March 29, 2024
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County commissioners honor award winners

HOULTON – Aroostook County commissioners recognized recent award recipients from the Sheriff’s Department and voted to increase probate publication fees in a Wednesday night meeting.

The commissioners honored Chief Deputy Craig Clossey of New Limerick for receiving the Manager of the Year Award. Deputy Lt. Keith Wheeler of Monticello was honored as Deputy Sheriff of the Year.

The awards were presented by the Maine Sheriff’s Association, comprising officials from the state’s 16 counties.

Along with praise from the commissioners, Clossey and Wheeler received accolades at a ceremony in January.

“On behalf of the commissioners, the sheriff [James Madore] and the administration, I want to recognize you for your recent award,” Commissioner Paul Adams told Clossey. “On the occasions when the sheriff is away, you fill in for him … with a great deal of professionalism and integrity.”

Adams described Wheeler, who has spent more than 30 years in law enforcement, as “a real asset to the county, whose positive demeanor and cheerful disposition reflect extremely well on the department.”

In other business, Joanne Carpenter, county registrar of probate, petitioned the commissioners to increase probate publication fees.

“We have never had an increase in our fees in 10 years,” Carpenter said at the meeting. “But we’ve had an increase in our advertising fees, and we were over budget last year. That should not be happening. We should always be collecting enough money.”

The registrar’s office charges a $15 fee to publish information in local newspapers, such as name changes, notices to creditors and when heirs to estates are sought. Carpenter proposed raising the fee to either $25 or $30.

“We need to be under budget, and it is senseless to raise fees just a little and then come back in two years and say we need another increase,” Carpenter told commissioners.

Commissioners voted unanimously to increase the fee to $30, effective June 1.

County Administrator Doug Beaulieu also brought up the continuing north-south highway issue, citing recent publicity on the matter.

Houlton has asked the commissioners to support the town’s resolution to make a request to the state Department of Transportation to improve Route 1 from Houlton to Madawaska instead of building a new highway.

“I know that the highway issue has had publicity in the last few weeks, and we still have the request from Houlton asking that we support their resolution,” Beaulieu said. “We are continuing to evaluate this, and I know that the commissioners will not be making a decision tonight.”

David Sokolich, county public works director, told commissioners that he was still getting e-mails from people about the issue. He said that another public advisory committee meeting is scheduled in the coming months.


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