tax commitment of a little more than $2,287,000 is down by $52,171 or 2.23 percent. The share for the 17 towns and two plantations in Piscataquis County is based on valuation with some towns seeing an increase and others a decrease this year.
Tax bills are due Sept. 1, followed by a two-month grace period before interest at a 7 percent rate (which has remained constant since 2010) begins accruing on Nov. 1. Lizotte said he will call town officials in the fall to give them a reminder before the deadline.
Lizotte said the first meeting of the law enforcement task force was held in late January and the second monthly session is set for Feb. 16.
The task force was developed from a recommendation of the budget advisory committee to examine all aspects of law enforcement in Piscataquis County and what the future of such services in the region could look like. The committee is made up of county and town representatives and members of the area’s police departments, and should be meeting through the summer.