Damariscotta Town Manager Andy Dorr (left) and Newcastle Town Manager Kevin Sutherland present early ideas for a shared public works department at the Newcastle Select Board’s Monday, Sept. 22 meeting. The town managers and representatives from both towns have met since May to discuss a proposal for a shared department. (Ali Juell photo).
The Newcastle Select Board expressed support for continuing to develop plans for a shared public works department with Damariscotta during a meeting Monday, Sept. 22.
In a presentation, Damariscotta Town Manager Andy Dorr and Newcastle Town Manager Kevin Sutherland presented general plans for a shared public works department, including estimated staffing and resource needs. Dorr said he will discuss the findings with the Damariscotta Select Board at their next meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 1.
The idea for a combined public works department was fueled by the belief that in-house services would ultimately cost less than contracted winter maintenance while providing an opportunity for more year-round service, Sutherland said.
Since May, representatives from the towns of Damariscotta and Newcastle have discussed general parameters for a shared public works department. Sutherland said the working group wanted to present their current findings to the Newcastle and Damariscotta select boards.
“Before we start any serious hunt for land and developing a site, we wanted to pause and see if this is the direction the select board still wants to go,” Sutherland said.
If approved by residents in the Twin Villages, Sutherland said the department would hopefully begin operations in July 2028. The department’s work would primarily be seasonal maintenance, including snowplowing in the winter and unclogging culverts and filling potholes in the summer.
Sutherland said paving roads would not be within the department’s scope, but public works employees could do “oncall” tasks, such as trimming back trees or completing repairs around municipal buildings.
Though the shared public works effort would initially cost more than contracted road services, Sutherland said the towns would start to see savings in a few years. Service contracts have risen by 4.16% on average for Newcastle compared to an average 3% municipal budget increase year over year, according to Sutherland.
“Even if there’s a cost increase in that first couple of years, the net savings in the future will be a great benefit to the town,” he said.
The presentation included estimated staffing and equipment needs. As of now, the joint public works department is estimated to require seven and a half full-time employees, one pickup truck, six dump trucks, and several more machines such as yard loaders and a subcompact tractor.
A 5-acre site is also necessary for office space, salt storage, and material storage. There is not a specific land parcel in mind, Sutherland said, as the facilities would have to be in close proximity to both towns and be accessible for the department’s machinery.
It is still unclear how the department’s costs will be divided between Damariscotta and Newcastle, Sutherland said, but the costs will not be “50-50, especially given the number of miles that Newcastle is responsible for maintaining.”
Newcastle Select Board members commended the working group’s effort but said there is still a long road ahead.
“We need to do a lot of work,” said Chair Tor Glendinning. “This is fantastic, but it’s partially baked.”
The financing for the department’s site and machinery and the steps toward public hearings as well as municipal action all remain up in the air, according to Sutherland. To nail down exact figures, outside consulting and engineering services will be necessary.
Board member Ben Frey said he would like to have residents vote on the initial engineering and consulting costs upfront. From there, Damariscotta and Newcastle could go to the voters once there is “something specific in hand” breaking down the details of the joint public works department, he said.
“Folks really need to be able to weigh in their own mind the quality of service that we’ve got versus what we’re going to be proposing,” Frey said. “That’s the balancing act.”
Frey said he also wanted to make sure the agreement includes penalties for dissolving the public works department.
The Twin Villages’ last attempt at a shared public works department ended in 2015 when Damariscotta decided to terminate the agreement, which began in 2011. At the time, officials in both towns expressed dissatisfaction with the agreement and residents were concerned the agreement was not producing as much cost savings as anticipated.
Dorr said he believes the circumstances are different this time around. Frey said placing significant penalties for backing out of the shared department would ensure both towns stay committed to what should be a permanent collaboration.
“Once you build the building and you own it, you’re in it,” Frey said. “You can’t just knock it down and get your money back.”
Ultimately, the Newcastle Select Board expressed support for the working group continuing its efforts without taking any official action.
If the Damariscotta board has no objections, the joint working group will start to flesh out details like finding a land parcel for the department’s office and storage.
It’s currently unclear when residents would vote on any measures related to the department, but Newcastle’s winter maintenance contract is in place for two years with an option for an extension. Frey said the process of creating the proposal and getting public input should not be rushed.
“To me, this is our future,” said Newcastle resident Roger Wilcox, who was in attendance the meeting. “With our own people, we can have a level of service that we, the residents, want.”
The next Newcastle Select Board meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 14 at the Clayton V. Huntley Jr. Fire Station. For more information, go to newcastlemaine.us or call 563-3441.
