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All right. Oh, it's on. I'm gonna bang
this thing. Are we ready?

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» Sure.
>> All right. That's me calling this August

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24th meeting of the Cumberland Town
Council to order. Chair Eids is out this

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evening, so I'm driving the bus. Um, the
finance committee met beforehand at 6

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PM, went over some cool stuff. Um, some
of which we'll touch on later. And

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first up, we have the approval of the
minutes.

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» Anybody wants to give a motion?
>> I'll give you a motion. Motion to

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approve the minutes.
Second.

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» Great.
>> From the August 10th, 2026 meeting.

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» All right, we have a motion and a
second. All those in favor?

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» Oh, unanimous.
All right, moving on to this meetings

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business
highlight,

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we have Daniel Tracy of the com of the
community food pantry. um

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if you'd like to introduce the
organization for those who don't know

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much about it or maybe provide some
updates on current happenings or needs

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or anything the community should know.
Thank you and welcome.

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» Thank you.
This on Hi.

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I've been here for so many other
occasions, not for a town council

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meeting. Um hi. Well, thank you for
inviting me. My name is Danielle Tracy.

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I am um the president of the food
pantry, which really just means I get

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stuck giving the speech um [laughter]
because, you know, we couldn't do it

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without everybody else. Um but so the
food pantry of course was started by um

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Bill Jane and Linda and it's been about
a year, it's been a little over a year

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since um lovely Linda and uh and Bill
have headed south for crazy warmer

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weather. Um and you know and also
similarly about a year since we've lost

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our dear friend Tom Gruber. So um so we
are proud to say that we didn't miss a

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beat. Um it might have looked a little
different and uh felt a little different

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but um we have been open every other
Friday. Um and we haven't missed it

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since um you know since losing
three founders. Um, but again, like I

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said, I we couldn't do it without
volunteers. I mean, we are all

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volunteers and you know, I'm happy to
say we've got some great ones here,

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Elaine and Danielle and Dean and Dana
and uh, you know, I mean, really, we've

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got we've we've got an amazing um, group
of people, Susan and Christine, and, you

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know, I could stand here and name a
hundred people. Um, but so every other

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week we're open on Fridays from 3 to 6.
Um and we have 90 to 100 um families

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that visit with us every other week. Um
mostly from Cumberland in North

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Yarmouth. We do have some outliers. Um
we started with the churches in the area

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with White Pines, with UCCC, with Holy
Martyrs, um with a number of other

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churches in the area, uh Tuttle Road.
So, um, we had some friends from those

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churches that came and, um, we've kind
of kept a lot of them along and

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sometimes people move from one place to
another and they ask if they can stay

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with us. Um, so we are, um, you know, we
try to help that out. God bless you. Um,

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so, you know, we go up to maybe 120
families or so around the holidays. Um,

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you know, different times of the year
for sure, we see u bumps in people. Um

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but um you know it's really since co um
every other Friday we don't have clients

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come in the pantry anymore. We um I
think what is you know a little special

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about us um is that we communicate with
our clients um some a volunteer um every

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week or every open week. So every other
week we communicate with them and we

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find out what their needs are. We have
personal conversations with them. Um you

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know we we know their patterns.
Sometimes we have sent um you know

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county sheriff's department for a
wellness check if we don't hear from um

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from some of our clients. So, I you
know, it's a really it's a great

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connection. And, you know, when when you
come here on Friday night, um if ever

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you try to come by, you know, if ever,
you know, Matt's parked in the parking

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lot, uh they're lined up by like noon.
You know, we don't open our doors till

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3, but they, you know, obviously, um
have made friendships among themselves.

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And, um so, you know, it's a social it's
definitely a social event. Um, you know,

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like I said, we do the shopping for them
in the pantry. So, the stable goods, the

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dry goods. Um, when they come, we put in
um some meats that they requested, some

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frozen items, you know, milk, eggs,
cheese, um, you know, deli, uh, those

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kind of things. And then they get to get
out of their cars and go into what is

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the police bay next to us, next to the
food pantry, which we set up on Friday

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morning at 6:45,
um into a market that they can shop for

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their own fruits and vegetables and
breads and pastries, you know, which

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generally um are, you know, a
significant amount from the local

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Hannerford. Um,
so as far as technically, um, every one

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of our clients fills out paperwork that,
you know, we have Cumberland, uh,

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community food pantry paperwork. Um,
every one of our clients fills out part

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of that paperwork is the TFAP form, the,
um, emergency food assistance program

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from the federal government. You guys,
I'm sure, are all familiar with that

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because in October, November, you all um
uh agreed to the forms that come out

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that have uh income eligibility
guidelines on it. Um have the SNAP, you

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know, and Tannif and any wick and
anything else on there, the boxes that

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they can check. So, everybody fills that
out. Um, you know, Paige Kbakus, who is

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your GA administrator. She is also I'm
I'm from Felmouth, by the way. She's

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also a Felmouth GA, so she's a lot of
regional She does GA for a lot of the

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regional communities. She sent us all,
including you, I'm sure, uh, the DHS

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um, information last year on the number
of SNAP recipients in the area, you

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know, written out by towns. And you
know, here in Cumberland, you're over a

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hundred um friends and neighbors on
SNAP. Um and so Paige works with them

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on, you know, GA and things that she can
things that you as a community support.

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Um you know, heating assistance, rental
assistance, those kind of things. She

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sends them to me for food. We are food.
We begin with food and we end with food

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and we do as much food as we can. So,
um, but you know, but Paige is a great

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resource and she and I connect and she's
here on Thursdays in the little

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conference room over there and she's a
wonderful resource for everybody. Um,

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and sends people my way when they need
some help. Um, you know, as far as the

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world that we're living in now, uh, SNAP
is hurting people in this community.

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SNAP is hurting people all over for
sure. Um, but but for sure, you know, I

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always want people, you know, like I
said, in my community of Felmouth and in

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your community of Cumberland, there are
people here that are hurt by this, well,

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by what was the snap cuts in the big
newspaper, still is the snap cuts. Um,

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so I can say that that's still a thing
that we um have. I don't do personally

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help them, but I try to help them
further in food because I know that SNAP

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cuts hurts a lot of them. Um what I can
see is the USDA cuts has definitely made

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a difference in what food I can get. Um
local farmers um we're not getting the

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food or the fresh produce we used to
get. For instance, this week I order

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from the good sheeperd um and the
wayside food program. I was not order

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able to order potatoes and carrots and
onions. Your basic 50 lb bags. We used

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to always have four 50 pound bags of
potatoes and carrots and onions. Um, but

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I couldn't get any this week because I'm
hopeful that the good shepherd has a

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little bit of them and they'll give me a
few in the van when we go up on

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Thursday, but those are cuts and the
farmers aren't farming for food pantries

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anymore. So, those are kind of specific
things that are in the news that are

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truly happening to us or to all of our
people. Um, but you know what?

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Hannerford's been amazing. They, you
know, we get a lot of food. And again,

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we can do it because we have amazing
volunteers every Thursday, every Sunday

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that um picks it up, brings it to us,
and sorts it. You know, some of it's not

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good. We do a lot of um pig runs.
Danielle and Dana and Dean know where

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the pig farm is very well. So, um, but,
you know, we do get a lot of stuff. And

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again, without our volunteers, we
couldn't take all of this food because

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we couldn't deal with it. Um, and we
also have great refrigeration.

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We have a great walk-in freezer, so
everything gets immediately um put all

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of the meats, all of the pastries, all
of the breads go in the walk-in freezer

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until the night before we're open. Um,
so there's a lot of different things

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going on. Um, but it's good. It's, you
know, it's there's a lot of, you know,

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some scary things that are happening.
The Good Sheeperd is doing a great job

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at trying to manage it all. Um, you
know, Don Morrison over at the Wayside

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Food Program is doing a great job trying
to manage it all. You know, Paige here.

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Um, but you know, I have to say
Cumberland has been an amazing

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community. Um, you know, we have amazing
partners here in Cumberland. I mean,

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Matt, Whitney, Helen, you know, and um
library, lots of library folks and, you

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know, lots of volunteers that that we
have here and and Jessica in the finance

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office as well. And Christina and Devon
and Ally and, you know, at the at the

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clerk's office and um you know, and
certainly the police department puts up

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with us. You know, we try to be a good
neighbor and keep the place clean and

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stuff, but um you know, doors are open
and and when it's hot, I'm sure it

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affects them. um you know with their air
conditioning but um you know but they

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put up with us. So um you know the the
schools have been amazing. May I Wilson

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um does a lot with you know bringing us
food once a month. They have little

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collections at the school. The middle
school does Scholastic book funds and

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brings us books for our we can donate to
our kids and money. Um, you know, I had

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I worked with um some students from um
the high school from a world studies

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class, I think it was, that wanted to do
something and so we, you know, talked

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and and they made us some food to give
out to our friends. Um, you know, the

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cafeteria is great. When they go on
break, they bring us all of their food

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and, you know, we're thrilled to be able
to um give it to everybody and, you

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know, pre-made sandwiches and soups and
things like that. Um certainly Fab Fab.

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I'm sure you've seen the bus with the
big Fab Fab. Filip Fil a bus. Um it's a

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huge program every year. Um and uh you
know, gosh, I I like I said, I could go

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on and on. Um the library has been
amazing and has um you know, done a lot

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for us as well. Um, you know, Cumberland
Crossing group of friends, Village

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Green, Food Stop, um, you know,
[clears throat] local farmers, Sicilian

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Table, Tuscan Table, Maggie Mays, you
know, all these relationships that we

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have, um, you know, help us, you know,
even the farmers market, um, they have

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Maine Harvest Bucks and they, you know,
give us some help as well. So, um, so

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it's great. You know, bottom line is
it's every day is a struggle for some

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people and we do everything we can to
help them out. Um, we try to be

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friendly. I think we have fun. I think
we laugh and joke and, um, smile a lot

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with our friends and I think that they
just think they're coming grocery

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shopping and that's what we try to make
it feel like. So, um, you know, we do

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special events Thanksgiving and
Christmas. I'm sure you guys know

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because this whole town council chambers
is full of stuff. Um, you know, we just

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did school supplies, so you know, we all
know how expensive that is and trying to

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help teachers so that they don't have to
supply everything. So, um, yeah, I mean,

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it just it's it's we go on and on with
the things that we try to do to help.

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Um, and the things that I don't think
people understand that even those that

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get SNAP, you can't buy toilet paper
with SNAP. Um, you know, you can't buy

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dish soap with SNAP. um you you know
there's so many things you can't buy. So

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we try you know we with our cash
donations we buy everybody gets three

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rolls of toilet paper and a roll of
paper towels every other week. Uh you

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00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:25,759
know dish soap, laundry soap, um you
know other things, cleaning supplies,

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you can't buy them with um with SNAP. So
you know if you're money is limited,

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you're going to buy food, you're not
necessarily going to buy those kind of

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things. So we we recognize that we get a
lot of food donated that we can give.

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the money we get donated, we try to
spend on other things that we feel um

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you know, me as a as a mom, as a parent,
as a person living in a home needs and

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that other people would appreciate. So,
um

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so
I don't know if that I got no agenda for

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00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:55,759
what I was supposed to talk about.
[laughter]

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Matt just said, "Come on over." And I
said, "I got permission from my town I'm

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a town counselor at Felma. So, I got
permission from my town manager to be

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late to my um council meeting." And um
but uh so I I have no agenda other than

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that um laid out for you and you know if
there are any um specific questions you

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00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:25,679
know I'm going to take off after this
but we have we do have an email cfpo421

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um pretty simple atgmail um or we have a
phone number downstairs 558-9121

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um which instantly sends me an email
that says you have a voicemail and you

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You know, I it's a fascinating again,
town of Cumberland has set it up.

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Brandon's a great IT guy. Uh, you know,
set it up for us so that we can um, you

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know, we don't have anybody that
actually works in the office. So, um,

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but I thank you.
>> How did I do? Did I cover it all?

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» My people.
[laughter]

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» I learned more than I ever knew I wanted
to know. I appreciate it. So, um, we

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have, uh, councelor Filson will go first
and then councelor Vil has a question or

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00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:08,320
comment. Thank you so much um just for
all of the great work and for you all

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being here. This is so wonderful and a
privilege for us to be able to recognize

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you. Um I had two questions. Uh so for
folks to qualify um to get uh food for

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paper towels uh everything um that you
provide. So for the paperwork,

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say someone loses their job and you you
so your your income statements from last

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00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:36,880
year aren't going to reflect that. Is
there flexibility with all of that or do

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00:18:34,559 --> 00:18:41,600
people have to kind of qualify on paper
per their last like tax return?

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» Absolutely. If you come to the food
pantry because you need food, I'm going

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00:18:43,120 --> 00:18:48,720
to give you food. Okay. I'm not I don't
ask people to bring We are asking them

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to bring an ID so we can see where they
live. Um, but I'm not, you know, and we

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and we tell them to fill out the TFAP
form. They don't have to circle um their

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income on the TFAP form. They just have
to check the box that says that they

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have reviewed it and so that they
understand what the eligibility

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requirements are. But I do not um we
don't ask if you need food um and you

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come to us, we're going to give you food
because you're right, there are, you

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know, we've had divorced a divorced mom
and you know and and and I just said to

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her, I want you to be safe and if that
means you have to get divorced and go

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live somewhere else, then I'm going to
give you every food I can give you. I

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mean, I you know, I've got nothing else,
but I can give you a lot of food. So,

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yeah, for sure. we don't um you know
check their last year's tax returns and

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all that kind of thing. So
>> awesome. Um and then my second question

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was um so right now you don't have
enough onions and carrots and um are

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there parameters around like where you
were able to accept food from i.e. if I

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grew way too many gigantic zucchini this
year and I have 15 chickens so we are

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always have lots of eggs. Are people
able to just regular citizens able to

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donate or do you have to work through
some of the organizations that you

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mentioned? [snorts]
>> No, we will take food from regular

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citizens. You know, you're not you're
not a regular citizen. You're a town

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counselor. Uh [laughter]

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» I'm below a regular citizen. Um so yeah,
I mean, you know, especially at this

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time, we do get some people that come by
on a Friday. You know, the hard part is

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we're open every other Friday, so I
don't want to take your fresh

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vegetables. I could put them in my
refrigerator, but I don't want you to

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leave them in the grocery cart out
front. Again, we have volunteers that

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probably almost every day check the
carts and bring them downstairs, but it

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would help us more if you sent us an
email or, you know, and said, "Hey, I've

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got, you know, [clears throat] 10 pounds
of zucchini." And I would say, "Okay,

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well, come either I can meet you here at
a certain day or tell you when people

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are here." um generally all day Thursday
before our open day Friday and we are

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open this Friday. So you know if you
look from there on out for the

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foreseeable well it till maybe January
1st but um or Sunday mornings Danielle

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is here we get Hannerford here. So, so
there are opportunities for sure. Um,

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even to the point where, you know, I
have a dear friend whose dog died and

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she said, "I have this giant bag, half
bag of dog food. Can I bring it over?"

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And sure. Um, so you know, so again um
and we have somebody I think from the

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council or from prior council brings us
um some deer meat that is processed. And

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again, we kind of need to know. I don't
just take it from just anybody. I don't

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if it's in the cart and it's something
that's perishable, I'm gonna throw it

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away. But if I get a call or an email
that says, I have, you know, we had this

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big retirement party and and we, you
know, took whatever and we're going to

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bring it to you or something, we can
make that work. For sure.

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» I think it's good for people at home to
know, too.

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» Yeah, for sure. Yeah.
[clears throat]

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» I want to thank you for all you've all
do and all the people that that are here

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that uh put the work behind it. Uh we
had a former town counselor, Tom Gruber.

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Uh Bill Rashane, his wife, uh all three
of them put tremendous amount of hours

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in. Uh and I I just it's it fills such
an important part of the needs of the

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community. Uh the thing that I
appreciate your you mentioning is that

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you speak to the people that come and so
those conversations, you know, people

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who have food insecurities also have
other insecurities. And I hope that

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there's a uh that you're you're reaching
out to them and questioning them, you

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know, whether it's a set of winter tires
or a car repair or a roof patch or

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something like that. There are
organizations, the Lions Club for one.

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Uh but there's also other people that in
the community who will step up and and

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00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:57,919
provide some of those things that that
as a as needed basis. So, uh, I'm hoping

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that you those conversations are ongoing
and and that you you know the people.

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» We do. Yeah. Yeah. For sure. Like I
said, I I don't provide those kind of

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things. And you're right, Bill Shane,
you know, had more connections than I

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did, but um but you know, Cop Motors and
Story Brothers and you know, there's a

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00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:22,559
lot of community groups that do um a lot
of work here and that can be connected

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00:23:20,559 --> 00:23:26,320
to these people to help. You know, like
I said, Paige helps do some I think

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00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:30,960
Devon works with the seniors and she
helps them connect with others. So, um,

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yeah, there are some great community
connections here. And we do, you know,

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feel comfortable that we know our people
pretty well.

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00:23:38,559 --> 00:23:43,919
» Anyone else on the council questions or
comments?

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» Yeah.
I I just given the changes in the SNAP

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benefits and the u you know the
qualifying levels are you guys going to

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00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:59,520
adjust yours your levels? I know you say
you don't really ask but you are asking

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them to do the forms. Are you going to
kind of keep it at historical levels or

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00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:09,840
» so the the TFAT form that we have them
fill out is something that you as town

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00:24:07,679 --> 00:24:15,440
counselors us at as all town counselors
in the region um is something that we

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approve. So, um it's not uh the income
eligibility statement is not something

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that um that comes from us. It's a state
form. It's a a TFAP federal form. And I

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don't see it changing dramatically. I
mean, you know, maybe Matt is in on the

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00:24:29,919 --> 00:24:36,240
on the conversation a bit more or, you
know, it might be a good question to

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00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:41,760
catch up with Paige someday and have um
her come and talk a bit more about um

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how it happens, but it comes through DHS
and um you know, and and it is way above

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my zero dollar pay grade. [laughter]
>> Yeah. I just I guess my question was

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just is like just because the federal
mandates changed, are we going to be

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able to maintain the same level of
service? Right. that that that's the

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goal is to maintain the same level of
service.

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» Absolutely.
>> Yeah.

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» Yeah.
Great.

278
00:25:04,159 --> 00:25:08,240
» All right.
>> Yeah. Go for it.

279
00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:12,080
» Just wanted to say thank you for
everything you folks do and uh

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appreciate appreciate all your efforts.
Thank you.

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00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:18,799
» Thank you. Thank you so much, Danielle,
for coming tonight. For real. This is

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00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:22,480
very enlightening. I had no idea all
like the interconnected web of

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00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:25,679
everything that the food pantry does and
>> community partnerships and everything

284
00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:30,320
like that. It's really awesome to hear
more about your day-to-day and just how

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00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:34,000
it all works. I appreciate it.
>> Well, I'm thrilled that the library is

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00:25:32,159 --> 00:25:37,840
on the is on the agenda because I didn't
ask my friends to come tonight, but

287
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[laughter]
>> bonus. So, thank you.

288
00:25:39,679 --> 00:25:45,520
» Thank you so much.
>> Send and send us an email or, you know,

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00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:48,559
give us a call. I'm gonna fly out of
here, but uh happy to answer any more

290
00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:50,960
questions.
>> Yeah. Thank you.

291
00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:56,400
» Thank you.
>> All righty. Next up is our manager's

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00:25:53,919 --> 00:26:02,159
report. Turn it over to you.
>> Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh this evening

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00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:06,720
uh we you get a two for one special and
uh that and I'm I hope I'm wise enough

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00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:11,600
at this point to get out of the way
because we have a fantastic uh library

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00:26:09,360 --> 00:26:15,360
director in Stacy Mer who's here this
evening and she's given us a uh she

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00:26:14,159 --> 00:26:20,880
she's given the council a lot of
background information as well as u our

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00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:24,480
impact report for this year. So, I had
asked her when we met at our monthly

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00:26:22,799 --> 00:26:29,520
meeting if she'd be willing to come to
the council this evening and lo and

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00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:33,120
behold, she did. So, I'll get out of her
way that I have a few items after after

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00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:34,559
that if it'd be okay that I can circle
back on.

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00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:37,120
» Sure.
>> Thank you.

302
00:26:34,799 --> 00:26:41,000
» Oh, yes. Yes. [laughter]
>> She's coming to get me.

303
00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:44,880
» Okay, here we go.
>> Hi.

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00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:49,760
» Hello.
>> Good evening. [laughter] I'm Stacy Maer,

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00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:54,080
the director of Prince Memorial Library.
Uh, thank you so much for having me

306
00:26:51,440 --> 00:27:00,400
tonight. I'm just here to do a sort of
short wrap-up of fiscal year 26.

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00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:06,799
We have had record high attendance at
library events. Um, really good card

308
00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:12,159
holder growth this year. And for every
dollar invested in fiscal year 26, we

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00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:17,440
saw a $1.75 of return on that
investment.

310
00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:21,520
Um we saw really we've seen really great
through the door statistics for visits.

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00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:26,799
We are sort of holding steady at around
60,000 visits right now post the

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00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:32,039
pandemic and that's an increase over
before the pandemic which is more around

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00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:32,039
the 50,000.

