Franklin County receives 4 applications for unorganized territory road supervisor

FARMINGTON — Four applications have been received for the unorganized territory county road supervisor.

Gerald “Mike” Pond of Strong is retiring from the position June 30 after serving since 2020.

Candidates will be interviewed, county Administrator Amy Bernard said.

Commissioners voted to have Commissioner Robert “Bob” Carlton of Freeman Township attend them next week.

Commissioners will meet at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at the courthouse.

In other business, all nonessential county employees will be dismissed from work at 1 p.m. Monday for the eclipse due to expected congestion, and a potential safety hazard, Bernard wrote in her Clerk’s Report to commissioners.

The county received a notice from Calderwood Engineering of Brunswick stating its qualifications for engineering the Reeds Mill Road bridge project in Madrid Township. Bernard said the company inspected the bridge for the state.

Commissioners voted to have Carlton attend the interview of the company.

In other business, commissioners:

• Approved a request to use the county parking lot July 27 for the Summer Fest, which organizers have used annually for setting up food vendors, according to Bernard.

• Designated Chairman Lance Harvell of Farmington as the contact for the National Opioid Settlement. Elaine Jeffrey from the National Opioid Settlement had asked that an official be named.

• Authorized forming an Opioid Advisory Committee to review grant applications and make recommendations on funding, as agreed in February 2023. So far, commissioners have approved two grants for $10,000 each. The applications must support one or more of the following goals: prevention, treatment, harm reduction and recovery, and must support work in Franklin County.

• Approved a $10,000 grant to Western Maine Community Action in March for its program. They approved a $10,000 grant to Kennebec Behavioral Health in November 2023 for two recovery coaches in Franklin County and gas cards related to recovery.

Bernard told commissioners last year that the county anticipates receiving $777,000 over 18 years from the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical settlement. Money from other settlements is expected.