Newcastle voters will decide whether or not the town will develop its own public works department during a special town meeting Monday, Oct. 19.
Residents will vote on one article that reads, “Shall the Town direct the Selectmen to create the Newcastle Public Works Department to maintain and improve the infrastructure of the town owned roads, ways, and buildings and lands and task the Selectmen with oversight, hiring, staffing, and providing a budget for said Department?”
The vote will determine the future of the public works department following the dissolution of the interlocal public works agreement with Damariscotta, which expires Oct. 31.
The interlocal public works agreement was an effort to “enhance the efficient and effective delivery of municipal services between the two towns,” according to the agreement between the towns. The Damariscotta Board of Selectmen voted July 15 to discontinue the agreement.
The Newcastle Board of Selectmen has been working to find a solution for what the town will do for public works following the expiration date. After discussing the possibility of returning to contracting for jobs, as the town had done before the interlocal agreement, the selectmen decided to create a blueprint for what a Newcastle Public Works Department would look like.
“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,” Chairman Brian Foote said during the Sept. 14 meeting of the selectmen.
The selectmen presented an outline for the new department during a public hearing Sept. 21. The proposed department would have a three-person staff of a full-time foreman, a part-time superintendent, and a seasonal laborer. Selectman Joel Lind said one of the advantages of creating a department as opposed to returning to contracting for work would be the convenience and ability to take care of problems in a timely manner.
“I think that if we give that up without trying it, we’ll be throwing away all the hard work we’ve done having this agreement,” Lind said.
Foote will be presenting the same department outline and budget during the special town meeting.
The meeting will be held in the community room at the Newcastle Fire Department at 7 p.m. Town attorney Peter Drum will moderate.
The Newcastle Board of Selectmen will also present the Spirit of America award at the beginning of the meeting.