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00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:41,360
We are seeing incredible growth within
our events. Uh this year alone we saw a

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00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:46,080
12% increase over last year and we've
seen three straight years of increase

316
00:27:43,279 --> 00:27:49,520
which is in part because we have made
this very deliberate choice over the

317
00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:53,200
last five years to invest in our
staffing. So I'm very thankful for that

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00:27:51,679 --> 00:28:00,279
and I'm thankful for all the hard work
that our staff has done to get that um

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00:27:56,000 --> 00:28:00,279
that engagement with our community.

320
00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:09,919
So as you know in 2024 we joined a 60
area library consortium called Manurva

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00:28:07,360 --> 00:28:13,919
and since that this is our first full
year in Manurva and we've seen this

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00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:18,240
really awesome growth of our library
card holders. We added around 600 new

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00:28:16,640 --> 00:28:23,840
library card holders this year which is
about a 15% increase which is great. So,

324
00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:29,440
what our goal is though, um, by fiscal
year 28, we hope to have 6,000 library

325
00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:33,840
card holders overall. And stay tuned in
September, which is library card signup

326
00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:37,200
week, uh, signup month, um, we're going
to be launching a new initiative, and we

327
00:28:35,919 --> 00:28:40,200
hope you will join us in that
initiative.

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00:28:40,559 --> 00:28:46,000
Along with all of the work that we did
to get ready for Manurva, we've done a

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00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:51,200
lot of weeding in our collection. And so
weeding is basically basically where we

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00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:55,279
uh withdraw um old outdated material,
worn material, just things that aren't

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00:28:53,279 --> 00:29:00,159
really very active in our community. And
typically when you do a really good job

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00:28:56,640 --> 00:29:03,440
at weeding, it produces really good
results because people are more able to

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00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:07,840
find the the items that they want. Your
collection does a lot better. And we

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00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:12,159
have seen that this year. We are also
seeing this first year of engagement

335
00:29:09,679 --> 00:29:16,880
with Manurva going very strongly. We've
had uh our patrons request 12,000 items

336
00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:22,000
from other libraries and we have sent
out 12,000 items as well. Um I'm looking

337
00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:26,320
forward to fiscal year 27 when we see
what our first full year of Manurva is

338
00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:30,399
versus our second. I'm really hoping
that as people get comfortable with

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00:29:28,399 --> 00:29:35,840
Manurva, we start to see more growth of
that within our community.

340
00:29:33,679 --> 00:29:41,039
So as I said uh what we did is there is
a uh a calculator online. It's the main

341
00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:45,440
state libraries value calculator. So
they assign a retail value for every

342
00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:49,440
book, every event, every reference
question, anything that you could think

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00:29:47,440 --> 00:29:54,240
of. Uh the value calculator is actually
from 2019. So let's imagine the

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00:29:52,799 --> 00:29:59,039
appreciation that's probably happened
since then. But with that calculator, uh

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00:29:56,880 --> 00:30:03,679
we have found that based on
appropriation last year, as I said,

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00:30:01,039 --> 00:30:08,640
we've seen a $1.75 of investment
returned on what we uh committed to the

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00:30:06,399 --> 00:30:15,840
library, which I think is fantastic. has
around $1.5 million that our community

348
00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:19,840
shows has engaged in our library.
So, what we're hoping to sort of focus

349
00:30:17,279 --> 00:30:23,600
on in the next couple years, um we are
hopefully doing a building assessment.

350
00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:28,080
We're going to do a community needs
assessment. As I said before, we're

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00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:32,799
hoping to increase our card holders to
6,000. And we're going to continue to

352
00:30:30,399 --> 00:30:37,200
pursue investing in our youth services
uh staffing because we do feel that if

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00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:40,640
we continue to increase hours within
that that service pool, we'll see the

354
00:30:39,200 --> 00:30:46,799
response from our community. They've
shown that already when we put it out

355
00:30:42,799 --> 00:30:50,120
there for them, they come to it.
Any questions?

356
00:30:52,799 --> 00:30:59,679
Questions, comments? Anyone? Yeah, go
for it.

357
00:30:57,200 --> 00:31:02,559
I have a lot of questions. Um, and what
I really want to ask you is the best

358
00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:04,880
thing you've read in the last 12 months,
but I'm not going to ask you that

359
00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:08,159
question. [laughter]
Um,

360
00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:09,919
» dungeon [clears throat] crawler Carl.
>> Dungeon crawler car.

361
00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:11,919
» Carl.
>> Carl.

362
00:31:10,399 --> 00:31:16,320
» Carl. Thank you.
>> Don't expect it to be high literature.

363
00:31:15,286 --> 00:31:18,399
[laughter]
>> Just fun.

364
00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:26,159
» I'm just glad you didn't say yester
year. Um, uh, which is also wonderful.

365
00:31:21,919 --> 00:31:30,320
But anyway, um so one of the So, uh
I love like I think that I love the

366
00:31:28,399 --> 00:31:34,640
library. Um but I think the library um
especially for um I mean every everyone

367
00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:39,279
has different things that they love
about the library, right? Um I'm in the

368
00:31:36,399 --> 00:31:44,399
phase of life where uh when school is
closed um and it's on a weekday uh

369
00:31:42,159 --> 00:31:47,679
that's not Monday. Um, you know, we try
to get over there as quickly as

370
00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:52,240
possible. Uh, because you are a port in
the storm, especially when, uh, you're a

371
00:31:50,240 --> 00:31:56,559
working parent and you're trying to
mangle your, you know, naughty children.

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00:31:54,960 --> 00:32:01,760
And one of the wonderful things about
the library is that parents can work and

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00:32:00,159 --> 00:32:05,760
um, you know, kind of their kids can be
entertained in a safe environment that's

374
00:32:03,360 --> 00:32:09,360
not in front of a screen. Knowing that
the library is closed and you mentioned

375
00:32:07,279 --> 00:32:14,320
kind of special programming, I wonder if
you guys had ever talked about or

376
00:32:11,360 --> 00:32:18,799
considered maybe doing like some kind of
programming or maybe even a couple of

377
00:32:16,080 --> 00:32:24,960
hours on like certain holidays when that
might fall onto a Monday or like if

378
00:32:21,919 --> 00:32:29,600
that's totally crazy. Uh, understood.
Not trying to add more to your already

379
00:32:26,559 --> 00:32:34,799
very full plate. Um, I just I I know it
is like such a port in the storm as it's

380
00:32:32,399 --> 00:32:38,880
such a wonderful thing and um not trying
to milk more out of you, but is there

381
00:32:36,640 --> 00:32:42,559
any opportunity to I think it's a
service that a lot of parents

382
00:32:40,559 --> 00:32:45,120
desperately feel when they're like,
"What do I do when my kids are off, you

383
00:32:44,799 --> 00:32:49,600
know?"
>> Yeah. So, the library I came from, we

384
00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:53,919
would typically actually be open um two
Mondays. We picked two that we would

385
00:32:51,519 --> 00:32:57,679
randomly try to be in service. Um it's
economics. We would have to budget for

386
00:32:55,679 --> 00:33:02,080
it. That's that's what it comes down to.
It's staff hours. Um

387
00:33:00,559 --> 00:33:06,080
» that's good to know.
>> And but I mean Mondays in general, I

388
00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:09,840
think we could be open every day of the
week. People basically asked us to be

389
00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:14,720
open every day of the week.
>> Sure.

390
00:33:11,279 --> 00:33:18,080
» Um I sure give us some money. We'll do
it. [laughter]

391
00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:22,240
» Okay. Great. Great.
>> Thank you. But yes, that that certainly

392
00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:26,080
sounds like yes, we see it on the on the
holidays and on the the early release

393
00:33:24,159 --> 00:33:31,360
Wednesdays, we are very busy. We have a
lot of children that come over and are

394
00:33:28,399 --> 00:33:36,720
engaged in gaming and Legos and hanging
out and their parents come in, they get

395
00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:39,679
books. Yes. So, we know that we are one
of the many resources that families use

396
00:33:39,039 --> 00:33:43,200
when it's
>> and love.

397
00:33:40,480 --> 00:33:47,039
» Yay. Yes.
>> I have a question, but you can go first.

398
00:33:45,519 --> 00:33:50,559
» Uh, this isn't really a question. It's
just more of a comment. Uh, thank you

399
00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:54,159
for getting Libby.
>> You're welcome.

400
00:33:51,519 --> 00:33:58,240
» I've been waiting for years and years
and, you know, having to use it for

401
00:33:56,240 --> 00:34:02,000
other libraries that are much further a
field. Um, so thank you.

402
00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:06,799
» That was one of the big initiatives we
just did this past um, year and that is

403
00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:10,320
in part because our lovely, wonderful
friends at the library did help

404
00:34:08,320 --> 00:34:14,399
supplement the funding for that. Um,
that is a, if you don't know, uh, we get

405
00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:19,119
cloud library through the state. that is
an ebook service where you can read

406
00:34:16,320 --> 00:34:23,679
ebooks or e audiobooks. And then we have
decided to invest part of our budget

407
00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:28,720
specifically into a new platform that's
not new called Libby. Um it works a bit

408
00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:34,079
more on some of the other types of
Kindle readers. And so we started with

409
00:34:31,280 --> 00:34:40,000
our very little libby library. It was
just um but we have been fortunate

410
00:34:37,119 --> 00:34:44,560
enough that uh Wells and Kabunk have
agreed to basically share collections

411
00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:48,879
with us. So we have formed our little
tiny consortium of three libraries and

412
00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:54,399
so you can check out books from Wells
and Kennabunk and us and they all show

413
00:34:51,599 --> 00:34:59,280
up in the app now very easily. You don't
have to like hunt and peck for them.

414
00:34:56,320 --> 00:35:02,560
» So if I go on and look for a book and it
says that it's available at Prince

415
00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:04,720
Memorial, even if it's not actually
Prince Memorial as well as kind of bunk

416
00:35:04,079 --> 00:35:07,119
that will
>> show it a little different on your app.

417
00:35:06,079 --> 00:35:10,560
Why don't you just come on by the
library and I'll show you and I can walk

418
00:35:09,280 --> 00:35:13,920
you through it. [laughter] But yeah, the
the icon for the library, I think it

419
00:35:12,240 --> 00:35:17,119
like changes color for the library card
itself. So,

420
00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:20,400
» okay. But I don't need to put a a card
in for Wells or Kabunker. Okay. Just

421
00:35:20,079 --> 00:35:22,720
great.
>> It just works.

422
00:35:21,440 --> 00:35:24,880
» Perfect.
>> So cool.

423
00:35:23,599 --> 00:35:29,440
» Yes.
>> All right. My question because I'm

424
00:35:26,800 --> 00:35:33,760
looking at um one of your like key
priorities going forward is like the

425
00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:37,520
teen attendance and the drop in kind of
engagement with them. Do you all know

426
00:35:35,680 --> 00:35:41,359
why that's happening or have like a
strategy for how to bring that back? Is

427
00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:45,760
it the activities [clears throat] or
timings or

428
00:35:43,839 --> 00:35:49,359
» so? I wouldn't say that um while
attendance at teen events is kind of

429
00:35:47,760 --> 00:35:54,720
down, that doesn't mean that we aren't
seeing teens in the library. The library

430
00:35:51,520 --> 00:36:00,400
is very busy for teens after school. Um
it comes down to staffing. Um Jennifer

431
00:35:57,839 --> 00:36:05,119
and it was previously Melissa only have
so much time in their day to both host

432
00:36:02,560 --> 00:36:09,920
events, manage collections, and do all
the other things that they have to do.

433
00:36:06,960 --> 00:36:14,560
So if we are able to in the next couple
years increase our hours for that youth

434
00:36:11,680 --> 00:36:20,960
service position. We we have seen in the
region Thompson literally in their most

435
00:36:16,960 --> 00:36:26,000
recent fiscal um report the library not
the town talked about how they had um

436
00:36:24,079 --> 00:36:29,839
previously like a assistant director
teen librarian shared position and they

437
00:36:27,760 --> 00:36:33,839
had these low attendances and when they
made the deliberate decision to break

438
00:36:31,200 --> 00:36:36,480
those out. They immediately saw this
>> when there's that human there that's

439
00:36:35,359 --> 00:36:40,320
just for you
>> right

440
00:36:37,680 --> 00:36:43,280
» it it brings it brings people in. So,
um, if if we get to that point, that

441
00:36:41,920 --> 00:36:47,720
would be fantastic. I think that will
address it.

442
00:36:44,720 --> 00:36:47,720
» Great.

443
00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:53,040
» Questions, comments from the council.
>> Thank you, Stacy.

444
00:36:51,839 --> 00:36:55,119
» Thank you. So, before I leave, I just
want to say one thing or two things or

445
00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:59,920
two things.
>> First, thank you so much to my amazing

446
00:36:57,520 --> 00:37:05,280
staff. They are the reason that our
community comes to our library. Their

447
00:37:02,640 --> 00:37:09,040
generosity and the care and love that
they show everybody that walks through

448
00:37:06,640 --> 00:37:14,240
that door. They challenge me every day
to be a really good leader. Um, so if

449
00:37:12,480 --> 00:37:19,200
you are wondering why our library is so
great, it's them. Um, and also thank you

450
00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:24,800
very much to our amazing friends of the
library. They fund all of our events.

451
00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:29,280
All of the work they do, the hard free
work they do is how we have all the

452
00:37:26,880 --> 00:37:33,680
events that we have in this town. And of
course, thank you and thank you to our

453
00:37:31,359 --> 00:37:36,240
advisory board.
>> Okay.

454
00:37:35,119 --> 00:37:39,240
» Thank you very much. Thank you very
much.

455
00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:46,400
» Just do it.
>> All right, back to you.

456
00:37:44,480 --> 00:37:51,119
» That is one very tough act to follow
after you. [laughter]

457
00:37:48,240 --> 00:37:56,000
So, thanks Stacy. She's amazing and and
councelor Filson. She is uh our library

458
00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:59,440
director is very good in the no judgment
area for what we read for books. and uh

459
00:37:58,320 --> 00:38:04,640
she's [laughter]
she doesn't mind the the the uh the

460
00:38:01,760 --> 00:38:08,880
reacher books that I read,
but uh no, it's just great. I mean, it's

461
00:38:06,960 --> 00:38:12,320
it's a se it's a celebration. So, thank
you very much for that. Uh I I have a

462
00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:16,960
couple different items to talk about
with the council this evening. Uh I'd

463
00:38:14,079 --> 00:38:19,839
like to circle back on uh I some
conversation at the last meeting that I

464
00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:25,040
wasn't at um that I [clears throat] want
to talk about with u regarding the

465
00:38:22,240 --> 00:38:29,839
reval. And then uh I had another just
I'll start off some quick updates. uh

466
00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:33,359
the village green gazebo. I don't know
if you had a chance to look at that. It

467
00:38:31,599 --> 00:38:36,960
was in a mess. I mean, it was in
disrespect disrepair early in the

468
00:38:35,760 --> 00:38:41,119
summer.
>> Well, uh Mr. Baldick has done a great

469
00:38:39,520 --> 00:38:45,599
job moving Heaven and Earth and getting
the right folks in there. It's uh now

470
00:38:43,359 --> 00:38:51,200
have a full refresh, so it's in great
shape now. Um has a brand new roof,

471
00:38:48,000 --> 00:38:55,920
decking, structure repairs, uh put some
good drainage in there. Uh and a lot of

472
00:38:53,839 --> 00:39:02,400
lot of really good work. A lot of our
work was done by our public works staff

473
00:38:57,680 --> 00:39:06,880
as well. Uh and uh it's it's back to uh
back to being ready to to rock and roll.

474
00:39:04,480 --> 00:39:11,359
So, it's it's beautiful there. Now, uh I
do want to thank Wallace Roofing because

475
00:39:08,560 --> 00:39:15,760
they donated the roof u the roofing job.
So, that was really nice of them to do.

476
00:39:13,760 --> 00:39:21,119
Uh so, their sign's going to be out on
the out by the road for about another 75

477
00:39:18,800 --> 00:39:24,640
days. Um that was part of part of the
deal, but that was a really nice nice

478
00:39:23,040 --> 00:39:28,720
gift by them to do that. And this it
just looks great and it it really sits

479
00:39:26,160 --> 00:39:31,839
perfectly in there. And speaking of the
uh of the village green, there is a

480
00:39:30,079 --> 00:39:35,440
brand new sidewalk in there. We had all
that torn out and Story Brothers did a

481
00:39:33,440 --> 00:39:39,680
great job on that. We did that all as
part of the uh part of the bid work for

482
00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:44,079
the some of the work that they had to do
for the school project. Uh that so that

483
00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:47,760
work was done right at the same time
after they finished up the the new

484
00:39:45,680 --> 00:39:51,280
sidewalks on Tuttle Road. So, uh that
all kind of came together and we wanted

485
00:39:49,280 --> 00:39:54,640
that to be ready uh in time for the
school year to begin. So, and you might

486
00:39:53,280 --> 00:40:00,880
have noticed this in really nice new
flashing uh I always murder this

487
00:39:57,760 --> 00:40:04,480
acronym, but it's like RRFBS or
reflecting flashing beacons uh that

488
00:40:03,359 --> 00:40:07,280
we've got on there and I think we're
doing another one up on Main Street that

489
00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:11,440
we had talked about earlier, Council
Mun. So, uh so we're in good shape

490
00:40:09,440 --> 00:40:15,520
there. Very excited about that and have
that ready. Um there there will be

491
00:40:12,960 --> 00:40:21,599
another sidewalk done next summer and
that's going to be from uh Main Street

492
00:40:18,560 --> 00:40:25,359
down Blanchard Road uh to just after
Sweetzers. So that's all part of that

493
00:40:23,440 --> 00:40:30,640
same project. Uh but that's going to be
on next year's next year's work

494
00:40:27,200 --> 00:40:35,760
workload. Uh there is if you are on Main
Street, you're going to notice there is

495
00:40:31,839 --> 00:40:40,720
a nice new water fountain at Moside. And
uh I I will say I got to give credit to

496
00:40:38,400 --> 00:40:45,440
Jess Grandon. She was bird dogging me
from like the second month I was here to

497
00:40:43,040 --> 00:40:49,920
uh to replace that one that had been
shut down during the pandemic and it was

498
00:40:47,280 --> 00:40:54,640
old and uh needed a refresh anyways. But
it's got a bottle bottle filler fountain

499
00:40:53,040 --> 00:40:57,839
and a dog bowl.
>> So uh it's a triple threat water

500
00:40:56,400 --> 00:41:03,760
fountain right there on Main Street. So
pretty excited about that. Uh when I uh

501
00:41:01,280 --> 00:41:08,000
a couple marathons ago, I I relied on
that uh as a water stop all along the

502
00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:11,359
way. So, my thrifty nature, I could
refill my bottle without having to spend

503
00:41:09,599 --> 00:41:18,319
money. But it's it's great to have that
back back in action now. So, uh let's

504
00:41:14,720 --> 00:41:22,640
see. We're wrapping up a paving work and
driveway uh replacement at Hawthorne

505
00:41:20,480 --> 00:41:25,599
Court. That was well overdue. So, I
think they're going to have that all

506
00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:29,280
tied up or wrapped up this week, which
is good. The road was in rough shape.

507
00:41:27,040 --> 00:41:32,960
And uh so, that'll be done uh this week.
in the, you know, we we are grateful for

508
00:41:31,119 --> 00:41:37,760
the patients of our residents who who
live there because they have to park in

509
00:41:35,040 --> 00:41:42,560
the in the circle in the middle while we
do all their driveways over. So, they've

510
00:41:39,839 --> 00:41:48,640
been great to work with on that. Um, the
work on the cover replacement on Route 9

511
00:41:45,119 --> 00:41:55,359
is ongoing. Uh, but the detour is still
in place. This is a state of Maine DOT

512
00:41:52,640 --> 00:42:01,040
project, not a town project. So, uh,
please don't kill me or our good people

513
00:41:57,839 --> 00:42:04,240
who work for us. Uh that is they were
supposed to have that opened up at the

514
00:42:02,480 --> 00:42:07,359
end of last week. It is not. So they've
got some they've got some issues that

515
00:42:05,760 --> 00:42:11,520
they're working on there, but we do
anticipate the road to reopen this week

516
00:42:09,200 --> 00:42:15,520
and uh just in time for school to begin
because uh the detour is about ready to

517
00:42:13,440 --> 00:42:21,040
be done.
Now on to the uh other item. I've got a

518
00:42:18,400 --> 00:42:26,000
couple items relating to taxes and and
the reval. Um, if you looked at your tax

519
00:42:23,760 --> 00:42:31,280
bill that you received hopefully in the
past few days, uh, good, bad, or

520
00:42:28,160 --> 00:42:36,880
indifferent, uh, you'll notice the
breakdown of the rate. It's a little bit

521
00:42:33,440 --> 00:42:42,319
odd this year. Uh, that was due to just
an error in figuring out the the the

522
00:42:39,599 --> 00:42:47,760
portions. The tax rate itself is is is
right. $1412 is the rate. However, the

523
00:42:45,839 --> 00:42:55,119
distribution between the town, the
county, and the school uh wasn't that

524
00:42:52,880 --> 00:43:00,720
the math on that wasn't done 100%
correct. So, um you'll notice I think

525
00:42:58,079 --> 00:43:06,319
the school was at like 55%, the town was
at like 40 some odd percent, and the

526
00:43:02,240 --> 00:43:09,440
county was at like 3%. Um
what happened was it just was

527
00:43:07,760 --> 00:43:14,480
miscalculated. They were looking at the
overall uh expenditures versus the net

528
00:43:12,480 --> 00:43:19,760
expenditures for the town. And so that
kind of it tweaked or it misrepresented

529
00:43:17,040 --> 00:43:23,680
the allocation on your second half tax
bill. The correction will be there on

530
00:43:21,680 --> 00:43:27,760
the town's website. We've got an update
that's going to be flowing out there. So

531
00:43:25,040 --> 00:43:32,720
it'll show the actual uh correct
allocation. Uh it should be that the the

532
00:43:30,400 --> 00:43:36,720
schools are at 68% of your tax rate,
which is where they've pretty much

533
00:43:34,000 --> 00:43:41,680
always have tracked. Uh so uh and then
the town's at about 28 and a.5% and the

534
00:43:39,440 --> 00:43:46,560
and the county is at three and a half%.
So that second half tax bill will show

535
00:43:43,520 --> 00:43:50,400
those proper ratios, but I just wanted
people to see that if it looked a little

536
00:43:47,760 --> 00:43:54,319
odd, that's because it was. So, uh, it's
repaired and like I said, the tax rate

537
00:43:52,000 --> 00:44:00,640
itself is fine and that's all accurate.
It's just how how it was divvied up. uh

538
00:43:57,920 --> 00:44:04,880
looking at the revaluation uh based on
the conversation that the council had uh

539
00:44:02,800 --> 00:44:08,640
two weeks ago and uh when the tax
assessor was here and trying to talk

540
00:44:06,319 --> 00:44:13,520
about uh what the impacts are of the of
the reval, I thought it might be

541
00:44:11,040 --> 00:44:19,200
important for council and uh and and our
good citizens to understand uh what the

542
00:44:16,160 --> 00:44:25,040
real impact of the reval itself was
versus saying like a lot of it la at the

543
00:44:22,400 --> 00:44:29,440
last meeting was talking about um how it
impacted and how was how uh like so many

544
00:44:27,599 --> 00:44:35,040
properties had their taxes go up by this
amount or were within this bracket here.

