CLINTON — Town officials approved a plan this week to use a significant portion of federal COVID-19 pandemic relief funding for bonus pay for municipal employees and for Clinton Water District projects.

The Board of Selectmen voted Tuesday to give $1,000 to every part-time employee who worked through the pandemic and $1,500 to full-time workers.

After debating the measure at its last meeting, the board approved the bonuses 4-0, with Selectman Brian Bickford absent.

Clinton officials expect the town will receive about $334,000 as part of the federal American Rescue Plan Act. The town has received its first deposit, about $177,000, according to Town Manager Earla Haggerty.

The town is planning to partner with the Clinton Water District to spend about $69,000 on various projects, such as improving a wastewater pump and fixing several fire hydrants, according to Haggerty.

“Every dime we get saves us from having to raise the rates,” said Scott Noble, plant manager for the water district.

It was not clear Wednesday how Clinton might spend the remaining federal relief funding. Town officials have also applied through Kennebec County for additional federal aid. They are waiting to hear back on the application.

The board also heard Tuesday from Tom Boughter of Maine Scale of Auburn about the condition of the scale at the town transfer station. The scale is about 20 years old, Boughter said, so some of its maintenance problems are due to age.

Part of the problem is also the location of the scale. It is at the bottom of a hill, where water can collect, so the scale sinks into the ground in the spring and fall. The town has been able to repair it by fortifying the base to stabilize the scale, but it is an ongoing problem.

“It’s still moving,” Boughter said.

The town could continue to repair this scale, make some updates to it or begin the process of buying a new one, Boughter said. The town is spending between $3,000 and $4,000 each year on repairs, according to Haggerty.

A new scale would cost about $60,000, Boughter said.

Selectmen agreed they need to look into buying a new scale. Boughter said he would begin putting together a proposal and go to the transfer station to determine where a new scale should go.

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