FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted Tuesday to set the interest rate on late tax payments from towns at 4% after a grace period expires.

The initial request for the rate was not to exceed 7% but commissioners decided to lower it after Commissioner Fen Fowler suggested 4.5%.

Treasurer Pam Prodan said the rate last year was 4%.

Chairman Bob Carlton asked Chesterville Selectman Earl Martin his suggestion for a rate.

The lower rate would be better, Martin said.

The town has 1,300 residents and the town’s Regional School Unit 9 payments are $100,000 a month.

“I don’t know where the money is going to come from but if we could save a half-percent that would help,” Martin said.

He and many others in the town live on a limited income, he said.  He was on the county Budget Advisory Committee that tried to cut costs from a nearly $11.6 million county spending plan.

“We have got to stop spending,” Martin said.

The county’s appeal of the state Bureau of Labor Standards fine of $1,200 for violations of Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules at the county courthouse has been reduced to $700, county Administrator Amy Bernard told commissioners. The penalty listed on the bureau’s penalty documents had initially stated the fine was $1,400, or $700 for each violation.

At the time of replacement, required personal protection gear was not used when windows and sills on the main floor of the courthouse were replaced in March.

While replacing windows on the second-floor of the courthouse in June, where the Superior Courtroom is located, lead paint was also found in connection with the windows, Bernard said. The initial lead testing following the windows installation on the courtroom floor and above came back higher than the acceptable range.

The second floor will be professionally cleaned to remove any lead dust and another test will be conducted. However, the judicial system had planned to use the courtroom next week but now won’t be able to, she said.

Commissioners also voted to buy an automated lock with key system for $3,223.74 that will unlock the doors to the county courthouse at 140 Main St. in the morning and lock them when it closes in the afternoon.

There will be badge access to the Main Street sidewalk entrance during nonbusiness hours, Tiffany Baker, director of human resources and deputy county administrator, wrote in an email following the meeting.

Commissioners also voted during the meeting to accept a used SUV, which had been used by the county Sheriff’s Office. It has been taken off the road and been stripped of equipment. The vehicle has over 100,000 miles on it but will work for county employees to use instead of their personal vehicles, Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. said.

The county pays 70 cents per mile when an employee uses their personal vehicle for county business. A schedule will be created and employees would need to sign up to use the vehicle. The preference for the county administration is that the employees use the county vehicle instead of their own vehicle, Bernard said. It would also cut down on potential liability for the employee and county.

Susan Black, register of deeds, said she would rather use her own vehicle when traveling to conferences and other county business. District Attorney Neil McLean Jr. said he agreed with Black. He said it wouldn’t work for his department. McLean is DA for Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties.

Both Black and McLean said they have budgeted for mileage.

“I see the vehicle used more for local stuff,” commission Chairman Bob Carlton said.

Bernard said the vehicle will most likely be used every day.