545
00:44:32,000 --> 00:44:38,960
Well, that included the
the annual increase in the budgets for

546
00:44:37,040 --> 00:44:44,160
the town, the county, and the and the
schools. So, um

547
00:44:42,079 --> 00:44:48,000
that would be your normal like the
impact of your normal tax rate increase.

548
00:44:46,560 --> 00:44:52,560
Uh so what I thought it might be
important to do is a little bit of a

549
00:44:50,000 --> 00:44:57,599
deeper dive and an analysis of the
assessment database to better understand

550
00:44:54,560 --> 00:45:01,599
as to where like what did the reval
really mean as far as if if you if

551
00:44:59,680 --> 00:45:06,000
everything was flat and nothing changed
on the spending side how did that really

552
00:45:04,079 --> 00:45:11,520
how did that get distributed across
across all the properties in town. So

553
00:45:08,720 --> 00:45:16,640
what I did was I took last year's budget
and this year's budget and looked at the

554
00:45:13,839 --> 00:45:19,839
net overmount to be raised and then
found the difference between the two and

555
00:45:18,240 --> 00:45:23,200
figured out what the percentage increase
was going to be from last year to this

556
00:45:21,680 --> 00:45:27,839
year.
Now offsetting that is and that was

557
00:45:25,839 --> 00:45:32,800
roughly okay let me get to this
offsetting that is the normal growth

558
00:45:29,440 --> 00:45:38,640
that we have. So if like year over year
houses get built, lots get split, um

559
00:45:36,079 --> 00:45:42,319
people do renovations, uh new personal
property comes to town that's taxable,

560
00:45:40,480 --> 00:45:47,280
things like that that change and we can
we know on average it's about 1.2 to

561
00:45:44,480 --> 00:45:53,040
1.5% annually is what the value increase
happens. Um

562
00:45:50,079 --> 00:45:58,240
so we take that into effect as well. And
then you also look at okay the school

563
00:45:55,839 --> 00:46:02,319
budget increased or the t let's see the
town went up by about two and a half

564
00:45:59,680 --> 00:46:08,319
percent this year. The school went up by
seven and three/4ers percent and the

565
00:46:05,280 --> 00:46:12,319
county increased by 7.6%.
So what I did was I took that amount

566
00:46:10,079 --> 00:46:18,160
there and figured out the impact of the
new value and the net impact of that

567
00:46:15,599 --> 00:46:22,000
those three budget increases was about
6.3%.

568
00:46:19,839 --> 00:46:25,440
So we stripped that out. So that kind of
brings us back to flatline. You could

569
00:46:23,599 --> 00:46:31,440
compare apples and apples at that point
in time. So then I took that and figured

570
00:46:27,920 --> 00:46:36,000
out what the new rate was. Well, um,
long story short, uh, the impact of the

571
00:46:34,400 --> 00:46:40,480
town, school, and county budget
increases resulted in about a dollar

572
00:46:38,079 --> 00:46:45,440
increase on the tax rate. So without
those increases, it would have been

573
00:46:42,000 --> 00:46:50,720
$1312 versus 1412, which is what the tax
rate is.

574
00:46:47,200 --> 00:46:54,800
So after that I took that new rate and
said okay now I know with the budget

575
00:46:52,640 --> 00:46:58,480
increases stripped out what's the true
impact of the reval meaning that it was

576
00:46:56,800 --> 00:47:04,000
revenue you know revenue neutral and all
that jazz but it it now I could say okay

577
00:47:01,680 --> 00:47:08,800
if if this house went up by this amount
what would it be if there was no tax

578
00:47:05,520 --> 00:47:14,240
increase so then I took that math and I
applied it to uh 3,923

579
00:47:12,560 --> 00:47:19,280
properties that's what we have in town
that are taxed So, and I know if I'm

580
00:47:17,760 --> 00:47:22,880
glazing you over, please forgive me, but
I'm just trying to get to the bottom of

581
00:47:20,800 --> 00:47:28,400
to try to see where it's at. Um, but
looking at that and comparing what the

582
00:47:24,880 --> 00:47:33,920
impact was due to the value change, uh,
it changed the picture a little bit. Um

583
00:47:31,359 --> 00:47:40,319
so the net uh so looking at all those
properties there was uh properties that

584
00:47:37,119 --> 00:47:45,760
had a decrease in in their taxes if just
because of the reval there was roughly

585
00:47:42,079 --> 00:47:49,280
about 1 1630 or about just under 42% of
the properties had their prop had their

586
00:47:47,440 --> 00:47:54,079
taxes decrease or would have had them
decrease if everything else had stayed

587
00:47:51,599 --> 00:47:57,680
flat.
16 properties had zero change like it

588
00:47:56,240 --> 00:48:02,640
would have been like to the penny the
same. That was like 4/10en of 1%. So

589
00:48:00,079 --> 00:48:08,000
that was that was an easy one. Um but
then really the the lion share like or

590
00:48:05,520 --> 00:48:13,599
or good let's look at the increase size
but from onetenth of 1% up to 5% there

591
00:48:11,520 --> 00:48:18,800
was like 1,272
properties or 32.4%.

592
00:48:16,480 --> 00:48:23,280
sets. So if you think about it, that's
roughly about 74% of the properties

593
00:48:21,359 --> 00:48:30,960
either saw their property taxes either
decrease or uh have 5% or less increase.

594
00:48:28,559 --> 00:48:35,839
Um so that kind of shows you the impact
as to how it hits with the with the with

595
00:48:33,440 --> 00:48:43,520
the year-over-year budget increases. Now
between uh from like from 5.1 to 10%

596
00:48:39,119 --> 00:48:49,839
there's about 13.7% or 536 properties.
from 10.1 to 15 is just under 200

597
00:48:46,480 --> 00:48:57,440
properties at 5% of that. And then
anything from 15.1 to 20% which is uh

598
00:48:54,160 --> 00:49:04,079
there was 84 properties there or 2%. And
then uh 20% or greater or 40% or greater

599
00:49:00,720 --> 00:49:07,520
there was roughly 1.4 and 3.3%.
On those larger numbers those are

600
00:49:05,680 --> 00:49:12,960
usually what if it's a big number like
that it's that was a new house. uh some

601
00:49:10,160 --> 00:49:19,760
you know something was built at uh Kland
Crossing or uh or over at the pit uh you

602
00:49:16,880 --> 00:49:23,920
know u a new a new house a new lot
something that had a very low assessment

603
00:49:21,920 --> 00:49:27,520
the year before or was not assessed
before. So that comes in with like a a

604
00:49:26,000 --> 00:49:31,680
very large percentage change
year-over-year.

605
00:49:29,680 --> 00:49:34,640
So I thought that was hopefully that's
going to be interesting. We put that on

606
00:49:33,040 --> 00:49:40,880
the we're going to have that on the
town's uh website. Uh let's see. Is that

607
00:49:38,559 --> 00:49:45,599
is it this one. There we go. Awesome.
Thank you. So, um, so we're going to

608
00:49:43,040 --> 00:49:50,079
have the these graphics here on the, uh,
on the website. This one's already

609
00:49:47,200 --> 00:49:54,880
there. Uh, this kind of shows the, uh,
impact of the reval as I, as I was

610
00:49:52,720 --> 00:49:58,960
talking about earlier without, uh, oh,
sorry, with all the growth put in there.

611
00:49:56,559 --> 00:50:05,680
So, that kind of shows you 3,900
properties. Uh, this is the effect like

612
00:50:01,359 --> 00:50:13,680
20% saw decrease taxes, 1% no change,
uh, 12% of 1 to 5%. Uh so that kind of

613
00:50:10,480 --> 00:50:18,000
offsets that 74% of properties that
would have seen it. But that's again you

614
00:50:15,280 --> 00:50:23,040
take out that 6% of a change and that
kind of gives you the bottom line. So

615
00:50:20,640 --> 00:50:27,599
that's a lot to digest but it just and
then the second one I have here is uh

616
00:50:25,040 --> 00:50:30,880
with the reevaluation in there as to
where we're going to be. So we'll have

617
00:50:28,880 --> 00:50:34,640
that if people have further questions
I'm always happy to answer them. But I

618
00:50:33,040 --> 00:50:39,359
was trying to dig in deeper after the
last one because you kind of want to

619
00:50:36,319 --> 00:50:43,440
know like what's that baseline that you
start at and then you know going forward

620
00:50:41,680 --> 00:50:47,359
people can at least have a feel as to
where where they're going to be at and

621
00:50:45,200 --> 00:50:51,680
it kind of tracks comparably to what
what you know anecdotally assessors will

622
00:50:49,520 --> 00:50:57,280
say like a third go up a third stay the
same and a third go down.

623
00:50:54,960 --> 00:51:02,000
It's pretty close to that. Um, if you
think about the the first two categories

624
00:50:59,520 --> 00:51:08,640
about with the 74% that saw it either
stay either go down or go up to like a

625
00:51:04,800 --> 00:51:11,839
5% range. So, um, that's that's where
I'm at. Madam Chair, I'm happy to take

626
00:51:10,319 --> 00:51:16,000
any questions for sure.
>> Sure. Go ahead.

627
00:51:13,040 --> 00:51:20,720
» Just out of curiosity, you take all the
tax property tax revenue collected. I

628
00:51:19,359 --> 00:51:24,880
don't know the number off the top of my
head, but it's probably a couple

629
00:51:22,079 --> 00:51:29,599
million. um
like how many millions goes to operate

630
00:51:26,880 --> 00:51:33,760
the town, how many millions go to the
county, and how many millions go to the

631
00:51:31,520 --> 00:51:37,280
school. And if you don't have it right
now, Matt, that's that's fine. I just I

632
00:51:35,920 --> 00:51:42,839
think probably some of the people in the
town might want to know that.

633
00:51:39,119 --> 00:51:42,839
» Oh, sure. Um

634
00:51:43,359 --> 00:51:50,559
you know, give me just a quick sec and
uh I I can get there, too. Um

635
00:51:48,960 --> 00:51:54,240
» sorry, I didn't mean to stump you.
>> You're all right. I'm not completely

636
00:51:52,400 --> 00:51:56,640
stumped. I'm partially stumped.
>> Dollar amounts are helpful as well. So,

637
00:51:55,760 --> 00:51:59,640
I see where you're going.
>> Yeah.

638
00:52:00,559 --> 00:52:03,960
» Let's see.

639
00:52:16,640 --> 00:52:21,480
I think you should have that. Let's see.

640
00:52:26,319 --> 00:52:33,599
Okay. So, the school assessment on that,
Council Mahik, thank you for for your

641
00:52:30,720 --> 00:52:40,359
question. Um, the the local education
appropriation is roughly 20 I got to

642
00:52:36,640 --> 00:52:40,359
zoom this in. Sorry.

643
00:52:40,640 --> 00:52:45,520
» It's easier to do that.
>> Oh my gosh.

644
00:52:42,720 --> 00:52:49,680
» Manual zoom. Sorry. [laughter]
28.75

645
00:52:47,440 --> 00:52:58,160
uh million is the annual school
appropriation. Uh the the town is

646
00:52:52,800 --> 00:53:01,040
roughly um 9.6 million and the county
itself is about 1.5 million.

647
00:53:00,480 --> 00:53:06,559
» Thank you.
>> Yes sir.

648
00:53:04,240 --> 00:53:12,559
» Follow question on the same thing. when
when I look at the numbers that we have

649
00:53:08,559 --> 00:53:20,400
in our council pack for the uh 26
actuals and I see that right we've spent

650
00:53:17,280 --> 00:53:24,559
the actuals for the year are 44276
million

651
00:53:22,319 --> 00:53:33,720
um and if I take away the capital
reserve fund for example 887 and then I

652
00:53:27,839 --> 00:53:33,720
look at the MSAD expense is 26676967

653
00:53:34,160 --> 00:53:40,480
doesn't get me to 72% %. It gets me more
to like 60% of the budget. What am I

654
00:53:38,400 --> 00:53:43,680
missing?
>> 68% of the budget.

655
00:53:41,760 --> 00:53:46,579
» 68% of the budget. It still doesn't The
math doesn't work, right? It's a lower

656
00:53:45,359 --> 00:53:51,160
percentage for the school percentage
[snorts]

657
00:53:47,760 --> 00:53:51,160
than 68%.

658
00:53:52,000 --> 00:53:58,480
» Tiff.
>> Yeah. Uh TIFF impact.

659
00:53:56,400 --> 00:54:04,480
» Okay. So, okay.
>> Yeah. Does that because that comes uh

660
00:54:01,839 --> 00:54:07,280
yeah that that comes off the out of the
equation

661
00:54:05,599 --> 00:54:10,000
» out of the but it comes out of the town
right so the tiffs offset the town

662
00:54:08,960 --> 00:54:13,440
expenditure.
>> Yes. Yeah.

663
00:54:11,599 --> 00:54:18,800
» But the town expenditure though for the
year isn't nine is right is so what the

664
00:54:16,720 --> 00:54:23,839
net is is 9 million bucks but the town
expenditure for the year is actually if

665
00:54:20,480 --> 00:54:28,599
you're saying there's $4 million in tiff
the expenditure is more like $13

666
00:54:25,599 --> 00:54:28,599
million.

667
00:54:29,839 --> 00:54:36,720
I think just a quick second. I got to
get back to that spreadsheet.

668
00:54:34,000 --> 00:54:41,839
» Yeah. Yeah.
>> While while you're contemplating that,

669
00:54:38,960 --> 00:54:49,359
Bill, I think I'd add a little bit of
more fuel to that. So, the school the

670
00:54:45,760 --> 00:54:57,599
the municipal budget is 2 and a half%.
Uh the school budget

671
00:54:53,760 --> 00:55:05,040
is seven and a 7 and 3/4 of a percent,
but that's divided by two towns.

672
00:55:00,960 --> 00:55:11,760
And then the county budget is a 7.6%
increase over 15

673
00:55:09,280 --> 00:55:17,280
from last year to this year.
So, but I guess I what I'd like to see

674
00:55:14,720 --> 00:55:20,800
is the dollar value of those three
percentages.

675
00:55:18,880 --> 00:55:26,880
Uh and I don't need that tonight, but
what is the dollar value impact

676
00:55:24,720 --> 00:55:31,440
of those three budgets? Because you take
the school impact and you you divide it

677
00:55:29,200 --> 00:55:36,480
by two towns. You take the county budget
and you divide it by all the towns as a

678
00:55:33,359 --> 00:55:44,079
county. So, the
the budget went up 7.6% 6% but the

679
00:55:39,680 --> 00:55:49,040
impact to the town of Cumberland is a a
small number. You want driving that?

680
00:55:47,119 --> 00:55:55,200
» Yeah. Um yeah, obviously the big driver
on that would be uh

681
00:55:52,160 --> 00:56:02,640
is I mean ultimately like I'll say this
year like last year um

682
00:55:59,440 --> 00:56:08,000
yeah I guess you could see like the the
sorry the county impacts like 3.5% to

683
00:56:05,119 --> 00:56:13,280
the overall tax rate. So it's that's
>> that's really small.

684
00:56:09,440 --> 00:56:17,920
» My my my revaluation was was basically
flat if you will. I I you know and I I

685
00:56:15,920 --> 00:56:24,720
think comparing it with my neighbors and
other people in a in the valuation

686
00:56:21,359 --> 00:56:31,920
doubled but it the you know and it threw
off a $1,500 bill. And so I'm I'm I'm

687
00:56:28,960 --> 00:56:37,280
concerned that if the expending our
spending rate for next year, it's going

688
00:56:33,920 --> 00:56:42,079
to throw off another $1,500 bill. So I
think I'd like to see a way to

689
00:56:40,640 --> 00:56:48,400
instead of looking at percentage, look
at the actual numbers.

690
00:56:45,359 --> 00:56:52,400
» Yeah. And and um
yeah, we want to look at that early.

691
00:56:50,319 --> 00:56:58,960
» Yeah. Yes.
>> That's that's I think that's where I'm

692
00:56:54,160 --> 00:57:02,280
driving. And then um our uh let's see
I'm trying to

693
00:57:02,480 --> 00:57:10,000
uh let's see
to councelor Paul's question. Yeah on

694
00:57:07,280 --> 00:57:13,400
some of that like you'll find the let's
see 20

695
00:57:20,720 --> 00:57:25,280
Yeah, Mr. Manager. It's just really
looking at the and when I look at the

696
00:57:24,079 --> 00:57:29,760
actuals, right? And I look at all the
line items and the actuals

697
00:57:27,280 --> 00:57:34,079
» is that at the uh in the in in the
packet, which part are you looking at?

698
00:57:31,839 --> 00:57:38,720
» So when I look at the I look at total
expenses for say the 20 26 actuals,

699
00:57:37,040 --> 00:57:48,079
right?
And then I look at the MSAD 51 expenses,

700
00:57:44,880 --> 00:57:55,280
right? So our overall
actuals for the year are 44.25. 25

701
00:57:51,440 --> 00:58:04,599
million, right? And MSAD1,
MSAD 51 out of that is 26 677

702
00:58:01,599 --> 00:58:04,599
million.

703
00:58:04,799 --> 00:58:11,440
So I just I just when I look at it just
I mean I'm I'm expecting that I'm

704
00:58:09,359 --> 00:58:15,599
missing something in the math here, you
know, just as someone who's new looking

705
00:58:13,040 --> 00:58:19,119
at the budgets. But I I just think it's
one of those things on messaging, right?

706
00:58:16,960 --> 00:58:22,240
When we say it's like part of our mun
municipal budget is this, this is how

707
00:58:20,799 --> 00:58:25,599
much for the school department, this is
how much, right? It's kind of a

708
00:58:24,160 --> 00:58:29,760
depending on how you look at it, you can
come up with a very different story.

709
00:58:27,839 --> 00:58:34,079
» Also, if you take into account if you're
going to bring in tiffs into it, how

710
00:58:31,359 --> 00:58:38,000
much that tiff sheltering benefits the
school as far as funding goes, there's

711
00:58:35,920 --> 00:58:40,400
that trade-off as well. And I I don't
know if we break even somewhere along

712
00:58:39,280 --> 00:58:45,839
the way to where that math doesn't
matter anymore. But as far as breaking

713
00:58:43,040 --> 00:58:51,440
it out on the tax bill,
yeah, those are the numbers. But I

714
00:58:48,960 --> 00:58:56,319
appreciate you letting us know that the
percentages were off and correcting us.

715
00:58:53,440 --> 00:58:56,319
Yes.

716
00:59:00,319 --> 00:59:10,160
subtract out the non-t tax revenue which
means you also so the number you're

717
00:59:07,680 --> 00:59:16,640
looking at on on your sheet for the
financials is the net impact for what we

718
00:59:13,839 --> 00:59:22,720
need to pull for the school. So
basically, it's the their amount minus

719
00:59:20,000 --> 00:59:27,280
revenues. When you're looking at what
that total is, the 44 million, you're

720
00:59:24,640 --> 00:59:33,599
forgetting to subtract out our non our
non-t tax revenues, which is the 9

721
00:59:30,640 --> 00:59:35,440
something million that that we had,
budgeted.

