JAY — Residents at a special town meeting Monday approved raising the final $16,500 needed to pay for trash collection by a new provider. The Select Board then held public hearings and set sewer rates for 2026-27.
The hearings focused on sewer rates and a proposal for Jay to collaborate with Wilton on police services. The board held its regular meeting afterward.
At least 83 people attended the sessions. Because the Town Office meeting room seats about 30, Deputy Town Clerk Raelene York screened people in the lobby to determine which meeting they planned to attend.
Trash collection
Because of the large turnout, the board moved the special town meeting to the parking lot, where residents quickly and overwhelmingly voted to raise $16,500 for a contract with Somerset Disposal Service of Madison to collect trash and recycling starting July 1. Four people voted no in a show of hands.
Attendance may have been driven by the town’s experience with its current and soon‑to‑be former trash hauler, Archie’s Inc. of Mexico. Pickup last week ran as late as three days, and one resident said his trash sat at the curb until Saturday.
Complaints about Archie’s service prompted the board to seek a new hauler. Beginning in September, the board negotiated a contract with Riverside Disposal of Augusta and Chelsea for $200,000, plus $10,000 for recycling.
Riverside withdrew in April, and the board then contracted with Somerset for $16,500 more than the original amount. Because the town meeting warrant had already been approved with the $200,000 figure, the board needed a special meeting to authorize the additional cost.
Once the article on trash collection passed, all but 22 people left. Those remaining returned indoors for the public hearings and the board meeting.
Sewer rates
After a public hearing, the board voted unanimously to keep current sewer rates for another year. Sewer Department Superintendent Mark Holt had presented five options, four of which included increases to the base rate or the flowage rate.
Holt said the existing rates will cover about 97 percent of the department’s operating and maintenance costs.
Sewer rates have two parts. Every customer pays a $320 annual base rate, which covers up to 3,200 cubic feet of water use. A cubic foot equals nearly 7.5 gallons. After 3,200 cubic feet, customers pay 13.5 cents per cubic foot, based on their water meter.
At the previous meeting, Holt outlined possible rates for 2026-27.
On Tuesday, Selectwoman Lee Ann Dalessandro asked whether holding the line on rates would “short the department.”
“Theoretically, yes,” Holt said. “But if we don’t overspend, we should cover.” He noted that one year the department was budgeted at 98 percent of expected costs and still stayed within budget.
Selectman Tom Goding said he opposed any increase because families with young children would likely feel the impact most.
The board then voted unanimously to keep the rate at $320 plus 13.5 cents per cubic foot above the base.
Police collaboration
During a public hearing on a nonbinding referendum about Jay working with Wilton on police services, resident Susan Theberge asked whether a proposal to create a “quasi‑municipal” police department for the two towns would go to voters.
Dalessandro said the issue could go to another public vote, and Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere said both towns’ select boards “favor going back to the voters” before finalizing any agreement.
A 12‑member committee began studying cross‑town collaboration last year and presented four options: make no change; hire the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office to police both towns; have one town hire the other for police service; or create a quasi‑municipal department overseen by a joint board.
Most questions during the hearing focused on the quasi‑municipal model.
Resident James O’Kane asked who would pay for a two‑town department and whether it would cost more.
Dalessandro said it is too early in the process to know how the towns would split the costs. She said experience in other states, especially in Pennsylvania, where 141 police departments have consolidated into 43 quasi‑municipal corporations, shows that “after a few years, it did save money. More important, we’d keep our officers longer.”
One issue that led to forming the committee was that Jay and Wilton often spend money to train new officers, only to have them leave for higher‑paying agencies. That forces each town to restart the hiring process.
According to a summary prepared by the Wilton-Jay Police Collaboration Committee, a quasi‑municipal corporation would cost about the same as what the towns spend now on policing and would increase the number of officers available for patrol.
Chief Joseph Sage of the Jay Police Department reminded residents that voters could choose not to change anything.
“If you like the way it’s going now, fantastic,” he said. “But if you want it to get better, we have options.”
Sage said quasi‑municipal corporations are legal in Maine and are already used to provide fire services.
Dalessandro added that grants may be available to help cover startup costs.
The nonbinding referendum is scheduled for June 9, held alongside the state primary.
Other action
The board also heard a report from Ron Smith of HRH Smith & Co., the town’s auditor. In a telephone call, Smith said the town is in strong financial shape.
“You are where our indicators say you ought to be,” he said.
Those indicators call for a town to have enough cash on hand to operate for 120 days without new revenue.
“You (Jay) are at 160 days,” he said.
Smith advised the board to keep an eye on capital needs.
“You can never have enough (money saved) for water and waste,” he said. “Look at that area while you’re still solid.”
He added that Jay’s financial position helped it withstand the 2023 storms that damaged roads and infrastructure across western Maine.
“You were able to weather the 2023 storms because you are so solid,” Smith said.
The board voted to use $6,225 from the cemetery reserve fund to restore and clean gravestones at North Jay Cemetery. L&R Granite Works of Livermore will do the work.
The company previously received $5,575 to restore and clean 120 gravestones at Stone’s Corner Cemetery on Franklin Road (Route 133), near Hyde Road, and it is preparing a bid for similar work at Birchland Cemetery on East Dixfield Road (Route 17).
The board also approved buying 16 air packs for the Fire Department for $133,844 from Bergeron Protective Clothing of Epsom, New Hampshire. The air packs, worn by firefighters entering burning buildings, carry a 15‑year warranty.
Select Board Chair Terry Bergeron noted he is not related to anyone associated with the company.
In other action, the board voted to spend $22,490 to install new heaters at Fire Station No. 2 on Main Street. A. Maurais & Son Inc. of Jay will install the units.
