Chief of Police Ryan Reardon began his duties with the Dover-Foxcroft Police Department on Monday, May 1 upon taking the oath of office administered by Town Clerk Lisa Niles

Ten articles were approved at the 2017 annual town meeting on April 29 at the Morton Avenue Municipal Building gymnasium, with these items now moving to the Tuesday, June 13 referendum ballot .

With eight members having served on the Dover-Foxcroft Fire Department for more than half a century, the Robinson family has continued to give back to the community by funding a $9,000 thermal imaging camera. The camera was donated in memory of Alfred E. Robinson -- who was a member of the department for 35 years including serving as chief from 1978-83 -- by his sons, grandson, brothers and nephews who all have been involved in the department.

The Brownville Police Department has been formally disbanded following a special town meeting on May 1 at the Brownville Elementary School.

A new $3 million facility bringing services such as radiology, phlebotomy and behavior health to the area, doubling the number of exam rooms from seven to 14 and providing for greater patient privacy opened its doors on April 25. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital’s Northwoods Healthcare new clinic at 22 Haley Court formally dedicated the facility that afternoon.

During an April 24 selectmen’s meeting the board scheduled a public hearing on a 180-day moratorium extension for the Monday, May 22 meeting. If granted the policy would continue through late November.

Downtown Monson is undergoing a transformation thanks to the Portland-based Libra Foundation as the non-profit organization has purchased several buildings and is in the process of replacing these structures as part of its mission of making significant contributions to worthy causes across Maine.

Charles A Dean Memorial Hospital is pleased to announce the completion of the expanded Northwoods Clinic in Sangerville. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, April 25 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Northwoods Healthcare at 22 Haley Court.

The community will now be able to utilize AARP resources as an application to the AARP/World Health Organization Network of Age Friendly Communities has been approved. “We are officially an Age Friendly Community, I got that word this week,” Town Manager Shelley Watson said during an April 13 town council meeting. She said a kick-off event will be scheduled for Friday, May 19, time and location to be announced.

While the two districts are in the midst of the application process for an integrated, consolidated grade 9-16 educational facility, SAD 4 and AOS 94 -- which includes the Dexter-based SAD 46 and the towns of Athens and Harmony -- are also looking into ways to save money and share resources in the more immediate future. During an April 11 meeting of the SAD 4 school board, the directors voted to send a written request to AOS 94 Superintendent Kevin Jordan to explore a one-year cost sharing agreement with the neighboring school unit.

The selectmen signed a 10-article warrant for the annual town meeting on Saturday, April 29 at 9 a.m. in the gym at the Morton Avenue Municipal Building complex, during an April 10 meeting.

Members of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC)/Miosac Club placed about 120 symbolic pinwheels at the entrance to the Dover-Foxcroft United Methodist Church on April 12 in observance of Prevent Child Abuse America Month, part of the GFWC Signature Project of Domestic Violence Awareness

Piscataquis Community Elementary School fifth-graders Jacob Duncan, right, and Isaac Worster hop over a pair of ropes as classmate Dominic Cookson twirls the jump ropes during the school’s annual Jump Rope for Heart program on April 7. Students at the school in Guilford took part in healthy activities, such as jumping rope, hula hooping and basketball, and also raised money for the American Heart Association.

With the finance committee having finished its work, a draft budget for the 2017-18 academic year was brought forward from the group to the full school board during an April 4 meeting. The directors are scheduled to vote on the spending plan during the May meeting

At last month’s annual town meeting, residents -- by a count of 131 to 43 -- voted to defund the Brownville Police Department after March 31 and rely on the existing coverage from the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office for the region as of April 1. During a selectmen’s meeting April 5 at Brownville Elementary, attendees learned that town officials are consulting with legal counsel on how to proceed. A special town meeting may be held in the future, with potential warrant articles concerning whether to formally dissolve the police department and the sale of police vehicles and equipment

Mayo Regional Hospital has signed an interim agreement with Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems (EMHS). This non-binding agreement follows a substantial amount of work completed since August when Mayo Regional Hospital submitted a letter of intent with the Brewer-based health system.

On Saturday, April 29 residents will gather in the gymnasium at the Morton Avenue Municipal Building at 9 a.m. to vote on a 10-article warrant at the annual town meeting. Items approved on April 29 will then go to the referendum ballot set for Tuesday, June 13.

Photo courtesy of Kate Taylor SPELLING WITH THE BEST OF THEM — SeDoMoCha Middle School sixth-grader Adam Taylor stands at the microphone during the 2017 Maine State Spelling Bee on March 25 at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.