722
00:59:35,040 --> 00:59:38,960
» So,
>> thanks. Yeah, I figured there was a

723
00:59:36,799 --> 00:59:41,839
there was an better explanation.
>> Yeah. And then and then on part of that

724
00:59:40,400 --> 00:59:45,359
too, I just found the email that I was
looking for as well where I did a little

725
00:59:43,359 --> 00:59:50,559
bit. So on the school side of it, it was
28745

726
00:59:47,440 --> 00:59:56,160
uh 465 and then the gross overall
appropriation was 40 like that needed to

727
00:59:52,400 --> 01:00:00,079
be raised by property taxes was 42,536.
So we took that the school number

728
00:59:58,400 --> 01:00:06,079
divided it by the overall net to be
raised that got us at roughly 68%. on

729
01:00:03,280 --> 01:00:12,240
the county it was a million495 divided
by that same baseline number of 42 40

730
01:00:08,799 --> 01:00:18,880
let's say 426 or 425 and that's going to
set our three and a half% and then the

731
01:00:14,720 --> 01:00:24,880
the remainder uh is roughly that you
know 12 uh roughly 12 $12 million there

732
01:00:22,240 --> 01:00:30,000
at the 28 and a half% that was allocated
to the town or what needed to be raised

733
01:00:27,359 --> 01:00:32,960
and then part of that too there's yeah
there's overlay in there as well which

734
01:00:31,440 --> 01:00:38,640
is basically it's a little bit of a gap
that takes place surrounding. Uh

735
01:00:36,559 --> 01:00:42,799
that's a whole other I could glaze the
whole room over if I get into

736
01:00:41,040 --> 01:00:45,599
» So a little more education on my part.
Yeah. Yeah. Appreciate.

737
01:00:43,599 --> 01:00:51,960
» No, I'm happy to go through it too uh in
depth if you ever want to. We can we can

738
01:00:47,680 --> 01:00:51,960
lay all kinds of paper out on my desk.

739
01:00:52,160 --> 01:00:58,559
» Thank you.
>> No, thank you.

740
01:00:54,880 --> 01:01:04,240
So Matt, we saw the breakdown of, you
know, 40ish% saw because of the reval if

741
01:01:02,079 --> 01:01:08,400
you you not everything equal saw a
decrease

742
01:01:05,760 --> 01:01:14,880
um you know less than half a percent saw
no change and then you know almost a

743
01:01:11,119 --> 01:01:21,440
third saw up to a 5% change. So this was
a reval after what 18 years. Um, is

744
01:01:19,200 --> 01:01:25,280
there a I know there's you're talking
about the sort of the adage of like a

745
01:01:23,040 --> 01:01:32,160
third, a third, a third
of that increase. Is there a rough, you

746
01:01:30,319 --> 01:01:36,720
know, it should be if we do it every two
years or every, you know, a much shorter

747
01:01:34,400 --> 01:01:42,480
amount of time?
>> That increase should usually only be for

748
01:01:39,920 --> 01:01:45,920
the vast majority up to this percentage.
And then realizing that you'll get the

749
01:01:43,920 --> 01:01:49,599
the 40 plus percents when you turn, you
know, vacant land and put a, you know,

750
01:01:47,760 --> 01:01:54,960
however many hundred,000 million dollar
house on it is that's obviously going to

751
01:01:51,440 --> 01:02:01,599
change a lot. But for most people,
houses have been around for ever.

752
01:01:58,720 --> 01:02:05,119
What should we be?
Can we look forward enough to be able to

753
01:02:03,520 --> 01:02:09,920
say like, yeah, we should roughly see if
it's going to go up, it's probably going

754
01:02:06,960 --> 01:02:14,160
to go up reval alone by x amount,
realizing that the budget is a whole

755
01:02:12,240 --> 01:02:19,200
another increase potentially.
>> Yeah. Uh, that's a great question,

756
01:02:15,760 --> 01:02:25,760
Council McGon. Uh oftentimes we we look
at that as you could say um

757
01:02:23,680 --> 01:02:30,400
if you did it more regularly or more
frequently like every two years which is

758
01:02:27,520 --> 01:02:36,079
kind of the plan going forward uh you
will see not gigantic swings or large

759
01:02:32,960 --> 01:02:41,599
swings between assessments so that that
doesn't like time gives space I guess

760
01:02:39,839 --> 01:02:46,079
would be a way to look at it. So space
between properties if they're

761
01:02:42,960 --> 01:02:51,280
undervalued or overvalued that gap or
that space between those that

762
01:02:48,319 --> 01:02:56,720
discrepancy grows over time. So if let's
say your rate of appreciation is maybe

763
01:02:53,119 --> 01:03:00,960
4% in the market 3% in the market those
differences where one property may be

764
01:02:58,319 --> 01:03:06,559
valued more than another uh and when
one's a little bit lesser valued that

765
01:03:03,599 --> 01:03:10,319
that 3% grows faster as that as that
difference enhances. So if you did it

766
01:03:08,960 --> 01:03:17,440
every couple of years, you'd look at
more of a stabilized tax rate as well as

767
01:03:15,280 --> 01:03:22,240
uh stabilized or lesser impacts. So you
don't have that swing like council veil

768
01:03:19,200 --> 01:03:27,440
going up $1,500 on his property taxes as
a result of the reval. Um looking at

769
01:03:25,680 --> 01:03:32,640
things like that, that's uh that's
smoothed out a lot more. So, um, there

770
01:03:29,680 --> 01:03:36,720
may be, you know, the the I guess you
could say the the adjustments aren't as

771
01:03:35,039 --> 01:03:41,200
significant when you do them more more
frequently because you're not letting it

772
01:03:38,559 --> 01:03:44,880
get too far away from, you know, most of
the properties being equitably assessed.

773
01:03:43,520 --> 01:03:49,280
So, it's just a question of refreshing
that uh their overall values and maybe

774
01:03:47,359 --> 01:03:52,160
making that adjustment and uh finding
some corrections that have to take

775
01:03:50,480 --> 01:03:56,799
place, but it's not as dramatic as
saying, yeah, waiting 18 to 20 years.

776
01:03:54,400 --> 01:04:01,520
It's usually, you know, sadly it's a
whiplash effect or at least it sure darn

777
01:03:58,880 --> 01:04:07,760
feels like it.
>> So, should we be thinking like, you

778
01:04:03,359 --> 01:04:12,359
know, just revalone
that fiveish% is

779
01:04:12,559 --> 01:04:15,520
» wouldn't be too far wouldn't be too far
a field.

780
01:04:15,200 --> 01:04:18,960
» Okay,
>> I can see that. The next question is,

781
01:04:17,440 --> 01:04:24,160
this might just be something I'd be
interested in, but would there be a way

782
01:04:20,960 --> 01:04:29,200
to put a calculator on the website where
if you say, you know, all right,

783
01:04:26,720 --> 01:04:34,079
my taxes are, you know, went up this
much, how much of that was the reval,

784
01:04:32,240 --> 01:04:39,200
how much of that was just the budget
and, you know, to break it down uh with,

785
01:04:37,119 --> 01:04:42,400
you know,
the budget increase caused by this much,

786
01:04:40,960 --> 01:04:45,520
but then within that budget increase,
you know, this much for the school, this

787
01:04:43,680 --> 01:04:49,119
much for the county, you know, and all
to

788
01:04:46,319 --> 01:04:52,000
see like where th those changes are
from.

789
01:04:50,720 --> 01:04:55,599
I don't know how much use that would be
if people would actually use it, but

790
01:04:54,160 --> 01:04:59,680
could be interesting to say, you know,
okay, it went up by this much. Well,

791
01:04:58,079 --> 01:05:04,799
yeah, because your house wasn't reval,
you know, 18 years or because the budget

792
01:05:02,640 --> 01:05:08,240
went up by x%.
>> It's a combination of both.

793
01:05:06,880 --> 01:05:11,920
» I know it sounds funny, but they're
classes of property that some appreciate

794
01:05:10,000 --> 01:05:16,319
greater than others do. So like that
first year of a reval like that when you

795
01:05:13,839 --> 01:05:22,720
reset the bar so to speak or reset the
floor uh you're closing those gaps that

796
01:05:20,480 --> 01:05:28,160
really magnified over that time period.
So it's it's hard to say uh what it

797
01:05:25,599 --> 01:05:33,440
would have been because u
just because like a waterfront property

798
01:05:31,119 --> 01:05:41,440
may may appreciate at a greater rate
than say uh a property next to um

799
01:05:37,920 --> 01:05:45,760
you know next to like I don't know next
to next to the turnpike for instance

800
01:05:44,079 --> 01:05:50,319
where you know some neighborhoods
appreciate better than other at greater

801
01:05:47,920 --> 01:05:54,640
rates than others do. Um, so it's that
one's hard to tell when it's been that

802
01:05:52,160 --> 01:05:57,920
much time. Um, going forward, you can
look at that and say, well, if you know

803
01:05:55,680 --> 01:06:02,000
the overall market has changed like two
to three% a year for the past couple

804
01:06:00,079 --> 01:06:04,720
three years, then you're going to you're
going to know that you're going to go up

805
01:06:03,039 --> 01:06:08,480
by about this amount of percentage and
and then you look at it. Then that's

806
01:06:06,960 --> 01:06:14,720
exact then you still have to do that
same performance performative behavior

807
01:06:10,559 --> 01:06:19,520
of saying okay um you know even during
that time period if the tax rate went up

808
01:06:16,559 --> 01:06:24,319
or the or budget budgeted spending went
up by x amount per year over those that

809
01:06:21,839 --> 01:06:29,119
period of time that has to be factored
in as well.

810
01:06:26,319 --> 01:06:35,039
But for this year, from last year's
evaluate, you know, taxable

811
01:06:32,799 --> 01:06:39,119
um
amount to this year's taxable amount.

812
01:06:37,920 --> 01:06:43,760
Can we put something in there that says
like, okay, you know, it went from

813
01:06:40,799 --> 01:06:48,319
100,000 to 500,000,
but your taxes only went up by X amount.

814
01:06:45,520 --> 01:06:53,359
Like, you know, most of your tax
increase, X% of your tax increase was

815
01:06:50,720 --> 01:06:54,400
the reval and the rest of it was a
budget.

816
01:06:53,920 --> 01:06:57,119
» Yeah.
>> Kind of thing.

817
01:06:55,200 --> 01:07:01,119
» Yeah. You could I mean I I've got a
spreadsheet that kind of shows that.

818
01:06:59,200 --> 01:07:03,200
» Um
>> I I don't know if it might be

819
01:07:02,000 --> 01:07:06,079
interesting to put that if we could
easily put that on where all the math is

820
01:07:05,039 --> 01:07:08,480
done in the background.
>> Yeah.

821
01:07:06,720 --> 01:07:15,359
» And you put in simple numbers and then
it spits out you know

822
01:07:11,680 --> 01:07:18,960
» if we do not have the time or
person available to do something like

823
01:07:16,960 --> 01:07:22,079
that on the townwide level. Are people
welcome to come to you as individuals

824
01:07:20,640 --> 01:07:25,680
and ask you those questions and you can
break out that.

825
01:07:22,799 --> 01:07:27,359
» Yeah. Or or talk to Clint, our assessor.
He should be able to

826
01:07:26,799 --> 01:07:30,480
» Yeah,
>> I'd prefer if they spoke to Clint

827
01:07:28,799 --> 01:07:34,559
because if [laughter] there's there may
be bigger fish to fry that, you know, if

828
01:07:32,960 --> 01:07:39,359
someone had some of those questions
generally tend to snowball into other

829
01:07:36,319 --> 01:07:43,359
questions and uh he's our assessor. So,
>> you shouldn't have done this exercise

830
01:07:40,880 --> 01:07:46,880
then because you just shown your hand.
>> Hard [laughter] madam chair. I did it

831
01:07:45,280 --> 01:07:51,440
for 30 years. So,
>> I really appreciate you breaking all

832
01:07:48,640 --> 01:07:55,359
this down because I know I came away
from that conversation wondering what

833
01:07:52,799 --> 01:07:58,319
the heck like
where do we find where did we fall out

834
01:07:56,799 --> 01:08:03,520
in the breakdown you know like of you
know 30 3030 what actually was it? So,

835
01:08:00,799 --> 01:08:07,359
um at first I was a little shocked of
course like wow that that was actually

836
01:08:05,520 --> 01:08:09,920
um an enormous increase for everyone but
then as now of you you've broken that

837
01:08:09,039 --> 01:08:14,319
out and
>> kind of sanitized the data so we can see

838
01:08:12,000 --> 01:08:17,600
really exactly what the rebell did. So,
it's enlightening for sure and I'm glad

839
01:08:16,319 --> 01:08:21,040
that we have that
>> on the the website or will because I

840
01:08:19,440 --> 01:08:23,600
know everyone else is probably wondering
the same thing.

841
01:08:21,679 --> 01:08:26,799
» Well, it's to to be honest, it's
something that we're you know, you want

842
01:08:24,880 --> 01:08:31,520
to be really sensitive to because even a
dollar impact on anybody, it's

843
01:08:28,239 --> 01:08:35,440
significant and uh we we take that we
take that seriously because it it has

844
01:08:33,679 --> 01:08:39,920
different impacts across all different
spectrums of life that we know. So, you

845
01:08:38,080 --> 01:08:42,640
take that uh you want to have a high
level of sensitivity to to those impacts

846
01:08:41,920 --> 01:08:45,279
and
>> where they're at.

847
01:08:43,839 --> 01:08:48,159
» Okay. Anybody else have any questions or
comments before we move on?

848
01:08:46,640 --> 01:08:52,000
» All righty.
>> That was a big manager report. That was

849
01:08:50,080 --> 01:08:53,752
I'm like, "Oh, wow. We're only on I'm
just kidding.

850
01:08:52,560 --> 01:08:55,679
» My biggest in two and a half years."
[laughter] So, sorry. That's why we had

851
01:08:54,960 --> 01:08:59,120
a skim agenda.
>> All your speaking time for the year now.

852
01:08:57,359 --> 01:09:04,080
You're done. I'm just kidding. Okay. So,
now we'll move on to public discussion.

853
01:09:01,600 --> 01:09:07,279
Um public discussion is for comments on
items that are not on the agenda. If you

854
01:09:06,000 --> 01:09:10,799
want to talk about an agenda item, you
can do that later. Um, comments are

855
01:09:09,040 --> 01:09:14,319
limited to five minutes per person and
rebuttal comments will be limited to two

856
01:09:12,560 --> 01:09:19,199
minutes per person. Public discussion
topics may be brought up again under new

857
01:09:16,480 --> 01:09:25,120
business for further council discussion.
Do we have anyone who would like to make

858
01:09:21,600 --> 01:09:30,359
a comment? Yeah, just um come on up. Let
us know your name and where you live.

859
01:09:30,560 --> 01:09:37,920
» Okay. Um, my name is Danielle. I live in
Cumberland and uh it's on the agenda but

860
01:09:36,799 --> 01:09:41,839
I guess it's when I'm supposed to come
up. It's about the library. Talking

861
01:09:39,120 --> 01:09:46,239
about the library. Um thank you for your
time in advance. Uh when my family and I

862
01:09:44,560 --> 01:09:49,759
moved to Cartland three years ago, um
Prince Memorial Library was one of the

863
01:09:47,679 --> 01:09:53,359
first places we visited. Um I was
immediately drawn to the atrium and its

864
01:09:51,520 --> 01:09:58,159
comfy chairs and the bright light coming
through the windows. Um pretty soon I

865
01:09:56,080 --> 01:10:03,040
started to craft there at night and I
met friends crafting

866
01:10:00,480 --> 01:10:09,120
also. Um, while we have family in Maine,
we didn't know anyone in town. Um, and I

867
01:10:06,640 --> 01:10:12,960
went looking for community and boy howdy
did I find it at Prince Memorial

868
01:10:10,640 --> 01:10:16,400
Library. So, um, while the library is
meaningful to lots of people for lots of

869
01:10:14,560 --> 01:10:22,159
different reasons, I just wanted to give
a sample of how the library has enriched

870
01:10:19,120 --> 01:10:26,560
my family's life. Um, my family,
especially my foodie son, look forward

871
01:10:24,080 --> 01:10:30,080
to cook the book every month. We pick
the recipes in advance and my son gets

872
01:10:28,560 --> 01:10:33,760
excited to bring the dish he made to
share. Um, he also participates in the

873
01:10:32,320 --> 01:10:39,040
Thursday night Dungeons and Dragons
group and in the tween book club at the

874
01:10:36,000 --> 01:10:44,080
library. He routinely walks or bikes to
the library after school and spends time

875
01:10:40,960 --> 01:10:47,440
in the teen center like a lot. Um, if
you ask him what his top three favorite

876
01:10:45,440 --> 01:10:50,999
places are in town, the library will be
in that top three. Food stop is number

877
01:10:49,280 --> 01:10:53,920
one.
>> [laughter]

878
01:10:51,600 --> 01:10:59,199
» Um
this summer uh I participated or well

879
01:10:57,600 --> 01:11:02,320
this summer he went to California for a
month and he didn't get to go to the

880
01:11:00,480 --> 01:11:06,719
library [laughter] and one of the uh
Mondays that he was gone was a day that

881
01:11:04,159 --> 01:11:12,960
we had bingo and he nearly cried when he
found out he was going to miss a bingo

882
01:11:08,000 --> 01:11:15,600
night. Um we all love bingo. Um
he's looking at me funny but he but he

883
01:11:14,719 --> 01:11:19,600
was devastated.
>> I was afraid too. It's okay. [laughter]

884
01:11:17,920 --> 01:11:23,920
And for people who are planners, uh
there are usually four Mondays in July

885
01:11:22,320 --> 01:11:28,159
because there's only four weeks in a
month. Um but in 2028, there will be

886
01:11:25,840 --> 01:11:31,520
five Mondays in July. So there will be a
bonus bingo night. And if that means

887
01:11:29,840 --> 01:11:36,239
anything to you, it means a lot to me.
So I I just wanted you to know that.

888
01:11:33,679 --> 01:11:39,920
» Um right when we moved here, I started
nanning for a local family and the

889
01:11:37,920 --> 01:11:45,520
enclosed toddler room at the library was
a godsend. Like you know, Tick had said

890
01:11:42,000 --> 01:11:50,719
or council member Filson had said. Um
uh it was great um to just have a change

891
01:11:47,840 --> 01:11:56,719
of pace, get some fresh air, walk, new
toys. Um it was a really wonderful place

892
01:11:53,840 --> 01:12:00,960
uh space to have. Um a few months after
I moved here, I joined a book club in

893
01:11:58,880 --> 01:12:04,400
Westbrook and the first few books they
picked were always available at the

894
01:12:02,480 --> 01:12:10,960
library, even like obscure titles. And I
sort of cut to thinking this might be a

895
01:12:06,239 --> 01:12:14,480
magic library. Um anyway, so uh now I'm
in the monthly book club on Saturday

896
01:12:12,239 --> 01:12:17,600
mornings at the library and it's uh
really wonderful to sit in the prince

897
01:12:15,920 --> 01:12:20,400
room when I could be sleeping on on a
Saturday, but I love to go and listen to

898
01:12:19,040 --> 01:12:24,640
what the ladies have to say about that
month's book and it's really been I

899
01:12:22,239 --> 01:12:28,400
think a value ad to my life for sure.
Um,

900
01:12:26,640 --> 01:12:32,560
I also love the Prince Room because it's
very unique and architecturally

901
01:12:31,040 --> 01:12:37,199
interesting and I know like building
plans might change but that room is it

902
01:12:35,199 --> 01:12:43,440
feels historic and so it's just nice to
be in there and be touched with history.

903
01:12:40,080 --> 01:12:47,520
Um, I also participated in the yearly
summer reading challenge and the 18

904
01:12:44,960 --> 01:12:51,120
prompts in 12 months and if you are a
fan of reading things you might not

905
01:12:49,360 --> 01:12:54,239
read. One of the prompts was read a
memoir by or biography of someone you

906
01:12:52,800 --> 01:12:58,880
think you wouldn't like. And I read
Britney Spears's memoir and I still

907
01:12:57,120 --> 01:13:04,880
don't like her, but I'm was glad to have
read it and I wouldn't have otherwise

908
01:13:00,719 --> 01:13:09,040
without the library. Um, let's see. Uh,
we also make sure to attend Oh, I can't

909
01:13:07,920 --> 01:13:12,080
wait for the Banana Grahams tournament
in February. I do practice all year

910
01:13:10,560 --> 01:13:15,440
long. Doesn't really help me, but I do
practice. And the Banana Grams

911
01:13:13,280 --> 01:13:19,199
tournament is highly coveted prizes of
like banana bread, banana socks. Like,

912
01:13:17,280 --> 01:13:22,719
it's a wonderful event. This guy last
year came from Bath because he put it on

913
01:13:21,440 --> 01:13:28,080
his calendar. Drove all the way from
Bath and he won.

