ROCKLAND —  In an effort to create fiscal relief and efficiencies in services, Knox County Commissioners will hold a special meeting Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 1 p.m. in the Commissioner’s Hearing Room at the Knox County Court House in Rockland. Representatives and citizens of Knox County towns — and its one city — are invited for a general discussion.

In a Nov. 12 letter to municipalities, the commissioners acknowledged that declining state revenues and rising costs of doing business are straining municipal and county budgets and causing cuts in services and jobs.

The letter also said that with county and municipal cooperation, potential cost savings could be developed that still provides quality savings to citizens. This will be the fifth meeting between commissioners and municipalities since 2009. Three meetings were held in 2009 and one in 2012. The forum will be an opportunity to review effort already in place within Knox County and surrounding municipalities/counties. The forum will also look at areas for common sourcing, group purchasing and combined management.

Those in attendance at the July 16, 2012 were:

 Jessica MacDonald Martin, Vinalhaven Selectboard Cochairman

Marjorie E. Stratton, Vinalhaven Town Manager

Charleton Ames, Rockport Select Board

Patricia Finnigan, Camden Town Manager

Ed LaFlamme, Warren Selectman

Martin Cates, Camden Select Board Chairman

Nancy Colson, Owls Head Selectman

Jeff Kobrock, Executive Director of the Mid-Coast Economic Development District

William Payson, Cushing Selectman

Peter Lammert, Thomaston Selectman, Assessor

John Snow, St. George Select Board Chairman

Donald Grinnell, Washington Selectman, Knox County EMA Planner

Jay Feyler, Union Town Manager

Robert A. Peabody, Jr., former Rockport Town Manager

Donald Burke, Appleton SelectBoard Chairman

John Falla, St. George Town Manager

Timothy Polky, St. George Fire Chief, Code Enforcement Officer, Plumbing Inspector

Daniel Davey, Warren Selectman

 Linwood Lothrop, Knox Regional Communications Center Director

Jeff Northgraves, Knox Regional Airport Manager and South Thomaston Selectman

 From County Commissioner minutes:

At the 2012 meeting of the commissioners when the topic came under discussion, Commissioner Roger Moody said the county hadn’t really taken on any new responsibilities based on the meetings held in 2009, but having those meetings allowed the towns to discuss common needs and they were able to work some issues out amongst themselves because the opportunity had been provided to discuss things.

CountyAdministrator Hart briefly reviewed a list of efforts already in place in the county:

Bids for road sand and salt (no towns were interested in liquid calcium chloride this year). The County Administration Office just does the leg work. It’s up to the towns to award the bid for their own purchases.

Heating fuel: the process has changed. The county formerly conducted a bid process but due to changes in the heating fuel industry making the turn-around time short, the county now calls to see what the price is and locks in as quickly as possible because the price changes so quickly. The county has stayed with Maritime Energy mostly because that business have traditionally had the lowest price. The administrator with a couple other vendors but there aren’t a lot of other fuel dealers in the area. Many vendors don’t think it’s cost effective for them anyway so their bids, if they bother, aren’t competitive. Locked in at $3.15/gal for FY2012-2013 (July 1 to June 30).

EMA Training: the county increased the amount of training offered to towns. Will have a much bigger training space in the 301 Park Street facility once the EOC is set up there.

Mid-Coast Solid Waste and Tri-County Solid Waste, both of which are working well on their own.

•EMA cost-sharing mutual aid agreements. Nine public works departments developed a working mutual aid agreement so they can assist each other without wasting time, which is particularly useful when time is a factor, such as during the middle of a snow storm. The town borrowing equipment or labor will just pay for the resources they’ve used. The public works directors were very grateful to get that in place last fall prior to the snow season.