Maine Towns Meet in Court Over Radio Tower

The Oakland Town Council in Maine received an official notice after agreeing last month to take the town of Sidney to court over $3,420 in delinquent radio tower payments. The hearing has been set for November 7 in Waterville District Court. The council unanimously voted in September to pursue civil action for $3,420 in radio tower payments officials believe is owed by the town of Sidney. The action will take place in small claims court. (Source: Central Maine News) The local newspaper reported “In the radio tower dispute, the two towns signed a contract two years ago to share the cost of leasing the communications tower for $4,800 annually; but since then, Sidney officials say, their first responders no longer get adequate service from the tower and the town had to contract for $5,000 with a different provider. There are three years left on the lease, but Sidney officials argued that the lack of service voided their obligation to pay for the tower they can’t use. The tower is on High Street — Route 137 — in Oakland. Oakland officials, however, have said town residents can’t be left holding the bag for more money than they agreed to pay.” The former town manager, who retired at the end of September, sent a letter on June 22 that gave Sidney a September 1 deadline to pay, but the town never received the money or heard any response from the town. This is why the town, with support of residents, has taken Sidney to small claims court.