914
01:13:25,120 --> 01:13:31,199
Um anyway, we also make sure to attend
as many special events we can. We really

915
01:13:29,760 --> 01:13:35,199
appreciated the Gone Guys documentary
that was put on earlier this year. Um

916
01:13:33,679 --> 01:13:38,560
the community plate storytelling
stoppers and the star party. I'm really

917
01:13:37,360 --> 01:13:41,840
bummed that the weather did not
cooperate this year. Um, what I wanted

918
01:13:40,640 --> 01:13:44,880
to say about the star party in
particular, um, is that it's pretty

919
01:13:43,280 --> 01:13:48,719
magical to lay on a blanket surrounded
by people in your community, all looking

920
01:13:46,400 --> 01:13:54,560
at the stars, all interested in learning
about the stars, and being there for ice

921
01:13:50,719 --> 01:13:57,280
cream. Um, okay. So, like, you're around
people that care about the same things

922
01:13:55,520 --> 01:14:01,040
you do is what I wanted to say. Uh, I
want to end by shouting out my love and

923
01:13:58,800 --> 01:14:05,280
appreciation to all the library staff.
Um, one of the biggest reasons this town

924
01:14:02,800 --> 01:14:10,000
feels like home to my family is because
of them. Because they made us feel

925
01:14:06,880 --> 01:14:14,719
welcome and engaged. Um,
I heard about the library being on the

926
01:14:11,520 --> 01:14:18,000
agenda today and and this is also my
13th wedding anniversary and I love the

927
01:14:16,239 --> 01:14:21,600
library so much that I should be out
celebrating but instead I'm here

928
01:14:20,000 --> 01:14:26,880
nervously talking about how much I love
the library. Um, anyway, it's it's a

929
01:14:24,320 --> 01:14:31,360
it's been a wonderful opportunity for us
to be here for it and to enjoy it and

930
01:14:29,679 --> 01:14:35,840
for my family it's just been like a gem
of a place. So, thank you for your

931
01:14:34,159 --> 01:14:40,306
support of the library. Thank you,
Danielle, and happy anniversary.

932
01:14:38,286 --> 01:14:40,306
[laughter]

933
01:14:41,199 --> 01:14:48,239
» Does anyone else want to try to follow
that up? I'm just [laughter] kidding.

934
01:14:46,080 --> 01:14:57,600
I don't follow her. I don't have much to
say, but um my name is Barb Hul and I am

935
01:14:53,440 --> 01:15:03,040
a friend of the library. Um, and I just
wanted to say Stacy said pretty much

936
01:15:00,400 --> 01:15:08,080
everything and
I don't know what else I can say about

937
01:15:04,800 --> 01:15:13,280
her, but um, uh, just our mission is to
raise funds um, to expand, enhance, and

938
01:15:11,520 --> 01:15:18,000
support all the library programs,
events, and services for our community.

939
01:15:16,239 --> 01:15:23,920
And most of our money comes from the
appeal.

940
01:15:20,080 --> 01:15:29,120
But we have I think around 20 volunteers
who weekly sort the books, who work in

941
01:15:26,239 --> 01:15:34,960
the garden, do the major book sale,
basically do anything that the library

942
01:15:31,040 --> 01:15:41,920
needs to make the librarian's job
easier. And we just are so they always

943
01:15:39,840 --> 01:15:49,679
tell us they're grateful for us, but we
are so incredibly grateful for them. Uh

944
01:15:46,159 --> 01:15:56,640
they're so very friendly, inclusive for
all of us. Um and they help make our

945
01:15:52,960 --> 01:16:02,640
jobs easier. We're so so happy to be
able to provide them with the money so

946
01:15:59,920 --> 01:16:08,800
they can do the wonderful programs that
they come up with. Um I don't think

947
01:16:05,679 --> 01:16:13,520
there's a more gratifying volunteer
experience that you could have and we're

948
01:16:10,880 --> 01:16:18,440
always looking for more. So if anybody
wants to spread the word, we would love

949
01:16:15,440 --> 01:16:18,440
that.

950
01:16:18,800 --> 01:16:25,760
» Thank you.
Would anybody else like to come up for

951
01:16:23,679 --> 01:16:33,040
public comment?
Going once, twice. All righty.

952
01:16:30,400 --> 01:16:36,480
We will then move on to legislation and
policy.

953
01:16:34,719 --> 01:16:40,719
There will be an opportunity for public
comment. Per article 2, section seven of

954
01:16:38,800 --> 01:16:44,960
the town charter. There will be an
opportunity for public comment on each

955
01:16:42,320 --> 01:16:50,800
item on the agenda. Comments are limited
to five minutes per person.

956
01:16:47,440 --> 01:16:54,800
We will start with 26-094
to hold a public hearing to consider and

957
01:16:52,480 --> 01:16:57,520
act on amendments to chapter 48 coastal
waters of the Cumberland code of

958
01:16:56,000 --> 01:17:02,000
ordinances as recommended by the
ordinance committee. And I believe we

959
01:16:59,520 --> 01:17:03,920
have do we have Chief Ramsey here to
talk about that?

960
01:17:02,640 --> 01:17:08,480
» We certainly do, Madam Chair.
>> Had a hunch. So we will have Chief

961
01:17:06,000 --> 01:17:11,920
Ramsey introduce the amendments and
perhaps afterward maybe councelor Veil,

962
01:17:10,719 --> 01:17:16,080
chair of the ordinance committee might
want to have some additional ordinance

963
01:17:14,320 --> 01:17:20,159
committee background that you might want
to share.

964
01:17:17,920 --> 01:17:25,920
» Thank you councilors. Uh I believe in
your packet you have a memo from myself

965
01:17:23,120 --> 01:17:30,640
and a copy of the proposed ordinance
changes. So just in brief, what we're

966
01:17:28,480 --> 01:17:35,520
asking you to consider approving tonight
is a few changes to the ordinance which

967
01:17:32,719 --> 01:17:40,880
would do the following. uh explicitly
prohibit the placement of a float on a

968
01:17:38,719 --> 01:17:44,719
mooring for any purpose other than
commercial fishing. We actually updated

969
01:17:42,960 --> 01:17:50,239
this ordinance language a little while
ago, but there was some concern

970
01:17:47,280 --> 01:17:56,320
following our update that the language
wasn't clear enough to ensure that no

971
01:17:54,320 --> 01:17:59,679
one would ever try to put a float onto a
moing for anything other than commercial

972
01:17:58,320 --> 01:18:04,159
fishing. And what we're concerned about
is something like a a float that would

973
01:18:01,760 --> 01:18:10,960
be placed on a moing to be used for a
party spot or a tiny house or, you know,

974
01:18:06,480 --> 01:18:15,920
whatever kind of uh potential um
potential other use there could be other

975
01:18:13,760 --> 01:18:20,960
than mooring a boat or putting a a
commercial fishing platform out there.

976
01:18:18,080 --> 01:18:25,760
So you have that for your consideration.
Also the uh harbor masters and the

977
01:18:23,360 --> 01:18:30,640
coastal waters commission for a number
of years have been talking about ways to

978
01:18:28,320 --> 01:18:36,719
maximize the use of the number of
moorings that we have in broad cove and

979
01:18:33,199 --> 01:18:43,280
have observed that use of moorings that
have been permitted is at about 50% each

980
01:18:39,120 --> 01:18:48,480
year and so one of the measures that we
are proposing is to require moing

981
01:18:46,640 --> 01:18:53,280
holders to actually put a boat on their
mooring so that We started out, we just

982
01:18:51,600 --> 01:18:58,000
gave, you know, when we first created
the Broad Cove Reserve mooring field, we

983
01:18:55,840 --> 01:19:01,920
would just permit you to have a moing
and then we didn't do anything else.

984
01:18:59,520 --> 01:19:06,880
Then we made a change to require you if
you received a moing to actually install

985
01:19:04,480 --> 01:19:12,480
a moing. So, what we've learned is that
there are plenty of folks that will

986
01:19:09,360 --> 01:19:15,679
receive a moing permit, pay an installer
to go out and put a moing out there

987
01:19:13,840 --> 01:19:20,320
without ever having having the intention
to put a boat on there. They may have a

988
01:19:18,159 --> 01:19:25,679
mooring in some other moing field. They
may be happy to just take that mooring,

989
01:19:23,600 --> 01:19:29,679
uh, put it out there and have it sort of
as a hedge against, you know, some

990
01:19:28,080 --> 01:19:34,560
potential desire to have it for future
use. So, we have this pretty big mooring

991
01:19:32,080 --> 01:19:40,719
field that just isn't being used by by
folks for moing their boats. So, we are

992
01:19:37,040 --> 01:19:46,960
proposing that change and then proposing
a third change which basically states

993
01:19:43,600 --> 01:19:51,760
that if you are on our wait list and as
we go through um assigning moorings in

994
01:19:49,840 --> 01:19:56,719
the Rodco Cove Reserve moing field every
spring, if we offer you a moing and you

995
01:19:55,120 --> 01:20:01,760
say, "Thank you, but I don't want to
take a moing this year. either my boat's

996
01:19:58,640 --> 01:20:06,320
on order or just had a baby or whatever
the reason might be, we'll allow you to

997
01:20:03,760 --> 01:20:11,760
pass and keep your spot on that wait
list. If we ask you again, you can pass

998
01:20:09,440 --> 01:20:15,760
and keep your spot on that wait list. If
we offer you a third time that year, you

999
01:20:13,679 --> 01:20:20,880
have to accept the mooring, install a
moing, and put a boat on your mooring,

1000
01:20:18,560 --> 01:20:24,640
or else we remove you from the weight
list, you can immediately reapply and go

1001
01:20:23,280 --> 01:20:29,360
back on the wait list, but you would
then be at the bottom of the list.

1002
01:20:27,360 --> 01:20:34,320
Uh the harbor masters and myself are
hopeful that if we pass these the two

1003
01:20:32,800 --> 01:20:40,080
particular recommended changes that have
to do with the way we um expect folks to

1004
01:20:38,080 --> 01:20:44,000
use moorings in the broad cove mooring
field that we will have a much more full

1005
01:20:42,320 --> 01:20:47,520
moing field and that we'll have a much
shorter weight list. Both of the things

1006
01:20:45,920 --> 01:20:51,600
that we think would be really great for
the the Cumberland community. So happy

1007
01:20:49,600 --> 01:20:54,719
to go into any more depth or answer any
questions that you may have about any of

1008
01:20:53,040 --> 01:20:58,640
that language, but that's a brief
overview for you.

1009
01:20:57,440 --> 01:21:04,000
question.
>> Uh so two things one uh just to clarify

1010
01:21:01,520 --> 01:21:08,800
with the the weight list that's asking
once a year correct. So they the first

1011
01:21:05,920 --> 01:21:13,040
year you ask they can pass then the next
requ or next ask would be the second

1012
01:21:10,560 --> 01:21:19,600
year and then the third year it's take
or leave it.

1013
01:21:14,400 --> 01:21:27,199
» Okay. Um, and then with the floats, is
it really a safety concern of not having

1014
01:21:25,520 --> 01:21:32,880
non-commercial fishing floats out there
in terms of, you know, people putting

1015
01:21:30,286 --> 01:21:36,960
[sighs] diving off the a dock, you know,
a float or something like that and then

1016
01:21:34,400 --> 01:21:42,320
not seeing other boats come in and all.
So, sort of why just commercial fishing

1017
01:21:39,440 --> 01:21:47,120
and not anything else? I think safety
concern and then a potential

1018
01:21:44,719 --> 01:21:51,440
proliferation concern. If we if we start
allowing them on permitted moorings,

1019
01:21:49,679 --> 01:21:58,880
then there could suddenly be a bunch of
them that could have other hazards for

1020
01:21:54,080 --> 01:22:03,040
um creating issues with our ability to u
monitor what's going on. And again, you

1021
01:22:00,960 --> 01:22:07,040
know, our our former harbor master had
heard of some communities in the US

1022
01:22:05,280 --> 01:22:11,600
where people were putting floats on
moorings and then putting tiny houses on

1023
01:22:09,199 --> 01:22:16,719
them or, you know, small structures that
people were basically like renting out

1024
01:22:12,960 --> 01:22:21,360
as an Airbnb or VRBO, uh, having parties
out on those platforms. And so it was

1025
01:22:19,040 --> 01:22:27,199
never the intention of our mooring
ordinance to do anything other than

1026
01:22:23,120 --> 01:22:32,800
moore a boat. And uh when we discussed
limiting it to just mooring a boat, we

1027
01:22:29,440 --> 01:22:36,719
realized we needed to also allow lawful
commercial fishing activities and

1028
01:22:34,400 --> 01:22:41,199
sometimes those do require a float. So
has not been an issue here trying to

1029
01:22:38,480 --> 01:22:46,120
head off a potential issue that we uh
saw coming down the pike from other

1030
01:22:42,560 --> 01:22:46,120
areas of the country.

1031
01:22:47,520 --> 01:22:56,560
I'm just curious what analysis has been
done to understand why people aren't

1032
01:22:52,560 --> 01:22:59,760
using their moorings. Um, and also it's
my or I was on I'm not on the Coastal

1033
01:22:58,320 --> 01:23:04,159
Waters Commission anymore, but when I
was my understanding was that not

1034
01:23:02,239 --> 01:23:06,880
everyone that had a moing also had a
dinghy on the float. Is that still the

1035
01:23:05,920 --> 01:23:10,719
case?
>> So, if I understand your two-part

1036
01:23:08,639 --> 01:23:14,639
question, yes, we did make an attempt to
understand a little bit about what was

1037
01:23:12,000 --> 01:23:19,840
going on out there by doing a a poll. We
pulled all the folks that had a moing, I

1038
01:23:17,440 --> 01:23:23,280
think it was two years ago, to ask them,
"If you had a moing, did you install

1039
01:23:22,000 --> 01:23:28,400
your moing? Did you put a boat on the
moing? If not, why not?" And we didn't

1040
01:23:26,159 --> 01:23:33,920
get great response. We can't compel
people to respond back to us. And so the

1041
01:23:31,120 --> 01:23:38,560
response was yet, you know, between yes,
I did, no, I didn't. My boat was in the

1042
01:23:36,080 --> 01:23:42,400
shop being repaired all summer or busy
with the family or I had my boat

1043
01:23:40,480 --> 01:23:46,639
somewhere else for the summer. So, it
didn't really create it didn't really

1044
01:23:44,719 --> 01:23:51,120
create a clear picture for us to
understand. And and I assume because if

1045
01:23:49,120 --> 01:23:54,480
there were some people that received a
moing, installed a received a moing

1046
01:23:53,120 --> 01:23:58,080
permit, installed a moing and never
intended to put a boat on it because

1047
01:23:56,000 --> 01:24:03,440
they have a moing somewhere else, uh
they're not going to respond to the to

1048
01:24:00,800 --> 01:24:08,560
the poll and tell us that probably. So,
it didn't it didn't help us carve our

1049
01:24:06,400 --> 01:24:12,960
path forward, I help us chart our path
forward to that extent. And then the

1050
01:24:11,520 --> 01:24:15,040
second part of your question, I knew I
should have been able to remember it in

1051
01:24:14,159 --> 01:24:20,880
a very short
>> uh dingies, but on the first part, um,

1052
01:24:18,320 --> 01:24:30,800
sorry, it just seems installing a boring
is really expensive. Um, and so it seems

1053
01:24:25,199 --> 01:24:35,920
just like a big amount of money to put
forth with not having the intention of

1054
01:24:33,520 --> 01:24:40,719
putting a vote on it. And so I'm just
wondering

1055
01:24:38,000 --> 01:24:45,600
like is there something else that could
possibly be going on?

1056
01:24:42,560 --> 01:24:49,199
» Um I thought so as well and I'm not a
ocean varying person but my

1057
01:24:47,760 --> 01:24:52,400
understanding is that owning a boat,
operating a boat, mooring a boat,

1058
01:24:50,960 --> 01:24:57,760
especially depending on where you're
doing all those things is very

1059
01:24:53,920 --> 01:25:04,239
expensive. And so the prospect of
purchasing um a moing and then having a

1060
01:25:01,760 --> 01:25:09,440
mooring installer put it in for you is
probably in the realm of hundreds of

1061
01:25:06,239 --> 01:25:13,840
dollars when owning and operating a boat
on Main's coast is much more expensive

1062
01:25:11,600 --> 01:25:18,320
than that. And and I think compared to
what folks are paying in some of the

1063
01:25:15,360 --> 01:25:21,679
moing fields in Falmouth and Yarmouth,
it's a very small amount of money

1064
01:25:20,080 --> 01:25:26,960
compared to what they may be spending
somewhere else. So I think comparatively

1065
01:25:23,440 --> 01:25:33,600
it's not a ton of money. Uh so that's
been sort of our analysis on that.

1066
01:25:31,280 --> 01:25:39,639
» Okay. Um I guess my my second question
was around uh dinghy access. So

1067
01:25:39,840 --> 01:25:47,679
the folks that have moorings that does
not guarantee

1068
01:25:45,360 --> 01:25:56,639
on the dock, right?
>> So speaking this. Okay. So the um

1069
01:25:53,760 --> 01:26:01,840
we have currently approved 48 moings and
out of those 48 approved moings all but

1070
01:25:59,920 --> 01:26:06,400
five
may have a dinghy

1071
01:26:04,239 --> 01:26:07,120
docked at our town floats if they want
to.

1072
01:26:06,719 --> 01:26:12,639
» Okay.
>> So up to 43 of our moing holders could

1073
01:26:11,040 --> 01:26:18,080
dock a dinghy there.
>> And that doesn't include the um like the

1074
01:26:15,679 --> 01:26:21,360
dry racks or the correct dry storage.
>> That's correct. It does not include the

1075
01:26:19,520 --> 01:26:24,800
we call them personal watercraft storage
racks because it could be a paddle

1076
01:26:22,880 --> 01:26:27,800
board, canoe, kayak that's up there.
>> Okay.

1077
01:26:29,920 --> 01:26:37,440
» So, as one of the folks that uh as the
chief and I have discussed um you know

1078
01:26:36,159 --> 01:26:41,760
to answer your question, Tig, I think
one of the reasons that folks get

1079
01:26:39,840 --> 01:26:45,600
moorings there and keep moorings is in
the past it's been very very challenging

1080
01:26:43,520 --> 01:26:50,400
to get a moing in Casco Bay. So, for
example, if you were in Felmouth or in

1081
01:26:47,840 --> 01:26:54,480
South Freeport or something like that,
there is no way you're going to get a

1082
01:26:52,560 --> 01:26:58,239
moing. So,
uh myself who moved my mooring from

1083
01:26:56,239 --> 01:27:02,880
Felmouth to Cumberland with the intent
of putting my boat on the mooring, which

1084
01:27:00,320 --> 01:27:08,480
you know, as you anyone who knows, my
boat has been in dry dock in my yard for

1085
01:27:04,560 --> 01:27:15,040
more than a few years. Um but uh I think
the changes that you propose chief are

1086
01:27:10,800 --> 01:27:22,960
are good um in that you know you you get
the you need to use the mooring um and

1087
01:27:18,880 --> 01:27:26,880
have you know a chance or two to say uh
you know to continue to use it if you if

1088
01:27:25,199 --> 01:27:31,120
you're off for a year or something going
on and then being able to go back on the

1089
01:27:29,280 --> 01:27:35,920
list again right off the bat I think is
a is a big deal. I I think people just

1090
01:27:33,199 --> 01:27:40,800
keep the moorings because
it's it's it has been historically very

1091
01:27:38,320 --> 01:27:44,880
challenging to get one and they also
have ambitions to have their boat in the

1092
01:27:42,320 --> 01:27:49,040
water which doesn't always work. So, um
and for example, if you do to Chief's

1093
01:27:47,040 --> 01:27:52,320
point, if you do have a moing like I
did, it doesn't cost a lot to get that

1094
01:27:50,960 --> 01:27:57,040
once you get the moing moved, it doesn't
cost a lot each year to keep it going.

1095
01:27:54,000 --> 01:28:00,320
So, uh it's a pretty cheap option to to
maintain an option to to and to maintain

1096
01:27:59,760 --> 01:28:04,159
it
>> right

1097
01:28:00,719 --> 01:28:07,520
» year on year. putting it in isn't cheap.
>> It depends.

1098
01:28:05,280 --> 01:28:09,440
» Um or
sorry, I don't know if we're

1099
01:28:08,320 --> 01:28:13,840
» Yeah, we don't want to get into that
that debate yet. Yeah. Just as a piece,

1100
01:28:11,840 --> 01:28:17,040
I think that just as a I think the
changes to the ordinance are good and I

1101
01:28:16,080 --> 01:28:20,480
I definitely support
>> We're not quite there yet, though. This

1102
01:28:18,239 --> 01:28:24,080
is just question moment. So, if anyone
has any other questions,

1103
01:28:22,639 --> 01:28:28,480
then we'll open the public hearing,
close it, and then we'll discuss. So,

1104
01:28:26,560 --> 01:28:32,400
any further questions?
>> Not yet. for comments before we open the

1105
01:28:30,960 --> 01:28:36,880
public hearing. Okay, cool. Let's do
this official bit here. Um, this is a

1106
01:28:35,120 --> 01:28:41,280
public hearing. If anyone would like to
come up and speak on this topic, the

1107
01:28:39,360 --> 01:28:47,040
floor is open. Anybody want to talk
about moorings? Great. The public

1108
01:28:44,639 --> 01:28:51,440
hearing is now closed.
>> Do you have anything you'd like to talk

1109
01:28:48,960 --> 01:28:55,760
about, chair of the ordinance committee?
>> This is an item that came from the

1110
01:28:53,360 --> 01:29:00,320
coastal water commission, the harbor
master, and the police chief. the

1111
01:28:57,840 --> 01:29:05,600
ordinance committee as as a matter of
policy reviews it. Uh so but this is not

1112
01:29:03,600 --> 01:29:10,800
something that the ordinance committee
drafted but we have supported it and it

1113
01:29:08,639 --> 01:29:16,080
came out of the ordinance committee with
a should pass uh recommendation. So the

1114
01:29:14,400 --> 01:29:20,040
recommendation is from the ordinance
committee that this be adopted.

