JAY — Firefighters will receive a 50-cent an hour raise Jan. 1, 2025, to keep pace with the state’s minimum wage increase that goes into effect then.

The state minimum wage will go from $14.15 an hour to $14.65 on Jan. 1.

The Select Board approved the new rate Monday.

The board approved Police Chief Mike Booker’s request to move the annual stipend of $750 for a vacant lieutenant position to the assistant chief’s position, bringing it from $1,500 to $2,250. The assistant chief has taken on the duties of the lieutenant position, which includes training and other tasks.

Selectpersons accepted $22,474 for the Police Department from the Homeland Security Grant program, which was issued by the Franklin County Emergency Management Agency. There is no local match required for the money, which will be used to replace the body camera system for police officers to a Cloud-based system. It will cover the first five years of the program.

They also accepted a $3,107 Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant to purchase two new desktop computers for the Patrol Room. This would replace two computers that are over 10 years old and failing, according to the grant request form.

In addition, the board accepted a 2025 speed enforcement grant from the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety for $9,500. The department will be able to buy two new radar units for a total of $4,700 and fund four-hour overtime enforcement details. There is a 20% Jay match required, which equals $2,375 and covered by in-kind management. The total spent will be $11,875,

Police Chief Joseph Sage said the in-kind contribution will be hours spent managing the program, reporting information to the state and installing the radar units in cruisers.

Several board members thanked Sage and Booker for writing the grants.

Select Board members also accepted a donation of two toolboxes valued at about $500 each from Lowe’s for the truck that selectpersons approved transferring from the Police Department to the Fire Rescue Department in October.

The Police Department gave the department a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado truck in exchange for a storage container the Fire Rescue Department had.

In other business, the Select Board appointed or reappointed several residents to the Budget Committee. Some positions were set to expire Dec. 31.

Reappointed were Vicki McLeod, Charles Riekert, Mike Ventrella and Justin Merrill.

Alternate Darryl Winter was moved to a regular position to replace Ricky Merrill who did not want to serve again after many years on the committee.

That leaves two vacant alternate positions open. One term will expire Dec. 31, 2025, and other on Dec. 31, 2026.

Committee members whose terms expire Dec. 31, 2025, are Marilyn Morse, Edward Walsh, Edward Mardosa, Kendra Baker, Beth Write and Esther Nolin.