County Commissioners reject proposal for waste removal

CARIBOU — The Aroostook County Commissioners have rejected a proposal by the Northern Aroostook Regional Incinerator Facility in Frenchville to accept a $10,000 fee to accept bulky waste and white goods from Sinclair, Cross Lake and Square Lake.

Because the proposal included restrictions of some materials, commissioners decided Wednesday that it didn’t suit the county’s needs. They authorized Danny Martin, county administrator, and David Cyr, director of public works, to find a disposal plan to address waste other than regular trash that is taken to the Tri-Community Sanitary Landfill in Fort Fairfield.

Martin plans to recommend that the county ask the Department of Environmental Protection to reactivate the transfer station in Sinclair just to receive those two materials.

Commissioners also established the interest rate for 1995 delinquent county taxes at 10.75 percent and signed a $1.5 million tax anticipation note at 4.93 percent with Key Bank, the low bidder. The money will be borrowed on an as-needed basis to run county government pending receipt of property tax payments.

Last year, for the first time, the county borrowed $1.4 million for the same purpose at a net cost of $8,000.

Martin is reviewing proposals received Wednesday for three police cruisers. They were $17,668 each from Martin Ford of Fort Kent, $17,345 each from Caribou Ford and Mercury, and $17,708 each from Whited Ford of Presque Isle. He will make a recommendation on Feb. 15.

Martin also reported that the county’s application for a Community Development Block Grant in the amount of $400,000 was rejected. The funds were requested to help low- and moderate-income residents in Sinclair hook onto the $4.6 million waste treatment system that will be completed next summer.

He said the mandatory connections could cost $300 to $3,000, depending on distance from the residence to the main line. They will seek funds elsewhere.

On the recommendation of Sheriff Ted St. Pierre and approval from the federal government, commissioners transferred two of their government surplus pickup trucks to police departments in Caribou and Fort Fairfield.