Interviews to start soon for Milo/Brownville rec director position

MILO — Last month Milo and Brownville officials each voted in favor of merging the two neighboring communities’ recreation departments into a new Penquis Recreation Program. Reasons cited included providing more opportunities for area youth and other residents and to potentially save money.

“We’ve got five applicants for the new rec director job,” Milo Town Manager Bob Canney said during a Dec. 11 select board meeting. “(Brownville Town Manager Felice Lyford) and I are going to start interviews next week.” 

He said they plan to meet with the top three candidates of the five applicants.

Canney said this would be current Milo Recreation Department Director Jessica Atkinson’s last month on the job. Atkinson, who teaches second grade at Milo Elementary, had been working in the position part-time. Town officials said the decision to combine the two rec departments was not a reflection on the staff.

Canney said the Penquis Recreation Program budget is being developed. He said the auditor recommends the full expenses be included in Milo’s finances and later Brownville’s proportional share will come in as revenue. Under the arrangement, the director would be a Milo town employee with the community covering insurance and benefits such as a cellphone stipend and mileage reimbursement.

To determine Penquis Recreation Program funding both school population and town censuses were looked at. In SAD 41 about 63 percent of students from the two towns are from Milo and 36 percent from Brownville while per the most recent U.S. Census the combined split is 68/32, so a halfway ratio of 65/35 was agreed upon.

Canney and Lyford have also discussed how to fill the seats on the recreation committee, which could have three Milo positions and three from Brownville. Canney said they would like to have a rec director in place to help with the screening process. There will likely be a sign-up sheet for those interested and candidates will also likely be able to email about their willingness to serve on the committee.

“We will provide the list of recommendations to the boards,” the town manager said, with  the select boards giving final approval.

Committee term lengths will need to be determined, with annual appointments a possibility.

“Continuity is one thing but you want to give other community members a chance to participate as well,” Canney said.

In other business, Canney gave an update on the public safety building. He said the previous Friday was the final meeting of the department heads with Plymouth Engineering and the firm sent the documentation into the USDA for final review.

“We’ll get it out to bid as soon as we can and hopefully open bids in January,” the town manager said.

He said Sheridan Construction, which built the new public safety building in Greenville, is interested in the Milo project but the company’s 2025 schedule is filling up. A special meeting may be held to open and review bids to help avoid any further delays.

The town is currently in the planning stages of a new building to house the fire, police, and public works departments. The community can spend up to $6,375,000 in USDA funds for the public safety building, which will be located at the business park and across the road from the Milo Water District office less than a mile up Park Street from the 100-year-old town hall where the fire and police departments are currently located.

Plymouth Engineering had been meeting with town officials and department heads to design each department’s section of the facility, with plans being solidified. The engineering firm estimates the building, groundwork, and engineering costs to total $7,200,758 or $825,758 more than what Milo has available in project funding. To make up the difference, residents approved a line of credit not to exceed $825,758 to cover costs above and beyond the $6,375,000 at a special town meeting 

The construction is expected to be an 18-month build.

Canney said the budget committee was scheduled to have its first meeting on Dec. 12 and should then be meeting the next three Thursdays to go through the municipal finances.