Alna selectmen plan to seek both legal and accounting help getting the town’s books in order. Board members said they will ask the town’s attorney and the town’s former auditing firm for help clearing up possible bookkeeping errors and looking at legal options.

The plans made Sept. 16 are the latest turn in town officials’ efforts following the April resignation of treasurer Aaron Miller.  During Miller’s run as treasurer that began in March 2014, problems occurred with the timing of payments to  the state and the Internal Revenue Service, selectmen have said. Miller cited issues with the town’s software. He criticized selectmen for not buying other software after voters approved funding.

In interviews following the Sept. 16 board meeting, First Selectman David Abbott and Third Selectman Doug Baston said they still don’t know what the town may end up paying in tax fines, late penalties and interest.

Abbott and Baston said a new issue has come up, regarding software records of about 50 checks during the time Miller was treasurer. The records indicate the checks were all to parties the town routinely pays bills to, the selectmen said.

“It looks like (the checks) were never issued, but with public business, we can’t just say, I guess so,” Baston said.

The selectmen said they are not aware of any outstanding debts to any of the parties.

When Miller resigned, past treasurer Honora Perkins agreed to serve again. In addition to the regular duties of treasurer, she worked for months to sort out the tax issues; but with the addition of questions the board now has about the check records, Abbott said: “It was more than we thought we should ask of her.

“I think there needs to be a real examination, just to get it straightened out, because it’s such a mess.”

Selectmen planned to meet at 6 p.m. on Sept. 23 at the town office to continue discussing next steps. If Bill Brewer, whose firm used to do the town’s audits, agrees to review the records, that could get the accounting questions answered, Abbott said.

There is nothing suspicious about the records, Abbott and Baston said in separate interviews. Asked why they planned to contact town attorney David Soule, they said the board wants to know what the town’s options may be for recovering money lost to tax fines, late penalties and interest or other costs stemming from the accounting issues.

Wiscasset Newspaper’s attempts to reach Miller for comment were not immediately successful.