1115
01:29:20,480 --> 01:29:28,880
» I have a question if uh no one else
does. Um, so I think we're at 57 waiting

1116
01:29:26,960 --> 01:29:36,400
list applicants or something and we've
got 48 moorings. Um,

1117
01:29:33,679 --> 01:29:43,840
do you anticipate the people on the wait
list also going to be kind of like

1118
01:29:40,000 --> 01:29:48,159
active users or I'm I'm just wondering
I'm I'm I'd be glad to see some turnover

1119
01:29:45,760 --> 01:29:51,679
on the wait list,
but what if the weight list people also

1120
01:29:50,080 --> 01:29:54,400
are going to pass? I'm just wondering if
we reach a point where we have no weight

1121
01:29:52,960 --> 01:29:59,040
list but we also have no one using the
morings. Um what would we do then?

1122
01:29:57,199 --> 01:30:03,600
» Well, our intention is that at the end
of this year, provided that you all vote

1123
01:30:01,920 --> 01:30:08,480
to to make these changes to the
ordinance, we would be having

1124
01:30:05,600 --> 01:30:12,080
conversations with the roughly 50% of
current moing holders who haven't put a

1125
01:30:10,000 --> 01:30:15,120
vote on their moing to say, listen, the
there's been a change to the to the

1126
01:30:13,679 --> 01:30:19,679
ordinance which is going to require you
to have a a mooring. uh this year is

1127
01:30:18,080 --> 01:30:23,120
fine, but next year that's going to be
an expectation. Do you reasonably expect

1128
01:30:21,600 --> 01:30:26,159
to have a more a vote on your mooring
next year? Do you want to talk about

1129
01:30:24,800 --> 01:30:29,840
surrendering that mooring? And we think
that that's going to probably have some

1130
01:30:28,080 --> 01:30:34,080
people bow out and not come back again
next year. Then we would start on the

1131
01:30:31,840 --> 01:30:38,480
wait list. And if folks, as we
mentioned, passed, we would work our way

1132
01:30:36,320 --> 01:30:42,880
down the wait list. And so
>> when we call the wait list this time, we

1133
01:30:40,480 --> 01:30:46,159
would be saying your your number's up.
You're welcome to have a morning if you

1134
01:30:44,080 --> 01:30:49,920
want to. keep in mind this is the
expectation, right?

1135
01:30:47,280 --> 01:30:54,960
» And then uh folks will have to make
their decision then take the moing, get

1136
01:30:52,480 --> 01:31:00,000
a boat on or I'll pass. And then we do
think that

1137
01:30:56,960 --> 01:31:03,040
» uh those two changes are going to result
in a number of people just self-

1138
01:31:01,440 --> 01:31:08,320
selecting to not be on the wait list
anymore and that it's going to result in

1139
01:31:06,480 --> 01:31:12,320
a more full mooring field.
>> That's going to result in issues with

1140
01:31:10,000 --> 01:31:17,040
dingy dockage. We realize there will be
a ex u an increase in dinghyd dockage

1141
01:31:14,960 --> 01:31:22,480
space right this coming spring when the
floats are expanded and then we will uh

1142
01:31:20,960 --> 01:31:25,280
well I will work with the coastal waters
commission to be keeping an eye on

1143
01:31:23,760 --> 01:31:28,719
things down there. Have we have we
solved one problem created another one?

1144
01:31:27,120 --> 01:31:33,600
How do we sort of keep our hand on the
throttle right for that moving forward?

1145
01:31:30,880 --> 01:31:37,520
But we think that it'll be a good way to
increase the use of that resource for

1146
01:31:35,199 --> 01:31:40,639
the town uh be fair to folks that have
been on the waiting list for a long

1147
01:31:38,880 --> 01:31:44,320
time. And you know, I I would love to
think we would reach a point where there

1148
01:31:41,920 --> 01:31:50,800
isn't a wait list anymore, but I suspect
we'll have one of some some length for

1149
01:31:47,360 --> 01:31:55,840
the foreseeable future.
>> Anybody have any comments or opinions or

1150
01:31:55,040 --> 01:31:59,199
take a motion?
>> Oh, I have a lot of comments and

1151
01:31:57,199 --> 01:32:04,080
opinions. Sorry. [laughter]
>> Go for it.

1152
01:32:00,239 --> 01:32:11,199
» Okay. So, a couple of things. Um, first,
so I think that take I think that rather

1153
01:32:08,000 --> 01:32:17,440
than removing someone entirely from the
weight list, it might be a better move

1154
01:32:14,400 --> 01:32:21,280
to ask them one, do you still want to be
on here?

1155
01:32:18,800 --> 01:32:25,920
» And they might just say, "No, no, thank
you. Um, take me off. I sold my boat."

1156
01:32:24,159 --> 01:32:31,760
But what we could also do, which would
actually be more consistent with what we

1157
01:32:28,480 --> 01:32:36,880
do on the shellfish commission, is they
get moved automatically to the bottom of

1158
01:32:34,159 --> 01:32:40,639
the weight list. Um, because
I'm on the wait list, right? I've been

1159
01:32:38,560 --> 01:32:49,040
on the wait list for a while. Our boat
is in dry dock. Our engine is screwed.

1160
01:32:45,760 --> 01:32:54,719
And unfortunately, um, we can't afford
right now to buy an $8,000 new engine.

1161
01:32:52,480 --> 01:32:58,880
We can't. Do we have every intention of
putting our boat on a mooring when we

1162
01:32:57,040 --> 01:33:03,920
are in a more financially stable
position? Like absolutely. But what'll

1163
01:33:01,760 --> 01:33:06,960
happen is that if we're at the top of
the wait list and we say no, it's not

1164
01:33:05,920 --> 01:33:10,080
going to happen this year. It's not
going to happen next year. And boat

1165
01:33:08,320 --> 01:33:14,480
people who are real boat people know
that boat problems are problems. They're

1166
01:33:12,159 --> 01:33:17,440
money pits. They're not something that
you should necessarily get because you

1167
01:33:16,159 --> 01:33:21,280
will constantly be looking at your
wallet and saying, "Why did I do this?"

1168
01:33:19,520 --> 01:33:26,400
You can probably agree with me at least
on that, right? Um, but you know, like

1169
01:33:24,960 --> 01:33:29,520
we come off the wait list and my
husband's just going to reapply, get put

1170
01:33:28,080 --> 01:33:34,080
to the wait list. We'll have to pay the
fee again. And like I don't know. I just

1171
01:33:32,400 --> 01:33:38,239
I don't think that that's I don't love
that. Um even though I know it's a very

1172
01:33:36,320 --> 01:33:42,000
very small fee. I just for the residents
I just I don't think that's cool. And I

1173
01:33:39,920 --> 01:33:45,440
think that it would be more consistent
for our code if we were to do it the way

1174
01:33:44,000 --> 01:33:51,840
that we do for the shellfish with the
shellfish commission commission. The

1175
01:33:47,679 --> 01:33:58,000
other part in here that I don't love is
um the harbor master may refuse to renew

1176
01:33:54,639 --> 01:34:02,000
any mooring assignment or permit in the
broad cove reserve boring field that is

1177
01:34:00,000 --> 01:34:08,159
not used by the permit holder for one
full boating year season rather. Um so

1178
01:34:05,199 --> 01:34:13,280
I'm trying to understand like
enforcement here like how do you know

1179
01:34:11,520 --> 01:34:17,360
whether or not someone is putting their
boat there? the harbor master here might

1180
01:34:15,679 --> 01:34:22,960
not be the same type of harbor master
that we have in a much more robust

1181
01:34:20,639 --> 01:34:24,560
waterfront. Uh like we don't have a
boat, right?

1182
01:34:24,000 --> 01:34:31,520
» Correct.
>> Um and so h how are we determining

1183
01:34:30,000 --> 01:34:36,480
because this language I think is sort of
subjective like so how are you

1184
01:34:33,120 --> 01:34:40,560
determining what the use looks like?
So, great question. And so, what we've

1185
01:34:38,639 --> 01:34:44,800
done this year, I anticipate is what we
would be doing in future years is that

1186
01:34:43,040 --> 01:34:47,920
in the spring when the moorings go out,
a tag goes on the moing that just says,

1187
01:34:46,560 --> 01:34:51,920
"Hey, when you put your boat on this
moing, would you remove this tag?" And

1188
01:34:49,760 --> 01:34:55,600
reach out to the harbor master. So, then
folks get their boat out, they go to mo

1189
01:34:54,159 --> 01:34:59,120
their boat, they see that tag, they
remove it, they reach out to officer

1190
01:34:57,840 --> 01:35:02,800
Marman, our harbor master, and say,
"Hey, Matt, my boat's on the mooring."

1191
01:35:00,719 --> 01:35:06,880
And Matt says, "Check mark that that
moing is being used." We go out and

1192
01:35:04,800 --> 01:35:12,080
inspect our moorings. We're trying to do
it about four times over the summer. And

1193
01:35:09,199 --> 01:35:16,080
so I think at the end of a at the end of
a boating season, if there's a moing

1194
01:35:14,159 --> 01:35:19,360
that has a a tag on it that has not been
removed during the times they did their

1195
01:35:18,000 --> 01:35:22,560
four checks, they never saw a boat on
that moing, there's a pretty good

1196
01:35:20,800 --> 01:35:26,639
argument that that mooring has not been
used during that full boating season.

1197
01:35:25,199 --> 01:35:29,199
And then Matt would be having a
conversation with that moing holder.

1198
01:35:28,000 --> 01:35:36,000
What's happening? What's going on with
you? And we wrote the language

1199
01:35:32,719 --> 01:35:40,320
to be um flexible for Matt. So when Matt
talks to someone, if the person says, "I

1200
01:35:38,159 --> 01:35:44,719
had a death in the family. I've been
battling a serious health concern or

1201
01:35:42,239 --> 01:35:49,199
whatever the case may be that Matt can
provide some grace to that person to to

1202
01:35:47,280 --> 01:35:53,040
understand that and let them push it out
by one more year or just have the

1203
01:35:51,280 --> 01:35:56,159
conversation with them about what's
what's the deal, where's your boat, is

1204
01:35:54,480 --> 01:36:00,880
it, you know, is it in dry dock? Do you
have something uh you know in place for

1205
01:35:59,280 --> 01:36:03,920
repairs? Do you have an expectation that
boat's going to be there again in the

1206
01:36:02,159 --> 01:36:08,639
near future? and then just work through
that with them um based on I think

1207
01:36:07,040 --> 01:36:14,800
conversation and an expectation that
folks are going to be candid and helpful

1208
01:36:10,239 --> 01:36:18,800
and and um that if he needs to and he
tells a person that based on whatever

1209
01:36:16,560 --> 01:36:22,320
the the totality of the circumstances is
that he's not going to renew their

1210
01:36:20,159 --> 01:36:26,239
mooring that's his decision but his
decision can be appealed to the entire

1211
01:36:24,320 --> 01:36:30,480
coastal waters commission. So there's
there's good due process involved. If he

1212
01:36:28,560 --> 01:36:34,400
makes a decision after having that
conversation, again, looking at all the

1213
01:36:32,159 --> 01:36:37,760
the facts of the case, and he says no,
then they can present themselves before

1214
01:36:36,000 --> 01:36:41,520
the Coastal Waters Commission and make
their case to that to that group who can

1215
01:36:39,760 --> 01:36:44,520
either sustain his decision or overturn
it.

1216
01:36:44,560 --> 01:36:50,880
» And I I just would add, I think, to um
to add on to some of the other comments

1217
01:36:49,119 --> 01:36:54,080
that were made that this is very similar
to language that's being used in

1218
01:36:52,560 --> 01:36:57,679
Yarmouth and Falmouth. are obviously
very close to their harbor masters and

1219
01:36:55,520 --> 01:37:01,199
talk with them on a regular basis to
bounce ideas off of them and ask them

1220
01:36:59,440 --> 01:37:04,480
for recommendations for language. So
they both use language that's very

1221
01:37:03,119 --> 01:37:07,760
similar to this and think that it's
worked well for them. Um it was also

1222
01:37:06,639 --> 01:37:13,840
reviewed by the coastal waters
commission and our town council. So um

1223
01:37:11,440 --> 01:37:17,040
could be words smith I guess but it does
provide flexibility for our harbor

1224
01:37:15,520 --> 01:37:21,119
master and it does provide due process
for anyone that feels agrieved by a

1225
01:37:18,639 --> 01:37:26,800
decision made by our harbor master.
I I would exc um I mean I would argue

1226
01:37:24,400 --> 01:37:33,920
that Yarmmouth and Felmouth are very
different harbors than Broad Cove. Um

1227
01:37:30,719 --> 01:37:38,800
there's a lot more traffic. Uh there's a
lot more use. Um

1228
01:37:37,119 --> 01:37:43,520
it's just like it's a it's a they're
much busier. So So I'm not sure that

1229
01:37:41,280 --> 01:37:49,800
it's apples to apples. Um I'm not saying
that there's anything wrong. I think the

1230
01:37:44,800 --> 01:37:49,800
benchmarking is great. Um,

1231
01:37:51,600 --> 01:37:58,639
yeah. Yeah. I don't know. I think it's I
just I think it's unreasonable. Um, but

1232
01:37:56,639 --> 01:38:04,639
that's me. I would be more comfortable
with at least folks having the option or

1233
01:38:02,639 --> 01:38:09,360
being put to the bottom of the weight
list or as asked if they want to stay on

1234
01:38:07,199 --> 01:38:13,840
the weight list and then move to the
bottom, which is more consistent with

1235
01:38:10,960 --> 01:38:17,920
what we do with Shellfish.
Um,

1236
01:38:16,159 --> 01:38:21,600
and I don't know, like the tagging
system, I I guess I understand it, but

1237
01:38:20,080 --> 01:38:27,280
someone could go out there, remove the
tag like on their paddle board, and then

1238
01:38:25,199 --> 01:38:32,360
they've ticked the box, you know, like I
just it's it seems a little

1239
01:38:32,400 --> 01:38:38,320
it it just kind of seems like you're
like I don't love it. It seems kind of

1240
01:38:36,239 --> 01:38:43,760
arbitrary. It doesn't really seem um
like it's solving the problem, which is

1241
01:38:40,960 --> 01:38:48,320
we want people to use this
We want people, we want it to be a more

1242
01:38:45,360 --> 01:38:51,440
bustling harbor and I'm not sure this is
going to solve that problem.

1243
01:38:49,679 --> 01:38:55,440
» So, I wouldn't be in support of it as
written.

1244
01:38:53,440 --> 01:38:56,639
» Want to say something?
>> Yeah. I mean,

1245
01:38:56,080 --> 01:39:01,760
» think about it.
>> I I I

1246
01:38:58,480 --> 01:39:08,639
Yes, I understand your uh questions, uh,
Councelor Fison. Um, but, uh, you know,

1247
01:39:06,239 --> 01:39:13,360
I think there's a, you know, as someone
who is, you know, potentially going to

1248
01:39:10,480 --> 01:39:16,880
go and have this change affect me. Um,
and I'm sure others I I can see other

1249
01:39:15,199 --> 01:39:20,320
moorings out there that I know of, folks
that, you know, you, you can tell that a

1250
01:39:18,719 --> 01:39:23,760
moing's not been used when the grass is
on the right, it's sitting there, right?

1251
01:39:22,320 --> 01:39:30,639
I went out and got my tag off the
mooring with my kayak the other day,

1252
01:39:25,520 --> 01:39:36,400
right? So, um I think that this will
help move things along.

1253
01:39:33,600 --> 01:39:40,239
Um and I think there's flexibility in
there. One of the conversations that we

1254
01:39:38,080 --> 01:39:43,679
had in the in the ordinance committee
was there was initially a penalty where

1255
01:39:42,320 --> 01:39:48,719
right where you couldn't reapply to the
list for three years if you decided not

1256
01:39:45,840 --> 01:39:52,800
to have the mooring and we took that off
right Chief Ramsey took that off

1257
01:39:50,639 --> 01:39:56,480
» and I think this in here too whereas if
you choose not to go on or accept the

1258
01:39:54,880 --> 01:39:59,679
moring and you just go right back onto
the you know you start at the bottom of

1259
01:39:57,920 --> 01:40:04,560
the list again right I mean I think
that's I think that's pretty fair

1260
01:40:01,920 --> 01:40:09,040
» all is inconsistent with what we do in
our other code So, would we want to do

1261
01:40:07,199 --> 01:40:13,760
that for the shellfish as well?
>> Yeah, I don't I don't know why we

1262
01:40:10,480 --> 01:40:18,800
wouldn't, but yeah. So, at least in
Yeah, I don't know. I think this would

1263
01:40:15,360 --> 01:40:23,520
be I would like to see this get move
forward. You know, if others think we

1264
01:40:20,239 --> 01:40:27,320
need to tweak it, great. But for my
world, I think it works.

1265
01:40:27,440 --> 01:40:34,639
Bill,
>> I think the u one of the things to

1266
01:40:31,920 --> 01:40:42,639
understand is the capacity of Broad Cove
is not nearly being utilized to anywhere

1267
01:40:38,400 --> 01:40:47,199
near its capacity and and as as people
use it. We have the ability to expand

1268
01:40:44,719 --> 01:40:53,119
it. We certainly have the ability to
issue more permits and and change as

1269
01:40:50,400 --> 01:40:59,040
necessary. So, I think for tonight we
should move this ahead. The this is a

1270
01:40:55,520 --> 01:41:02,320
recommendation from uh a an appointed
committee that has done the due

1271
01:41:00,800 --> 01:41:08,880
diligence
there. The ordinance committee has

1272
01:41:04,320 --> 01:41:14,320
reviewed it. Um if if it we find that
there's something that's not working, we

1273
01:41:11,360 --> 01:41:18,719
can always go back and request the
coastal commission to re-examine this

1274
01:41:17,040 --> 01:41:24,560
and and come back with a different
recommendation. But I'm I'm ready to

1275
01:41:21,600 --> 01:41:31,040
move move it tonight. Um, I'll give my
two cents before someone inevitably

1276
01:41:27,280 --> 01:41:34,560
gives a motion. Um, I understand your
concerns, especially around the

1277
01:41:32,480 --> 01:41:41,360
subjectivity of the language of the
harbor master's um, discretion and I

1278
01:41:39,119 --> 01:41:47,040
know in this case it's for a person
who's got, you know, good things in

1279
01:41:45,360 --> 01:41:52,080
mind. There could be a harbor master
working for the forces of evil who wants

1280
01:41:48,960 --> 01:41:55,520
to go around and target individuals for
the moorings. Who knows? But I do

1281
01:41:54,080 --> 01:41:59,119
appreciate that you mentioned the
appeals process because I think that's

1282
01:41:57,440 --> 01:42:02,320
where any of that would play out. And
again, you would hope that the Coastal

1283
01:42:00,639 --> 01:42:07,199
Waters Commission is also operating in
the best interests um of everyone and

1284
01:42:05,199 --> 01:42:11,360
having some ethics there, which I know
they do. Um so that makes me feel better

1285
01:42:09,440 --> 01:42:16,719
about that language piece at least. And
then I think it's pretty fair to let a

1286
01:42:13,920 --> 01:42:22,560
person pass for two years and then they
have that third time to accept. I would

1287
01:42:19,440 --> 01:42:26,639
be in favor of just tweaking the wording
a little bit um on where it says when an

1288
01:42:25,119 --> 01:42:32,320
applicant is offered a moing for the
third time, they must accept the offered

1289
01:42:29,679 --> 01:42:34,719
moing assignment or their name will be
moved to the bottom of the waiting list

1290
01:42:33,679 --> 01:42:39,119
or something instead of just being
removed from the waiting list. I can see

1291
01:42:36,719 --> 01:42:43,040
that being a little tweak, but I
wouldn't hold this whole thing back um

1292
01:42:41,440 --> 01:42:49,119
based on that wording. I would just ask
that we just revisit that sentence again

1293
01:42:46,639 --> 01:42:56,400
sometime uh soon.
But um yeah, I mean I'm in favor of it

1294
01:42:53,040 --> 01:43:01,040
on the whole. Um if anybody has anything
else to say, go for it. Otherwise,

1295
01:43:00,000 --> 01:43:04,960
» someone make a motion.
>> I'll make I'll make a motion.

1296
01:43:04,239 --> 01:43:10,320
So
>> yeah, go for it.

1297
01:43:07,440 --> 01:43:14,719
» Item number 26094. I move to amend
chapter 48, coastal waters of the

1298
01:43:13,040 --> 01:43:18,239
Cumberland one code of ordinances as
recommended by the ordinance committee.

1299
01:43:16,719 --> 01:43:24,080
» Second.
>> All right, we have a motion and a

1300
01:43:19,600 --> 01:43:30,719
second. Any discussion on the motion?
All those in favor?

1301
01:43:27,360 --> 01:43:34,880
» Oh, sorry. All those opposed?
Motion carries. Thank you, councilors.

