SKOWHEGAN — The Skowhegan Miracle Homeless Shelter this week is again sending its residents to work for the town in lieu of payments on a one-time sewer hook-up fee.

The $4,000 sewer bill increased this year because the number of residents has nearly tripled since the shelter opened in 2008. Shelter officials also did not live up to a provision of the original sewer payment plan that called for “in kind” payments — sending men to work for the town.

A crew of about eight men began work Tuesday. Each will work at a pay rate of $7.50 per hour until the fee is paid.

It will be the Rev. Richard Berry’s second chance at exchanging work for money. The same plan was tried last summer, but because of work obligations at the shelter, he did not have the manpower to send people to work for the town, Berry said.

“I really didn’t have guys to spare to go over there and the ones that could have were not great workers,” Berry said. “I don’t like to send somebody to do a job if they’re not going to do a good job.”

The Board of Selectmen last week voted unanimously to increase the shelter’s payments from $150 to $250 per month until the fee is paid in full in about two years. Berry said he couldn’t afford $250 a month, so he opted for the in-kind work as a way to pay off the debt.

Selectmen, along with Code Enforcement Officer Randy Gray, who operates the transfer station, and Town Manager John Doucette Jr., said the fee could be paid off in as little as two weeks with shelter residents working for the town.

They said Berry and the Trinity Evangelical Free Church, which runs the shelter, had to be held accountable for the fees.

Morning Sentinel Staff Writer Doug Harlow can be contacted at 612-2367 or at:

dharlow@centralmaine.com