Residents of Newcastle will have the chance get to voice their opinions regarding the future of the town’s public works department during a public hearing Monday, Sept. 21.
On that evening members of the Newcastle Board of Selectmen will present their plans moving forward following the dissolution of the interlocal public works agreement with Damariscotta Oct. 31.
At the selectmen’s meeting Sept. 14, Board Chairman Brian Foote presented a draft of a five-year projected budget if the town were to start its own department. In the plan, the town would employ a full-time foreman, a part-time superintendent, and a seasonal laborer.
The budget will be part of the discussion at the public hearing.
“It’s a good proposal to show how it would be possible to have our own small public works department without having to raise taxes for the town,” said Selectmen Ben Frey.
Foote said a public works department would allow Newcastle to continue the quality of work the town has experienced with the interlocal agreement.
“We would be able to have control over our own people, and continue to move forward with the progress we’ve made over the last five years,” Foote said.
Frey agreed. “I’ve spoken to people around town who are worried we’re going to slip back to pushing back the maintenance we’ve been close to finishing,” he said. “Regardless of how they felt about the interlocal, they see the progress and don’t want to lose that service.”
The alternative to Newcastle starting its own department would be to go back to contracting public works projects, which is the model to town used before the interlocal agreement went into effect.
The public hearing will take place Sept. 21 at the Community Room at 7 p.m. A special town meeting to vote on the issue will be held on Oct. 19.
