Skowhegan pollution-control staff flag aging assets, inspect downtown line and propose cost-recovery steps

Donnie Zaluski, speaking for Pollution Control, said crews have been camera-inspecting a potentially discontinued line near the bridge by the Skowhegan Hotel and Bloomfield's Tavern but that the inspection robot encountered ice that limited how far it could travel. Zaluski said staff hope to collect enough information to determine whether an in-house repair is appropriate.

At the treatment plant, Zaluski told the Selectboard that operations are stable and performance numbers are strong. In a later, more detailed budget review he said roughly two-thirds of Pollution Control costs stem from utilities, personnel and disposal; the remaining third covers maintenance and repairs. Key initiatives include reducing overtime, optimizing chemical and energy usage through automation, and reinvesting savings into equipment and infrastructure to extend the life of assets, some dating to 1972.

Zaluski recommended the town consider fair commercial and industrial fees to recover costs from high-impact users. He also briefed the board on capital-reserve priorities for building maintenance and equipment replacement and said grants and in-house work are being used where feasible to stretch funds.

The board took no formal vote on the inspection or budget matters at the March 10 meeting but acknowledged the need to plan for long-term maintenance and to consider fee structures that more fully reflect user impacts.