JAY – The Jay Town Office will reopen to the public on Monday as town officials look ahead to a July 14 town meeting.
The Board of Selectpersons voted Monday evening to hold the annual town meeting on Tuesday, July 14 at Spruce Mountain Elementary School. That’s the same date as the state referendum vote.
The town meeting was previously scheduled for late April, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Emergency legislation relating to the pandemic allowed municipalities to postpone town meeting votes with at least two days of advance warning. It also allows towns to use previously-printed ballots at a postponed meeting, and absentee ballots can continue to be collected.
As previously presented, the 36-article warrant would approve $5,300,474 in proposed municipal expenditures would mark a roughly $9,000 reduction in spending as compared to the current fiscal year. With projected revenues increasing to $2.1 million, a $120,000 jump over the current budget, residents would be asked to pay $3.23 million in assessments, a decrease of roughly $130,000 or more than 3 percent.
Candidates in the municipal election include incumbent Selectperson F. Timothy DeMillo running for his own seat and two candidates running for the 5th Selectperson seat: incumbent Selectperson Gary McGrane and challenger Trudy-Marie Marshall. Two positions are open on the Regional School Unit 73 board with a single candidate, incumbent Director Robert Staples II. Candidates running unopposed for trustee seats on the water district include Raymond Fleury II and Randall Doiron. All of these positions are three-year terms.
The Jay Town Office intends to reopen to the public on May 18, resuming normal office hours – Monday, Tuesday, and Friday 8 to 4 p.m., Wednesday, 12 to 4 p.m. and Thursday, 8 to 5 p.m. The lobby will be limited to four customers at maximum in order to accommodate social distancing and plexiglass has been installed at the counter.
The drop box at the town office will continue to be checked for residents that do not want to come into the building. Citizens may also still mail information to the Town of Jay, 340 Main Street, Jay, ME 04239. Staff will be present to answer phones at 897-6785 but due to high call volume some residents may get voicemail. Residents are asked to leave a message and will be called as soon as possible.
The police department lobby will also reopen to the public on May 18. The lobby will be limited to one customer at a time.
On May 19, the Jay Transfer Station will begin accepting tires, freon-containing devices and e-waste (including TVs) again. For items that require payment, transactions will be handled through a window in the office door that will allow for separation between citizens and staff. Employees at the facility will not be assisting citizens with removing material from their vehicles to continue social distancing.
The Share Shack will remain closed until further notice and single sort recycling will not be accepted at the facility to continue reduced material handling by staff. Citizens are encouraged to utilize curbside pickup for single sort material.
The Public Works Garage (897-4920), Transfer Station (897-5552) and Sewer Dept. (645-4246) offices will remain closed to the public but citizens are encouraged to call with questions or concerns. Citizens also have several options to conduct some of their municipal business online. If you have questions about these services, please call us.
These options include:
Re-register Vehicle. This can be done through a link on the town’s website. Go to www.jay-maine.org and click on the Town Office tab on the left. Scroll halfway down the page and click on the Rapid Renewal link. You will need your old registration, insurance card and mileage.
Re-register ATV, Boats and Hunting & Fishing Licenses: This can be done on the state’s website at: https://www.maine.gov/ifw/ Scroll part way down the page to find “Information for Your Maine Outdoor Adventure” and there are links to buy your hunting and fishing license, register your ATV or Boat, etc. You will need your old license and a printer.
