Commissioners handle mostly routine agenda

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Piscataquis County Commissioners had a mostly routine agenda to deal with last week, with the exception of hiring an interim county manager at the end of their meeting.
    Following a short executive session, commissioners hired Tom Lizotte of Dover-Foxcroft to succeed Marilyn Tourtelotte to help guide the county through its impending budget process. Tourtelotte and the commissioners reached an agreement to terminate her employment on Oct. 15.

    Lizotte served on the county commissioners for nine years following a six-year stint on the Dover-Foxcroft Board of Selectmen.
    During the regular session, the board approved paying down a $700,000 line of credit at Camden National Bank, now that county taxes are coming in steadily. Treasurer Jennifer Tucker said that all but five towns are paid up, and interest charges for late payments don’t start kicking in until Nov. 1.
    Commissioners also OK’d a request from the E-Ville Riders Snowmobile Club to use some roads they’ve traditionally accessed in the past for winter recreation; and approved a request from the Brownville Snowmobile Club to reroute an existing trail.
    Terry Knowles from the Brownville group explained that one of the landowners that used to allow access to the club has declined to do so this year. So the new route near Williamsburg Road and Van Horne Avenue would allow access to the trail that goes to Greenville.
    Sheriff John Goggin said his department didn’t have any objection to the request. “These organized clubs pretty much police themselves,” Goggin said. “They make sure that riders on their trails do what they’re supposed to be doing.”
    EMA Director Tom Capraro reported that the Sept. 24 disaster exercise in Milo was very successful and thanked County Commissioner Fred Trask for allowing the participants to use his property for the drill. “They (emergency units) got a lot out of it,” said Capraro. “We worked in conjunction with Mayo Regional Hospital and it went over very well.”
    A meeting was scheduled on Oct. 28 at the county commissioners’ chambers between Capraro and the Piscataquis Amateur Radio Club’s officers to see if problems regarding the club’s use of the EMA emergency center can be resolved. The EMA director curtailed access to the bunker starting in September due to what he termed violations of the memorandum of understanding between the club and the county.
    The next scheduled Piscataquis County Commissioners’ meeting is Tuesday, Nov. 4.