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Town manager honored for guiding Jay through budget crisis

Jay's town manager is being credited for helping lead the community through tough times.

JAY (NEWS CENTER Maine) - After several years of cutbacks and tax hikes, the Town of Jay is hoping to find some stability.

The town recently received some good news when Verso Corporation announced it would be bringing 120 jobs back to its mill. This move comes as the town continues to bounce back from its worst budget crisis ever. Jay’s town manager is being credited for helping lead the community through the tough times.

“I’ve had several people in town remind me, I know you wanted this job. This is something you asked for,” said Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere.

For LaFreniere, it could not have been a more difficult start to her career as a municipal manager. Not long after taking over four years ago, the town’s largest employer cut 300 jobs. A couple of years later another 120 were lost. The impact has been staggering to this community. In 2012 the Verso mill was valued at $840 million. Last year just $258 million. The taxes it paid to the town dropped by more than $3 million.

“Can you think of a rougher four years for any town manager in the state of Maine?"

I asked Jay Selectman Terry Bergeron, "none, not a one, none of them," Bergeron responded.

Bergeron watched as Lafreniere navigated through a delicate balancing act of increasing taxes and cutting services while being careful not to go too far on either end.

“There were upset people in both directions, you either cut too much or you didn’t cut enough. But you know she always kept her head above water and kept everybody in line”, he said.

Property taxes on a $100,000 home are $900 higher than they were five years ago. The cuts have been tough as well, including downsizing the police department.

“It’s a struggle to know what the balances of what you can afford to cut, versus what the community really wants for a police force. So that one has been difficult,” said LaFreniere.

Lafreniere’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. She was recently recognized by municipal leaders across the state with their Rising Star award, after being nominated Jay town employees.

“Didn’t have any idea. They call you out and say, can you step out for minute, and I thought oh my God I’m getting more bad news,” she said laughing.

Now she has learned Verso is getting ready to fire up an idle paper machine and bring 120 workers back to the mill.

Finally, some good news and with it comes the hope that brighter days may lie ahead for this town.

“I’d like to think the worst is behind us, you never know, but I’d like to think that. The future is always bright; the future is what you make it,” LaFreniere said.

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