Dexter council amends municipal medical insurance coverage
DEXTER — After discussing the item for several months, the Dexter Town Council formally approved a change in medical insurance coverage for qualifying spouses/family members of municipal employees during a Jan. 11 meeting. Previously the employee had been responsible for all payment of the arrangement, but now the employee will be responsible for a 30 percent contribution toward the monthly premium with 70 percent being paid for by the town.
“We did put a lot of work into that and we adjusted for our budget for this year,” Town Manager Trampas King said. He said health care coverages of other towns were examined and finances for the current year and next year have been looked at for the adjustment.
During last month’s council meeting, King said an increase in what the municipality provides is being sought to help retain and attract employees, including younger workers. He said the average age of town employees is about 57 years.
The town manager said about $40,000 is set aside in the current year’s budget for this purpose, and how much would be used is to be determined if the proposed ordinance change moves forward and how many employees choose to take part.
In other business, the council authorized King to sign an agreement with Dirigo Engineering for work on a Carr Road culvert replacement project.
King said the half-mile dirt road connecting the Upper Garland Road and Route 94 is in rough shape, being closed recently due to mud. He said the town would like to redo the Carr Road and also replace the culvert.
The town manager said the state has a program with about $4 million in grants to cover culvert projects, up to $200,000 but he hopes the Carr Road culvert will not cost that much.
“They come in and do it right so they don’t wash out,” King said. “You have to take advantage of these things to help your infrastructure in town.”
King was also authorized to sign a contract with the Somerset Humane Society in Skowhegan for animal services. The agreement is for a year at $9,507.
He said Dexter used to have stray animals taken to Dover-Foxcroft but this stopped a few years ago and since then the town has struggled to find a different location. The town manager said the Somerset Humane Society charges a per capita fee, as opposed to charging per animal dropped off.
In his report King said the Dexter Fish & Game Association Ice Fishing Derby had been moved from Jan. 13-14 to Saturday, Feb. 17 and Sunday, Feb. 18 on Lake Wassookeag and asked those in attendance to please pass this information along.
“We are starting to get applications for the work camp,” he said as Group Mission Trips — a non-profit, interdenominational Christian volunteer home-repair group — will be in town in late June. Project applications are due to the town by March 1, and can be picked up at the town office or filled out online.
Dozens of teenagers and adults from around the county have spent close to a week in Dexter working on home projects at no cost for area residents who otherwise could not afford to have the needed repairs made. Participants have stayed at the Ridge View Community School, while Group Mission Trips covered expenses such as food and kitchen and custodial staff.