Mutual aid pact change to help Old Town, Orono

OLD TOWN – A slight change has been made to the town’s mutual aid agreement with Orono, but it’s for the better, Old Town Fire Chief Jim Lavoie said Thursday.

The council is expected to vote at Monday’s meeting to enter into, or rather continue, a mutual aid agreement for fire and emergency services that the towns have shared for decades. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Old Town Public Library.

“Basically it’s the same one that we’ve been using for years and years,” Lavoie said.

An interlocal command agreement has been added to the arrangement that is similar to that held by Brewer, Holden and Eddington.

If either Lavoie or Orono Deputy Fire Chief Buddy Webb is gone – for example if they’re on vacation – the other chief would have the legal right to take command of an emergency situation in the other’s town if asked.

“It’s not something that if there’s a working fire and I’m not around that Deputy Chief Webb is just going to run right to Old Town and take over the operation,” Lavoie said. “He would offer his assistance. If they decided to offer him command, he would have the right to take it.”

The agreement provides security and flexibility to both departments and to the community, Lavoie said.

Also at Monday’s meeting, the council will consider a bid for the foundation and construction of the new 10-bay T-hangar at the airport, which will be identical to the one already at the site.