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Farmington selectmen on Jan. 28 table discussions on changing the tax payment schedule and moving to a fiscal year until the Feb. 11 meeting. The meeting was held in the upstairs conference room at the Municipal Building which is seen on Dec. 9, 2024. File photo/Livermore Falls Advertiser
FARMINGTON — Selectmen on Tuesday evening, Jan. 28, voted 4-1 to table discussions on changing tax payment schedule and moving to a fiscal year until the Feb. 11 meeting so that both sides could present their case at the same time.
Selectmen Richard Morton, Joshua Bell, Matthew Smith and Byron Staples were in favor. Selectman Dennis O’Neil was opposed.
At the Dec. 10, 2024, meeting Town Manager Erica LaCroix spoke of changing to a fiscal year to be in line with the county and Regional School Unit 9.
“I have had communication from Paul Mills asking to be present at a meeting where this is discussed, so that he could present his position,” Morton said. “It is advantageous to us rather than having him present it at town meeting, which has happened in the past. Get it out in the open here where we can get a more controlled discussion about where we are and where he is.”
Morton noted that Mills had met with Town Manager Erica LaCroix about the proposals.
“She has made great presentations to us over the last few months, so we have a pretty good sense and so does Paul Mills,” Morton said. “Her conversation with him is not going to change his mind, so I’m not sure that’s going to be particularly beneficial to her. We might as well have [the discussion] here.”
“I was hoping we could find some common ground,” LaCroix said of her meeting with Mills. “It’s very unlikely.”
The board has discussed it extensively, Morton noted. “I don’t see where we are benefitting much from kicking it around now and then kicking around exactly the same conversation again,” he stated. “If people are willing to accommodate a delay so that we can hear from Paul in one fell swoop it seems to me that is a better use of our time.”
O’Neil had no issues putting the discussion off. He said a decision wouldn’t have been made that night, probably wouldn’t be made in two weeks. “I don’t know that we need to have a forum and an argument necessarily,” he stated. “I am also concerned that every time there is an article of interest put on the warrant and somebody who is passionate about one side or the other that can’t make the meeting says, “put that off until I can get there,” I think that is somewhat of a precedent that we allow that.”
O’Neil said the issue would be discussed many more times, this wasn’t the end of the trail either way.
“Something of this caliber, it is not like your normal agenda item,” Staples stated. “I feel something of this caliber, get all the parties here, talk about it, have a discussion and not do it twice.”
“I don’t think we can discuss it enough because it is important,” O’Neil responded.
“It is,” Bell said. “I think we have talked about it quite a bit. I am quite confident in hearing the pro side that Erica seems to add into multiple meetings about budgets. I would like to hear from the other side. I kind of agree with Richard on that one. I would also like to hear from both sides at the same time so it is a much more productive meeting.”
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