PHILLIPS –- An ongoing dispute between the Avon and Phillips selectmen has led to the possibility of a future workshop, Phillips town manager Jim Collins explained.

“I’ve always wanted a meeting that will bring resolution and never changed my mind with that intent,” Collins said referring to a misunderstanding that occurred between the two towns.

The two towns are facing a difference of opinion based on a landfill and a fire service bill which was passed on to Avon. This may be a result of the towns having different fiscal periods, Collins said.

According to Collins, Avon sent less money than Phillips invoiced them for the third quarter of 2009. That quarter was the end of Phillips’ fiscal year (July 1 to June 30), but midway through Avon’s fiscal pe- riod, and because of that, the level of understanding may have been compromised.

“We do have an inter-local agreement that does need improvement, but this should not include the current billing process that is in place,” Collins asserted.

“Should we change the formula? Absolutely, I do feel it should be worked out differently. But right now we are talking about the present and not the future. We should sit down and work out a billing formula that is clear to all parties involved.”

“It is obvious that this one has caused confusion,” Collins said, although he said the invoice itself was correct and based on their current working agreement.

“The formula needs to be improved.”

“The Avon board and I would like to get this issue out of the newspapers and settle this with a healthy discussion,” Avon first selectmen Bob Ellis explained Monday. “We will have a meeting between Avon and Phillips who are very closely related in many ways, and are separated by just a line, so we do want to work this out,” Ellis said. “This just makes sense for both towns. It’s all over just a few hundred dollars. It’s crazy that we can’t come to an agreement. I guess we’re all just doing what we think is best for our towns.”

Ellis said there is no animosity between the two boards and can’t remember ever having a conflict. The two towns have been working together for nearly 25 years. “They have indicated that they are willing to settle and we certainly hope that we can as well,” Ellis said.

Collins said that the two town chairs were going to find a date to set a workshop to work out the details of a future agreement formula. Phillip Town attorney Frank Underkuffler may be present.

“We have a conflict of the two fiscal years… It needs more work… There is no question about it,” Collins said.

At this point, a future meeting or workshop date relating to this topic has yet to be announced.