The interlocal agreement will live for the next three-and-a-half months.

After that, Damariscotta and Newcastle are back on their own when it comes to the public works department.

The Damariscotta board of selectmen voted 4-0 (Robin Mayer abstained) to extend the interlocal agreement until Oct. 31, after which point it will be terminated.

In the interim, the two towns will begin transitioning away from the agreement, which began in 2011, and start reverting back to individual departments.

Damariscotta Town Manager Matt Lutkus said a new transition committee would need to be created to determine the new shape and scope of the new public works department. That subcommittee will include selectmen George Parker and Joshua Pinkham.

Lutkus, Newcastle Town Administrator Lynn Maloney and Superintendent of Roads Steve Reynolds will oversee the transition, especially where equipment and property are concerned. Damariscotta owned several large pieces of equipment including the dump truck and tractor, while Newcastle owns several pieces of equipment as well. Several smaller items, such as hand tools, were bought jointly and will need to be split up amongst the two towns.

Former selectman, David Atwater, who resigned from the board in April citing its direction, said the town's charter should have prevented the split from happening. Atwater said the town showed its support for the interlocal agreement at the town meeting, and said he didn't understand why the selectmen wanted to disband it.

“I still think this is being rushed,” he said. “I just think this is something that is being railroaded through and it's not in the wishes of the town, it's in the interests of the board.”

Lutkus said that one of the issues with the agreement — the actual cost — was brought forth at town meeting.

“I wasn't here (in 2011), but I've heard that some assurances were made that this would be a money-saving venture,” he said. “I could not find the savings. What I did see was that we spent $60,000 more (last year) than we had prior to the agreement.

“From my perspective, the savings weren't there.”

Lutkus said personnel matters also factored into the end of the agreement, saying that the quality and accountability weren't up to standards.

The interlocal subcommittee, which will also oversee the newly approved interlocal agreements for the shellfish and harbor ordinances, will remain intact and meet once a month. On Tuesday, July 14, the subcommittee met in Newcastle to discuss the impending end of the agreement.

Pinkham said the door had not closed entirely on a shared public works department, but that for the time being the best move was to split off from Newcastle.

“I think it's time to take a step back and reevaluate what we want (from the public works department),” he said. “Maybe we can revisit it in three or four years, but what's best for us right now is to take a step back.”

Newcastle will hold a meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, July 20, to discuss its future plans. At the Monday, July 6, meeting Selectmen’s Chairman Brian Foote said the town would be interested in potentially entering into another interlocal agreement with another town.