Milo meeting postponed until August 1

MILO – A handful of residents convinced selectmen Wednesday evening to postpone a special town meeting planned for July 25 to Aug. 1.

Because there are major issues facing the town such as a proposed curfew, a proposal to add a fourth full-time police officer, and the placement of unanticipated revenues, resident Don Richards said the town meeting should be delayed because many people vacation in July.

Rather than place the unanticipated revenue into the general fund, the town’s past practice has been to apply the funds to the budgets of the departments from which they were generated, a move some town officials say needs changing.

Residents at the special town meeting will be asked if they want to continue that practice.

Reimbursements for court fees, fuel tax reimbursement, grants and donations to the police department have typically been placed into the police department account.

Similarly, contract payments, fire call revenues, fuel tax reimbursement, grants and donations to the fire department have gone into the fire department account and the library has received the fines, grants, donations and trust fund income. Department heads must get approval from the selectmen for the use of these funds.

Much of the revenue received by the town is anticipated and is projected into the budget, but the town also gains additional funds when department heads secure grants and donations or changes occur such as in the police department, according to Town Manager Jane Jones.

Regarding the latter, the town paid to have an officer trained. When his training was finished, however, he left the department for the Maine State Police.

The town, by law, will receive full reimbursement from the state police for the training and the salaries paid to fill his position until a replacement could be hired, Jones said.

If these funds are not credited to the police department, the department will be in the red by the end of the year, she said.

Richards, who is chairman of the town’s budget committee, said he could not remember a time when residents knowingly voted to expend revenues that were outside the scope of the budget.

At the special town meeting, residents also will be asked to appropriate $11,960 to hire a fourth full-time officer for the police department.

Jones said residents will be provided with statistics on the escalating number of complaints handled by the department. Some selectmen thought it wise to hire another full-time officer to reduce the overtime paid to officers who fill the open shifts, Jones said.

The amount requested would cover the few remaining months left in the year. Residents have to decide whether they want police coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week, she said.

A curfew that was adopted by the town of Jay has been proposed for Milo and will need voter action, as will a move to change the date taxes are due and payable.

A public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. in the town hall, followed by the special town meeting.