1302
01:43:33,520 --> 01:43:42,320
» Thanks, chief.
>> All righty. Next, we have 26-095

1303
01:43:39,040 --> 01:43:50,719
to authorize fiscal year 2026, end of
year transfers. Um, this is our annual

1304
01:43:45,600 --> 01:43:54,719
housekeeping item. And if we would like,
who wants to talk about it? I'm guessing

1305
01:43:52,320 --> 01:44:00,080
finance director.
>> We do have our little on this finance

1306
01:43:57,119 --> 01:44:05,400
director here this evening. So, is more
than ready to talk about. the expert in

1307
01:44:02,320 --> 01:44:05,400
the room.

1308
01:44:07,600 --> 01:44:17,600
» Good evening, councilors. As discussed
during our finance committee meeting, um

1309
01:44:12,320 --> 01:44:23,920
we showed a budget um surplus of uh $1.3
million with a request to use some of

1310
01:44:20,320 --> 01:44:32,800
those funds for urine transfers for our
HR, our um our CIP budget that we've uh

1311
01:44:29,040 --> 01:44:38,800
planned for the fire department. And um
I think the total was I'm sorry I don't

1312
01:44:35,440 --> 01:44:45,119
have the agenda in front of me. 1966 673
>> 1976 673

1313
01:44:42,159 --> 01:44:50,800
» 196 673 that's close unless you want the
extra grand [laughter]

1314
01:44:47,760 --> 01:44:56,880
and then um as as we also discussed um I
haven't completely closed the books but

1315
01:44:52,719 --> 01:45:01,600
um I do see uh do not foresee us needing
to u back any of those out. I know in

1316
01:44:59,280 --> 01:45:06,560
the past we've put preliminary based on
where we would end the year. Um, and if

1317
01:45:04,320 --> 01:45:11,840
you had any questions about revenues and
expenses, we went through those as well.

1318
01:45:09,280 --> 01:45:14,840
So, not sure if there's any other
questions.

1319
01:45:16,239 --> 01:45:20,600
» Um, I don't have any.

1320
01:45:20,639 --> 01:45:27,199
» Anybody want to get into the details
here or we good?

1321
01:45:24,080 --> 01:45:32,159
» I think we covered them earlier.
>> Yeah, it wasn't televised. I don't know

1322
01:45:29,040 --> 01:45:37,360
if we should give like the TLDDR of or
the summary I should say for those who

1323
01:45:34,080 --> 01:45:43,119
don't know the lingo um
just the general [snorts]

1324
01:45:40,080 --> 01:45:48,960
what was generally over budget
what was under how revenues balanced out

1325
01:45:45,679 --> 01:45:53,480
and this and that or we can just uh move
it forward. I'm I'm happy either way.

1326
01:45:54,639 --> 01:46:02,639
» I'm I'm happy to provide you a motion if
you want. Um

1327
01:45:59,040 --> 01:46:06,320
item number 26-095.
I move to authorize the town manager to

1328
01:46:04,560 --> 01:46:10,400
transfer excess and end of year
operating revenues and departmental

1329
01:46:08,239 --> 01:46:16,159
operating balances from the general fund
to close all departmental

1330
01:46:12,880 --> 01:46:21,760
budgets. And further, I also I also move
to authorize a town manager to transfer

1331
01:46:17,840 --> 01:46:25,920
up to 196 thou6,673
from end ofear excess revenues from the

1332
01:46:23,840 --> 01:46:31,119
general fund for projects and any
additional excess revenues to be applied

1333
01:46:27,760 --> 01:46:33,280
to endofear fund balances.
>> All right, have a motion. We have a

1334
01:46:32,480 --> 01:46:38,480
second.
>> Second.

1335
01:46:35,360 --> 01:46:42,639
» Any discussion on that motion? Nope. All
those in favor?

1336
01:46:40,639 --> 01:46:50,080
Unanimous.
Thank you, Helen.

1337
01:46:46,080 --> 01:46:54,080
All right, next we have 26-096
to appoint a member to the planning

1338
01:46:52,000 --> 01:46:56,400
board. Exciting.
Um,

1339
01:46:55,040 --> 01:47:00,719
» like to speak on that.
>> Yes, indeed, chair of that committee,

1340
01:46:59,600 --> 01:47:04,639
Mahalik.
>> So, first of all, I just want to thank

1341
01:47:02,719 --> 01:47:08,960
all the people that applied. We had a
number of great applicants. Um, but

1342
01:47:07,440 --> 01:47:14,560
after going through the selection
process, you know, looked like that

1343
01:47:12,719 --> 01:47:18,760
We should move to appoint Jane Wilson to
the planning to the planning board.

1344
01:47:19,199 --> 01:47:24,480
» And as I understand it, it was
unanimously approved. Yes.

1345
01:47:22,800 --> 01:47:26,800
» By the non nominating committee. So you
guys are all on the same page.

1346
01:47:25,920 --> 01:47:30,000
» Yep.
>> Great.

1347
01:47:28,639 --> 01:47:33,520
» So I'll give you a motion whenever
you're ready.

1348
01:47:31,440 --> 01:47:38,880
» Unless anyone wants to talk about it,
I'm ready.

1349
01:47:36,400 --> 01:47:42,239
» Item number 26-096.
I move to appoint Jane Wilson to the

1350
01:47:40,560 --> 01:47:48,400
planning board.
Second. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. I was

1351
01:47:46,400 --> 01:47:50,880
there. I love her. She's amazing.
>> She's awesome.

1352
01:47:49,199 --> 01:47:55,280
» All right. Motion second.
>> Discussion on the motion.

1353
01:47:52,800 --> 01:47:58,880
» Seeing none. All those in favor?
>> Unanimous. Great. Congratulations.

1354
01:47:57,840 --> 01:48:03,920
» Go Jane. Go.
>> Welcome to the planning board.

1355
01:48:02,400 --> 01:48:10,560
All right.
Finally, we have item 26-097

1356
01:48:08,560 --> 01:48:14,320
to set a public hearing date of
September 14th to consider an act on a

1357
01:48:12,320 --> 01:48:20,719
liquor license application for Marmain
LLC. And I will note, if you didn't

1358
01:48:18,800 --> 01:48:24,800
catch my emphasis, that this is not
approving anything tonight. This is just

1359
01:48:22,639 --> 01:48:30,960
to establish the hearing date. Um the
actual hearing and decision would be

1360
01:48:26,800 --> 01:48:36,239
scheduled for September 14th if um that
goes through. So, um, if nobody would

1361
01:48:33,600 --> 01:48:40,719
like to discuss it or if you would like
to discuss it, um, you can do that. It's

1362
01:48:38,560 --> 01:48:43,119
probably not the time for it.
>> Somebody wants to give me a motion.

1363
01:48:41,840 --> 01:48:45,520
» Would you like a motion?
>> Yeah, I'll give you one.

1364
01:48:45,119 --> 01:48:47,920
» All right,
>> let's do it.

1365
01:48:46,239 --> 01:48:52,800
» I move to set a public hearing date of
September 14th to consider an act on a

1366
01:48:50,000 --> 01:48:58,639
liquor license application for I hope
I'm pronouncing this right, Mayor Mine

1367
01:48:54,800 --> 01:49:02,000
LLC. Oh, you're here.
>> Oh, I have already been looking to at

1368
01:49:00,639 --> 01:49:04,159
that menu. I sent it to all my
neighbors.

1369
01:49:02,400 --> 01:49:09,480
» Really good. [laughter]
>> Uh we have a

1370
01:49:06,320 --> 01:49:09,480
» we have

1371
01:49:12,000 --> 01:49:18,080
so happy you're here. Thank you.
>> While we distribute these, I have a

1372
01:49:16,560 --> 01:49:21,360
motion. Do we have a second?
>> Second.

1373
01:49:18,880 --> 01:49:24,800
» Okay. Any discussion on it? All those in
favor?

1374
01:49:22,880 --> 01:49:27,679
Unanimous.
We will see you on September 14th

1375
01:49:26,450 --> 01:49:32,400
[clears throat] where we will discuss
this in detail. I'm just kidding. I'm

1376
01:49:30,000 --> 01:49:38,639
not kidding though. I'm going to talk
about this menu. All right, great. That

1377
01:49:36,080 --> 01:49:43,040
concludes legislation and policy. Now,
we're going to get into new business.

1378
01:49:40,480 --> 01:49:46,000
And I'm left-handed, so I'm going to
start on my left. Councelor Filson, if

1379
01:49:45,119 --> 01:49:51,360
you're prepared.
>> Thank you. I sure am. Um, so one of the

1380
01:49:49,440 --> 01:49:56,719
things that I'm hoping that we can talk
about, and I already um uh surfaced or

1381
01:49:54,400 --> 01:50:02,960
bubbled this to the surface with um
Lily, is um I'd like to have some kind

1382
01:50:00,239 --> 01:50:11,520
of discussion about
some kind of program for tax relief um

1383
01:50:06,800 --> 01:50:15,760
for families who may that that possibly
is an expansion of the senior program.

1384
01:50:14,000 --> 01:50:21,119
um where families who may have found
themselves in economic hardship for

1385
01:50:19,040 --> 01:50:25,440
whatever reason, maybe it's a year where
they're just really not doing well,

1386
01:50:23,360 --> 01:50:30,000
can't afford their tax bill. Um just
looking at whether or not there's

1387
01:50:28,239 --> 01:50:35,360
something that we could do, um a program
that we can put in place, uh for folks

1388
01:50:32,239 --> 01:50:39,360
that yeah are financially struggling,
may not be able to hit their tax bill

1389
01:50:37,040 --> 01:50:45,600
that particular year. um could be
temporary um or could be something that

1390
01:50:42,639 --> 01:50:51,920
may temporary for that family. Um but I
think that the economic hardship is um

1391
01:50:49,840 --> 01:50:56,639
out there. Um there are big life events
like divorces, people are unexpectedly

1392
01:50:54,639 --> 01:51:00,560
widowed. Um you know, all sorts of
things happen and sometimes it takes a

1393
01:50:58,400 --> 01:51:04,320
little bit of time to regain your
footing. Um, and so that's just

1394
01:51:02,719 --> 01:51:09,679
something at some point I'd love for us
to look at the options and see if um

1395
01:51:07,600 --> 01:51:12,159
that's something we want to look at.
That's it for me.

1396
01:51:10,639 --> 01:51:15,520
» Great.
Council follow.

1397
01:51:14,320 --> 01:51:22,800
» What do you have?
>> Ah, I have two two items. Um, so the

1398
01:51:20,080 --> 01:51:29,119
first one is like to propose or discuss
for new business is regards to the rail

1399
01:51:25,520 --> 01:51:35,360
trail. Um, and I think that there is an
opportunity since I know as as we as we

1400
01:51:33,679 --> 01:51:40,159
hear the community, right? I think
there's overwhelming support to do this.

1401
01:51:37,920 --> 01:51:46,880
Um, and I realize that there's concerns
from a Butters as well. Um, but I think

1402
01:51:44,800 --> 01:51:52,880
that not moving forward on the
engineering study is a is a bad choice.

1403
01:51:50,000 --> 01:51:58,080
Um, and I think that's a process where
we can get the uh abutters, right? Get

1404
01:51:55,920 --> 01:52:03,679
their concerns heard in a in a process
that is a normal process. But I also

1405
01:52:01,520 --> 01:52:10,560
respect the fact that, right, we're in
this world of needs and wants and trying

1406
01:52:07,040 --> 01:52:15,599
to be respectful of the the cost of the
study and the match. And again, this is

1407
01:52:12,480 --> 01:52:22,159
just for the study, the $12,000
contribution. I think that there is um

1408
01:52:19,760 --> 01:52:29,520
sufficient support
um in town from folks who would like to

1409
01:52:25,199 --> 01:52:34,000
see this move forward that we could um
do it as a charitable uh thing, right,

1410
01:52:31,920 --> 01:52:38,239
where people can contribute to this to
fund the $12,000. And I think we'd find

1411
01:52:36,880 --> 01:52:44,560
that that would get funded quite
quickly. Um, so I just wanted to throw

1412
01:52:41,760 --> 01:52:49,920
that out as as something that we can
consider and if there's a um, you know,

1413
01:52:48,080 --> 01:52:55,040
Mr. Manager, if there's a mechanism that
we can use that would allow us to take

1414
01:52:52,320 --> 01:52:59,360
those charitable contributions in and
then use that to fund the study. So

1415
01:52:56,960 --> 01:53:04,000
again, you know, with the we're not
we're not worried about the expenditure

1416
01:53:01,440 --> 01:53:10,239
of the study. And again, just the study,
that's it. That's where it stops.

1417
01:53:06,480 --> 01:53:13,760
» Two things if I can. Um I we haven't
made that agenda obviously yet, but I

1418
01:53:12,159 --> 01:53:18,880
think we were aiming for the end of
September,

1419
01:53:14,560 --> 01:53:21,679
» I think the 28th to revisit this. Um,
additionally, I know that people can

1420
01:53:20,239 --> 01:53:27,840
make donations to the town. I don't know
if we need to have a specific like fund

1421
01:53:24,960 --> 01:53:31,679
category set up for a a specific use or
if people could donate and just say, you

1422
01:53:29,360 --> 01:53:34,960
know, in the memo like this is for a
particular thing.

1423
01:53:32,880 --> 01:53:40,080
» We we we definitely can.
>> Okay. Um the oftentimes what you find is

1424
01:53:37,280 --> 01:53:44,880
a town can receive gifts and then uh and
then uh the council can allocate those

1425
01:53:42,159 --> 01:53:51,520
gifts uh depending upon that like uh
occasionally folks will make a donation

1426
01:53:47,440 --> 01:53:56,320
to the town uh specific to support the
fire and rescue or uh an ambulance fund

1427
01:53:54,800 --> 01:53:59,920
if there was something along those lines
or

1428
01:53:57,840 --> 01:54:02,880
certain areas. So we could uh or even uh
quite honestly the food pantry is

1429
01:54:01,280 --> 01:54:08,400
another one uh that we do. Council
Mahalik donates his $20 at each council

1430
01:54:06,159 --> 01:54:13,599
meeting. We take that and and that goes
into their account. So, we could set up

1431
01:54:11,679 --> 01:54:16,239
a fund for that and then the council
could look at that and say, "Okay, we're

1432
01:54:15,119 --> 01:54:20,000
going to receive it here. Are we going
to expend it here?" And then it's a one

1433
01:54:17,679 --> 01:54:23,840
for one uh that way we could we could
keep that clean. But it's it's it's

1434
01:54:22,159 --> 01:54:27,599
definitely a mechanism we could put in
place.

1435
01:54:24,960 --> 01:54:32,639
» So, what all do we need to do to to do
that? And would it be only for the

1436
01:54:29,440 --> 01:54:40,560
design study or can it be a that rail
trail over there general fund to where

1437
01:54:35,520 --> 01:54:43,440
if you have things over that it goes to
potentially something in the future

1438
01:54:41,840 --> 01:54:46,960
regarding it or what do you do if it
goes over the 12,000 do you give refunds

1439
01:54:45,520 --> 01:54:49,679
like how does how do the how does the
nitty-gritty work on that kind of thing

1440
01:54:48,320 --> 01:54:53,199
before we were to do something like
that? It'd be a nice problem to have.

1441
01:54:52,400 --> 01:54:57,440
» Indeed,
>> would [laughter] be would be the way I

1442
01:54:54,480 --> 01:55:00,880
would look at that, but uh not I was not
trying to be flip at all with that. Uh

1443
01:54:59,440 --> 01:55:04,400
but it would be a nice problem to have.
But generally what you would do is uh

1444
01:55:02,800 --> 01:55:07,440
you know, once you get to that point,
ultimately comes down to council because

1445
01:55:05,840 --> 01:55:11,679
council would have to say, you know, we
will receive those funds and we we're

1446
01:55:09,280 --> 01:55:17,199
happy and we will expend them based on
what the donor's um desires are. Um,

1447
01:55:15,040 --> 01:55:20,560
that's a pretty easy one, but really
ends up having the council just would

1448
01:55:18,719 --> 01:55:26,080
need to authorize that expenditure.
>> So, is that something we need to stick

1449
01:55:21,920 --> 01:55:28,320
on our agenda coming up to establish
this?

1450
01:55:26,639 --> 01:55:31,920
» Yeah, we can get that on for the 14th
without without a problem at all. And I

1451
01:55:29,760 --> 01:55:36,239
could get the language really cleaned up
and and and and ready to ready to go.

1452
01:55:34,880 --> 01:55:40,000
So, if there were willing and ready
donors out there, we'd be we could set

1453
01:55:38,480 --> 01:55:44,239
it up to do it. And then probably then
you could look at the 28th and say,

1454
01:55:41,520 --> 01:55:47,679
"Okay, uh, you know, if those funds came
in, the council could then look at that.

1455
01:55:46,080 --> 01:55:50,080
If you want to make the decision to say,
"Yeah, we're going to do this and we're

1456
01:55:49,040 --> 01:55:56,719
going to have these funds. We're going
to use them." Uh, that would that would

1457
01:55:52,239 --> 01:56:05,760
be a pretty ministerial uh item to do.
I mean that to me all looks nice and

1458
01:55:59,840 --> 01:56:11,520
neat potentially um to authorize you to
go set up that kind of fund if that is

1459
01:56:07,520 --> 01:56:14,800
something we need to do as a group like
>> how do we do it? Do we have to like vote

1460
01:56:13,280 --> 01:56:17,599
on this officially at our next meeting?
Like is it just a consensus right now?

1461
01:56:16,560 --> 01:56:19,760
It's just like yeah that seems like a
good idea. Go forth and

1462
01:56:18,800 --> 01:56:22,380
» I could do it tomorrow.
>> Do your thing

1463
01:56:20,159 --> 01:56:27,520
» or more importantly Helen could do it
[laughter] tomorrow to be honest. Uh but

1464
01:56:25,199 --> 01:56:30,719
if Because people do send donations into
the town for certain things and we have

1465
01:56:29,280 --> 01:56:33,599
to find a place to house it,
>> right? So, if you even get like a dollar

1466
01:56:32,480 --> 01:56:35,440
toward this thing, you're going to have
to put it in some place and you're going

1467
01:56:34,960 --> 01:56:40,159
to have to make
>> funding. We want to account for it. Yep.

1468
01:56:38,560 --> 01:56:46,239
» Do you want to donate a dollar to get it
started? I'm just kidding. [laughter]

1469
01:56:43,360 --> 01:56:50,560
Okay. Sure. I guess. Do you have
anything else that

1470
01:56:48,639 --> 01:56:57,119
» I do, but I didn't know if anybody else
wanted to go. It's that this

1471
01:56:53,040 --> 01:57:05,599
Wow. Thanks. Um so councelor Vale and I
um put together uh some ideas um on an

1472
01:57:03,440 --> 01:57:11,280
outline and a plan to address the need
for workforce housing in Cumberland. And

1473
01:57:08,800 --> 01:57:16,639
this is something that both he and
myself and then Tig I I you know also

1474
01:57:14,800 --> 01:57:21,520
heard when we were working on the comp
plan right and I don't I don't have the

1475
01:57:19,679 --> 01:57:28,639
statistics in front of me tonight but it
was definitely uh an area of discussion

1476
01:57:25,199 --> 01:57:35,679
across town in that you know municipal
employees uh MSAD 51 employees right

1477
01:57:32,800 --> 01:57:41,920
often have a very hard time affording
finding a finding a place to live in

1478
01:57:37,760 --> 01:57:45,679
town and um that's not going to change
anytime soon, right? With the property

1479
01:57:43,599 --> 01:57:50,400
values in town and just, you know,
that's I think just the reality of it.

1480
01:57:47,440 --> 01:57:57,040
So, we put together some some thoughts
on here is how this might work. Um and I

1481
01:57:54,159 --> 01:58:02,480
know we've gone over this ground before
and and maybe somewhat painfully. Um but

1482
01:58:00,400 --> 01:58:05,920
doesn't mean that we can't try again
with a new approach. I do think it's

1483
01:58:04,639 --> 01:58:12,199
something that's come out of the comp
plan that was very uh

1484
01:58:12,800 --> 01:58:18,960
well supported to move forward, right? A
committee of all these citizens to to

1485
01:58:16,719 --> 01:58:24,080
voted to move this forward over an
18-month period. So, I don't think it's

1486
01:58:21,199 --> 01:58:28,320
something that we can just let lie and
think it's something we need to take up.

1487
01:58:26,159 --> 01:58:35,599
We're obviously not going to solve or go
through all of this now. Um but you know

1488
01:58:31,760 --> 01:58:41,119
in the recommendation in here is to
develop a committee again like we've had

1489
01:58:37,760 --> 01:58:45,840
a committee in the past um to go through
and look at this option or look at this

1490
01:58:43,360 --> 01:58:50,080
issue and see if we can find a solution.
Um so that's the I don't want to bore

1491
01:58:48,400 --> 01:58:54,639
everybody with every detail in here but
you guys have all seen it and uh I'm

1492
01:58:52,560 --> 01:58:58,639
sure it's now out for public view as
well as as a plan or an idea.

1493
01:58:58,320 --> 01:59:02,239
» Great.
>> That's all I've got. All right, Council

1494
01:59:00,719 --> 01:59:07,679
Mahal.
>> All right, so

1495
01:59:04,639 --> 01:59:11,440
food pantry $20.
Um,

1496
01:59:09,840 --> 01:59:14,480
didn't know if we could come up with a
date for West Carlo meeting like we did

1497
01:59:13,119 --> 01:59:19,520
last year. I think that'd be think it
was pretty appreciative by the citizens.

