Selectpeople purchase pick-up truck for police duties

9 years ago
LIMESTONE, Maine — The Limestone Selectboard discussed bids on a new police vehicle and a town website upgrade, among other issues, during their Aug. 18, 2015 meeting.

     Town Manager Fred Ventresco announced an important upcoming date for the Limestone community.

     “RSU 39 is holding a public meeting at the Limestone Community School Auditorium on September 2nd where they present their idea of bussing all Limestone High School students into Caribou,” said Ventresco. “Keep in mind that it is just a proposal at this stage. The meeting is going to be open to the public, so all attendants will have an opportunity to express their opinions and ask questions about the proposal.”

     Selectpeople looked over the bids for a new police cruiser and agreed to go with a Dodge pick-up truck that falls safely within their $30,000 price range. The truck they chose comes with a five-year warranty. It is rated to get 16 miles per gallon in the city and 23 on the highway. Since it is a four-door truck, there is room to put someone in the back if the need arises.

     Ventresco stressed the urgency of obtaining a new vehicle for the Limestone Police Department.

     “We do need a vehicle soon simply because the Chief had to put the old vehicle out of commission. He received a number of complaints from people in the community that it was unsafe for the road.”

     Selectpeople also agreed to use $1,800 from the Economic Development Fund to upgrade their town website so it is viewable via smartphones and mobile devices.

     The Board of Selectpeople also talked about acquiring a van for the Recreation Department. They agreed to sell their current bus and use the income to fund the purchase of a new van. The van will be able to transport somewhere between 15 and 20 people.

     Selectperson Melissa Devoe suggested a more cost-effective alternative for the Recreation Department.

     “I would really like to reach out to RSU 39,” said Devoe. “In reading through their minutes in the past couple years, I found that they have given away a bus to the Boy Scouts. They may consider giving us a bus that they are no longer using. It’s a venue that we should at least consider, since RSU has given away busses in the past.”

     Ultimately, the Board of Selectpeople agreed to prioritize selling their current bus before moving any further.

     In other business, selectmen examined incidents of reckless speeding on Limestone streets.

     “I think we ought to have signs that indicate how fast you’re going at the top and bottom of the hill in town,” said Selectman Gregory Ward. “We should also set the police cars up there so they can radio how fast people are going. It’s just a matter of time before somebody gets hurt in one of those areas.”

     “The other day I saw a police car driving through town that must have been going 80 miles per hour,” said Tom Albert. “I don’t think anything happens here where we need the police to be going that fast. Not only did he go 80 miles per hour, but the car behind him was going just about the same speed. The logging trucks also drive through town without even slowing up. Heaven forbid, they drive by the ball park and some little kid runs into the road. I’ve spoken with the Chief of Police and he says he has a plan to deter these people.”

     The board unanimously approved warrants V to XI and moved to Executive Session at 8:02 p.m.