Damariscotta and Newcastle town officials met to discuss next steps for a possible shared public works department at the Damariscotta town office on Wednesday, July 30.
The two town managers and some members of the select boards looked over the town’s individual budgets and discussed a possible winter maintenance policy.
This is not the first time the Twin Villages have tried to combine operations. In 2011, Newcastle and Damariscotta residents approved an interlocal agreement for a shared public works department.
In the years following, officials in both towns expressed dissatisfaction with the results and heard some residents express concerns the agreement was not producing as much cost savings as anticipated. Damariscotta decided to terminate the agreement in 2015, leading both towns to operate their public works departments independently.
“We know that the agreement will be set up much differently,” Damariscotta Town Manager Andy Dorr said.
As the towns continue discussions on the consolidated effort, learning from the previous collaboration’s is important to the current effort’s success, Newcastle Town Manager Kevin Sutherland said.
“If we’re going to spend a lot of capital money on equipment … it has to work,” he said.
Among the committee’s priorities is determining what the department’s winter service policy would be as well as the crew size and equipment necessary to clear roadways and sidewalks.
“I think as long as we can keep a level of service that people have become accustomed to, if we do it with smaller equipment, I think people will be happier,” said Newcastle Select Board member Rufus Percy.
Dorr said he looks forward to eventually hearing from the community to help determine the department’s winter response.
Town officials agreed there are still plenty of logistics to determine around the consolidated department. The committee plans to consider purchasing and leasing equipment as well as how many maintenance crew workers are needed.
At their next meeting, the committee will discuss staffing and facility needs as well as the department’s potential organizational structure.
Sutherland said the committee plans to start hearing public input in September. In the meantime, Damariscotta Select Board Chair Daryl Fraser said the committee is still working on answering its own questions on the possible collaboration.
The committee agreed tentatively to meet again on Monday, Aug. 18. For more information on the joint public works committee, go to damariscotta.maine.gov or newcastlemaine.us.
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