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Town attorney warns board that cutting treasurer duties could reopen lawsuit
Summary
At a heated May 11 meeting, the town’s attorney representing Treasurer Julie Giles said interpreting a March vote as removing payroll duties risks breaching a settlement and could prompt resumed litigation; residents pressed for transparency and the board discussed options including another town meeting or reallocating deputy hours.
An attorney for Treasurer Julie Giles told the Limerick Board of Select Persons on May 11 that steps to remove payroll duties from the treasurer could violate a prior agreement and reopen litigation.
Scott Dolan, who identified himself as counsel for Giles, urged the board to pause implementation of recent changes and consider three paths: call another town meeting to clarify voters’ intent, authorize the treasurer to hire staff so she can continue payroll processing, or use existing budgeted deputy hours to cover payroll duties. Dolan said the town’s warrant ordinance authorizes the treasurer to make disbursement payments and that the payroll company lacks authority to process payroll without the treasurer’s authorization.
Resident Amanda Page told the board she was not making a personal attack but sought “transparency, accountability, and respecting the outcome of a public vote,” arguing that restructuring hours or pay in ways that circumvent a public vote raises legitimate concerns for taxpayers.
Board members acknowledged the difficulty. Several members said voters’ decisions should be respected while others emphasized the practical need to ensure payroll and statutory duties are performed. One member clarified the $12,200 reduction referenced at prior meetings reflected third‑party check‑printing costs rather than a claim the treasurer performed no payroll work.
The board did not take a final action at the meeting on the treasurer’s hours. Dolan and other participants pointed to advice from the Maine Municipal Association that the board could place a clarified article on a future town meeting warrant if it is uncomfortable with the March vote’s clarity. Board members discussed scheduling a public hearing and additional procedural steps to resolve the matter without immediate policy change.
The board set a public hearing to review town ballot items for June 2, which provides an earliest near-term forum for further consideration and voter input.
