MADAWASKA — Voters will decide in a referendum election in November whether or not Madawaska will privatize its ambulance service. If voters agree, selectmen have already agreed to use a service offered by the Northern Maine Medical Center at Fort Kent.

The NMMC proposal, selected from five submitted two months ago, could save the town $96,709 in the first year of the contract, Town Manager Arthur Faucher said.

The town appropriated $197,438 for full-time ambulance service this year.

NMMC Executive Director Martin Bernstein said Wednesday that current Madawaska emergency medical technicians would be given preference for jobs with the hospital’s service, including director of the service.

A public hearing on the matter will take place in October.

If approved by voters, NMMC would begin the service Feb. 1, 1997, the start of the town’s fiscal year.

In other business, selectmen said Faucher could become the Maine Municipal Association’s legislative policy committee member from Maine Senate District 1. He joins Frenchville Town Manager Philip Levesque on the committee.

They also gave municipal employees a paid holiday, employee appreciation day on Nov. 29, giving workers a long Thanksgiving Day weekend.