1498
01:59:16,800 --> 01:59:23,119
And just a couple other items that
probably if I paid more attention I

1499
01:59:20,880 --> 01:59:27,920
could answer myself. But did the welcome
to Cumberland signs ever get up?

1500
01:59:26,400 --> 01:59:32,400
» I don't think we have them yet.
>> Okay. Okay. But they are we've we've

1501
01:59:29,840 --> 01:59:36,000
ordered them and I can I'll get I'll get
an update tomorrow to council, but we

1502
01:59:34,000 --> 01:59:40,280
ordered them through our our folks who
normally do our assigned work. So

1503
01:59:40,719 --> 01:59:44,000
» I'll provide an update tomorrow.
>> They're they're somewhere between the

1504
01:59:43,199 --> 01:59:45,679
vendor and here.
>> Yeah. Yeah.

1505
01:59:44,560 --> 01:59:47,520
» Yeah. They must be
>> um

1506
01:59:45,920 --> 01:59:53,119
» they're on Earth somewhere. And then the
last the last meeting I brought up to um

1507
01:59:50,719 --> 01:59:57,679
Chris about the crosswalk on Route 100
that a citizen brought forward and I

1508
01:59:55,280 --> 02:00:01,040
know he was going to look into it, but I
just didn't know if we' maybe it's

1509
01:59:59,679 --> 02:00:04,239
already rectified. I didn't know if we'd
heard anything on that. So

1510
02:00:02,639 --> 02:00:08,560
» is is that for for painting it?
>> Yeah, the one that goes between the

1511
02:00:05,440 --> 02:00:10,639
rusty lantern and um the and House of
Pizza.

1512
02:00:09,119 --> 02:00:14,719
» I think that's on that should be
happening fairly soon because all of our

1513
02:00:13,280 --> 02:00:16,800
striping is lined up to be done. So
they'll they it's the same company.

1514
02:00:16,159 --> 02:00:21,599
Awesome.
>> So, and Chris had updated me uh that

1515
02:00:19,920 --> 02:00:24,480
that that we should be striping
hopefully within the next two to three

1516
02:00:22,800 --> 02:00:27,760
weeks. So, we should see that hopefully
shortly. Be nice to do it when you can

1517
02:00:26,560 --> 02:00:31,920
still see the road.
>> Yeah. No, thank you.

1518
02:00:30,000 --> 02:00:34,320
» Thank you, Council Hollik.
>> It's everything I have. Thank you very

1519
02:00:33,520 --> 02:00:39,599
much,
>> Council Dun.

1520
02:00:36,400 --> 02:00:44,880
Uh all I have is that the LCC, the Land
Conservation Commission is meeting on

1521
02:00:42,639 --> 02:00:51,360
the
uh 2nd, so it's what? Next Wednesday. Um

1522
02:00:49,360 --> 02:00:56,560
not this week's, but next week's
Wednesday at 7 p.m. here in the Council

1523
02:00:54,320 --> 02:01:03,920
Chambers.
>> Thank you, Councelor Bill.

1524
02:00:59,840 --> 02:01:10,800
» Uh just capitalize on Bill's uh impetus
there. Thank you. U I think both of

1525
02:01:06,800 --> 02:01:14,719
these um initiatives uh rail to trail uh
it's a um

1526
02:01:13,199 --> 02:01:19,440
I think there's overwhelming public
support for this. Anybody that's used

1527
02:01:17,040 --> 02:01:23,639
the trails uh elsewhere across the
country um

1528
02:01:24,000 --> 02:01:32,560
we hear nothing but good uh from that.
Uh I think the the first step in getting

1529
02:01:30,159 --> 02:01:37,679
that exploratory
uh work done is is important for us to

1530
02:01:35,119 --> 02:01:44,639
be able to have a fuller understanding
of what the costs are. Certainly uh that

1531
02:01:42,159 --> 02:01:51,280
that is a that's a much bigger nut to
crack than $12,000 of

1532
02:01:48,480 --> 02:01:58,239
just preliminary work. uh on the
housing. Uh this is a an opportunity for

1533
02:01:55,199 --> 02:02:02,320
us to show leadership that uh every
community should be engaged in. Freeport

1534
02:02:00,159 --> 02:02:08,960
has just finished a project and I think
it'd be helpful if we reached out to

1535
02:02:04,719 --> 02:02:15,599
them and and had a little uh sitewalk if
you will uh and how they accomplished

1536
02:02:12,080 --> 02:02:23,679
that. But uh getting the task uh force
started the the committee is a is a

1537
02:02:18,800 --> 02:02:30,639
first step for us to do uh to u
give us a sense of how we can pull this

1538
02:02:26,159 --> 02:02:35,599
project off. uh the uh every day I I
walk into food sap or I walk into darers

1539
02:02:33,119 --> 02:02:40,560
or or any other uh store in the
community and you see the people working

1540
02:02:37,360 --> 02:02:43,920
there and and uh u you know you you know
they're not living in our community

1541
02:02:42,159 --> 02:02:48,880
because there's no opportunity for them
to live in our community. Uh you talk

1542
02:02:46,719 --> 02:02:53,360
about young families, we talk about
friends who have children who have

1543
02:02:50,560 --> 02:03:00,080
graduated from college or or having
their first job. And uh you know, when

1544
02:02:56,639 --> 02:03:07,920
you talk about $2,000 for rent someplace
in Poland, um you know, we we we can we

1545
02:03:04,080 --> 02:03:13,360
can do our share to uh make it uh
available for others. So

1546
02:03:10,639 --> 02:03:18,159
I want to see this brought forward and
we'll take a step towards uh making this

1547
02:03:15,760 --> 02:03:23,199
happen.
>> Thank you.

1548
02:03:19,840 --> 02:03:32,080
Um, for my stuff, I just want to
reiterate how thankful I am for Dakota

1549
02:03:28,880 --> 02:03:40,239
Hulet of MDOT for spending so much time
with us at recent workshops, um, like

1550
02:03:36,639 --> 02:03:44,320
sitewalks with neighbors along the
proposed trail site. um just being

1551
02:03:42,719 --> 02:03:51,840
extremely helpful and answering all of
our questions and being really great at

1552
02:03:48,639 --> 02:03:56,719
answering them in an unbiased way and
not taking sides, just doing your job,

1553
02:03:54,960 --> 02:04:00,239
providing facts, sharing your knowledge,
and admitting when you don't know the

1554
02:03:58,159 --> 02:04:04,320
answer and then coming back with one.
So, it's basically everything you could

1555
02:04:01,679 --> 02:04:10,080
ask for. So, I know we had talked about
sending some like official fancy thing

1556
02:04:07,520 --> 02:04:15,119
to [laughter] to go to superiors at
least like

1557
02:04:11,760 --> 02:04:19,679
give this person a raise immediately. I
>> I had an email to the commissioner at

1558
02:04:16,880 --> 02:04:24,800
6:30 a.m. on Thursday morning that was
uh that he responded grateful for our

1559
02:04:22,960 --> 02:04:28,560
appreciation, but I said on behalf of
the council and staff and

1560
02:04:26,880 --> 02:04:33,599
» uh the many people in attendance that
Dakota just did a great job in a tough

1561
02:04:31,040 --> 02:04:38,400
situation and uh we appreciated his
professionalism and uh ability to answer

1562
02:04:35,840 --> 02:04:42,239
questions and his just uh general
enthusiasm for what he does for work. So

1563
02:04:40,320 --> 02:04:46,480
that was really well done.
>> And when I think you had mentioned that

1564
02:04:44,880 --> 02:04:51,679
you asked like oh so is this something
they train you on like no this is just

1565
02:04:48,960 --> 02:04:57,199
me and that that kind of thing that kind
of spirit can be just crushed over time

1566
02:04:54,400 --> 02:05:00,400
working in a place that where other
people around you are not up to that

1567
02:04:58,960 --> 02:05:04,560
same standard. I'm not trying to be
rude. This is just like the reality of

1568
02:05:02,719 --> 02:05:08,400
things. And so giving that encouragement
and recognition really helps keep that

1569
02:05:06,639 --> 02:05:13,520
alive so you're not just crushed under
the weight of the machine. So, um, I'm

1570
02:05:11,840 --> 02:05:17,199
glad you did that. So, thank you. And I
know Dakota probably appreciates it,

1571
02:05:14,960 --> 02:05:22,080
too. Um,
on the topic of the gazebo at Cumberland

1572
02:05:19,280 --> 02:05:26,560
Common, thank you for that update. I
think I can't remember if this was just

1573
02:05:24,400 --> 02:05:32,400
your idea or if we had an email that
came through at one point mentioning how

1574
02:05:29,760 --> 02:05:36,880
it was had fallen into disrepair. So
just those kind of things like also um

1575
02:05:34,960 --> 02:05:41,199
during the election people were showing
up on bikes and the bike racks had gone

1576
02:05:39,360 --> 02:05:46,560
missing at one point. The bike racks are
back. Um just like community feedback

1577
02:05:44,159 --> 02:05:50,960
like if you see something busted send an
email and it'll probably get fixed. Or

1578
02:05:48,480 --> 02:05:57,599
if you want a particular feature around
town that um isn't too taxing to install

1579
02:05:55,280 --> 02:06:03,199
or expensive it it will most likely
magically show up um shortly after. Big

1580
02:06:01,040 --> 02:06:08,639
big thanks to uh Mr. Baldick who bird
dogged the uh the gazebo and to our uh

1581
02:06:05,760 --> 02:06:11,199
lovely planner Bridget Perry who uh got
a grant for the bike racks. So

1582
02:06:10,880 --> 02:06:14,960
» see
>> pretty exciting. Yeah, we have great

1583
02:06:12,639 --> 02:06:19,119
staff doing great things. We're very
very grateful for them.

1584
02:06:16,239 --> 02:06:27,440
» And then one last thing um I texted you
all individually about a survey that um

1585
02:06:22,719 --> 02:06:33,760
Chair Eids started and then abandoned
me. [laughter] So now I am I have taken

1586
02:06:30,880 --> 02:06:39,360
that on and you basically said here's my
rough draft of random stuff um of

1587
02:06:37,040 --> 02:06:44,320
general priorities and kind of projects
that have kind of been floating around

1588
02:06:40,480 --> 02:06:51,599
the council for a while. Um but we
haven't had the opportunity to kind of

1589
02:06:47,840 --> 02:06:57,040
prioritize them personally and also um
our council caucus we didn't get super

1590
02:06:53,760 --> 02:07:02,960
into those types of projects and um talk
about them specifically and we have very

1591
02:06:59,280 --> 02:07:08,719
limited time together as a group and um
the idea of the survey was to kind of

1592
02:07:06,880 --> 02:07:11,599
list out all the things that like I said
have been floating around and then

1593
02:07:10,560 --> 02:07:16,320
basically
I will send out um a Google form to all

1594
02:07:14,880 --> 02:07:21,599
of us and we will basically it's
anonymous and we will prioritize kind of

1595
02:07:19,040 --> 02:07:25,599
what key things are most important to us
um to try to help us kind of pin down

1596
02:07:23,840 --> 02:07:28,880
what we should work on like this year in
particular perhaps in the next six

1597
02:07:27,040 --> 02:07:33,440
months just things that we all kind of
have consensus on that we know we can

1598
02:07:31,760 --> 02:07:36,639
move forward as like an easy win. I
think that most of us want to improve

1599
02:07:35,040 --> 02:07:42,000
water conditions in West Cumberland. I
don't know that though because we

1600
02:07:37,760 --> 02:07:46,480
haven't taken a poll about it and um
anonymous because

1601
02:07:44,960 --> 02:07:52,239
sometimes people are really passionate
about things and you might not want to

1602
02:07:49,280 --> 02:07:55,920
disagree with them in in front of them
because there is peer pressure involved

1603
02:07:53,920 --> 02:08:00,960
in these kinds of things. So anonymous
is an easy way for us to just honestly

1604
02:07:58,480 --> 02:08:05,199
answer and say where we stand on
particular things and what we'd like to

1605
02:08:02,480 --> 02:08:09,840
prioritize. Um it's just very general.
This is not like trying to make policy

1606
02:08:08,000 --> 02:08:14,639
or anything. This is uh Mike's
assignment and this is the kind of data

1607
02:08:12,320 --> 02:08:20,000
that he wants to have as chair to try to
help us go forward together. But it's

1608
02:08:18,480 --> 02:08:24,239
voluntary. You don't have to fill it out
if you don't want to. So yes,

1609
02:08:22,800 --> 02:08:31,040
» I'm not going to fill it out. We don't
we don't do things anonymously. We have

1610
02:08:26,719 --> 02:08:36,079
a workshop. We have full input. We make
decisions based on everybody's input.

1611
02:08:33,760 --> 02:08:41,520
Um, we
that's how we conduct business. We don't

1612
02:08:37,840 --> 02:08:48,560
do anything anonymously and and I I
frankly I I don't I I don't condone it.

1613
02:08:46,239 --> 02:08:52,320
» Okay. Anyone else?
>> I got something, but it's not on that.

1614
02:08:50,400 --> 02:08:56,480
So, if you give me a second after, but
>> Okay, that's fine.

1615
02:08:54,960 --> 02:09:00,880
» I'm good with it, but
>> All right. I'm going to complete the

1616
02:08:57,840 --> 02:09:04,560
assignment as tasked and we can do it or
not do it. Doesn't matter to me either

1617
02:09:02,560 --> 02:09:07,040
way.
you have something?

1618
02:09:05,280 --> 02:09:10,400
» Yeah, I did I did think I did think of
it as we were all talking. You know,

1619
02:09:08,800 --> 02:09:12,880
Council F, I just want to say that
you're

1620
02:09:11,280 --> 02:09:19,040
» bringing up the funding idea for the
rail trail is a good idea. Um, you know,

1621
02:09:16,159 --> 02:09:24,239
and we don't know what direction we're
going to go yet. And my here's my fear,

1622
02:09:21,599 --> 02:09:28,639
right, is we have $15,000 roll into the
town and let's just say we we go in a

1623
02:09:26,400 --> 02:09:33,199
direction that isn't how some of the
residents want us to go.

1624
02:09:31,440 --> 02:09:36,000
what these people that have sent in this
money, they're going to kind of wonder

1625
02:09:34,320 --> 02:09:40,960
like what are we doing with it? So, are
we if we're going to meet in say four

1626
02:09:38,719 --> 02:09:45,360
weeks, are we better off to hold that
concept until that meeting before we

1627
02:09:42,960 --> 02:09:48,560
start looking at setting up an account?
Because otherwise, we're going to, you

1628
02:09:47,280 --> 02:09:51,679
know, we potentially have to give people
their money back. We have to track it

1629
02:09:50,000 --> 02:09:56,079
all. To me, it just seems like an
accounting nightmare. I mean, I guess if

1630
02:09:53,760 --> 02:10:00,639
you're that if you have the funds to
write the check, you can grow some

1631
02:09:58,320 --> 02:10:03,599
interest for a couple more weeks and
still be ready to write the check if

1632
02:10:02,079 --> 02:10:07,440
that's if that's the direction we go.
Just it's just an idea. So, I wanted to

1633
02:10:05,920 --> 02:10:11,800
throw it out to everyone and see what
everyone's thoughts are. So

1634
02:10:13,440 --> 02:10:22,159
» I think we move forward with it because
I think it shows that when I look at

1635
02:10:18,880 --> 02:10:27,360
this I see a world of 10 to one support
for this and I think people putting the

1636
02:10:24,960 --> 02:10:33,199
money where their mouth is says a lot.
So I'm I'm for moving it forward.

1637
02:10:31,280 --> 02:10:38,400
We we can I mean it's not going to be
hard to track on that and if council

1638
02:10:36,639 --> 02:10:44,320
decides that they don't want to do that
you know we have received from you know

1639
02:10:41,520 --> 02:10:49,520
Joe Smith $100 you know if there's 120
people who write $100 check we just keep

1640
02:10:47,520 --> 02:10:53,760
that down name address and then we send
it back if council decides they don't

1641
02:10:50,960 --> 02:10:55,840
want to do it that's we we can do that
too.

1642
02:10:54,239 --> 02:10:57,920
» Okay. As long I mean as long as it's not
going to create a bunch of work for you.

1643
02:10:57,679 --> 02:11:02,560
Yeah.
>> We we should be able to do that one

1644
02:10:59,199 --> 02:11:02,560
pretty pretty decently.

1645
02:11:03,760 --> 02:11:09,040
Okay.
>> Um, just one quickie. Sorry, I don't

1646
02:11:07,440 --> 02:11:14,000
want to keep everybody. It's time to go.
Um, one thing when we're thinking about

1647
02:11:11,119 --> 02:11:17,760
the priorities is and and thanks Lee for
putting the priorities together. I do

1648
02:11:15,760 --> 02:11:24,079
think that we should do it in a workshop
versus anonymously as well. I I agree

1649
02:11:20,560 --> 02:11:27,199
with Bob on that. Um, but I think one of
the things is when we're looking at the

1650
02:11:25,360 --> 02:11:31,040
priorities, let's also make sure that
we're taking a look at what the

1651
02:11:28,480 --> 02:11:35,679
priorities are on the comp plan, right?
Because that's been 18 months of work

1652
02:11:33,199 --> 02:11:39,840
with, you know, 17 citizens, right, who
volunteered to do that. And that should

1653
02:11:37,840 --> 02:11:44,480
be kind of, you know, I know a lot of
the a lot of the things are there

1654
02:11:41,119 --> 02:11:48,960
already, but let's look at what those
are in the plan, you know, because

1655
02:11:47,119 --> 02:11:53,360
that's going to come up to us here soon.
So, I think we ought to just kind of tie

1656
02:11:50,960 --> 02:11:57,119
it together if we can. So, but I
appreciate the I appreciate the effort

1657
02:11:55,040 --> 02:12:02,159
in there. I just do think we should do
it in a workshop instead. Personally,

1658
02:12:00,400 --> 02:12:07,840
» um I will say that a lot of things on
the list are things that probably should

1659
02:12:05,760 --> 02:12:12,000
wait for the comp plan to exist in its
final form. I think some of these

1660
02:12:09,040 --> 02:12:20,079
projects are jumping the gun. Um and
that's my opinion on it. Um in including

1661
02:12:15,840 --> 02:12:25,119
housing, but this is Again, I didn't put
it together. Um, this was Chair Eids

1662
02:12:24,000 --> 02:12:31,440
compiled all this stuff that's been
floating around for years at this point.

1663
02:12:26,880 --> 02:12:38,341
And, um, you can be anti- anonymous on
this preliminary survey all you want.

1664
02:12:34,000 --> 02:12:41,760
Um, I have experienced hostility
[laughter] for sharing opinions publicly

1665
02:12:39,840 --> 02:12:45,679
in the past from fellow counselors, and
I'm not looking to do that. And if

1666
02:12:43,119 --> 02:12:49,280
someone has ever felt that same way, I
think they would appreciate being able

1667
02:12:47,040 --> 02:12:53,840
to prioritize their items anonymously
and not have to deal with like the

1668
02:12:50,560 --> 02:12:57,520
glares of their colleagues on the dis
while they're trying to share their

1669
02:12:56,000 --> 02:13:02,079
opinions while knowing that they can
like feel the pressure coming down on

1670
02:12:59,760 --> 02:13:05,840
them for disagreeing. And the vast
majority of the time we maintain a

1671
02:13:03,840 --> 02:13:09,520
respectful environment where we don't do
that. But non-verbal communication is

1672
02:13:07,360 --> 02:13:13,360
real. And so that's just one way to
eliminate it from the equation entirely.

1673
02:13:11,280 --> 02:13:18,960
Not saying that anything from that
survey would make anything happen or not

1674
02:13:15,920 --> 02:13:24,000
happen. Just a way to gauge where people
are honestly without any external

1675
02:13:21,920 --> 02:13:27,920
pressure. So that was the intent. It was
not an intent to go around some

1676
02:13:26,320 --> 02:13:32,320
established process or make things
secret or anything. It was just trying

1677
02:13:30,639 --> 02:13:37,440
to get objective information. That's
all.

1678
02:13:34,639 --> 02:13:42,880
» I love the idea of the survey. Um, you
know, I'm not in Mike's position or your

1679
02:13:40,320 --> 02:13:48,560
position right now. Um, but knowing that
it can be difficult to track a lot of

1680
02:13:46,239 --> 02:13:52,560
the excellent ideas that are thrown
around and put a cadence to them, I

1681
02:13:50,400 --> 02:13:57,119
think that we all have a lot of really
great ideas. We hear a lot from

1682
02:13:53,920 --> 02:14:04,560
residents and being able to put together
a focused work plan, I think, would be a

1683
02:14:00,320 --> 02:14:09,360
good thing. Um 100% the comp plan I
think needs to be finalized not just

1684
02:14:07,280 --> 02:14:13,040
public hearing but we need a final
document because the comp plan is the

1685
02:14:11,360 --> 02:14:19,280
foundation for our zoning and that
should be sort of what we are always

1686
02:14:15,360 --> 02:14:25,119
working toward. Um but I think that it's
you know and if not every counselor

1687
02:14:22,239 --> 02:14:30,480
wants to do it that's fine. Um, but from
my and in a workshop is also a follow-up

1688
02:14:27,440 --> 02:14:38,960
great idea, but it's data. It helps us
prioritize and if we can't agree on a

1689
02:14:34,960 --> 02:14:43,360
priority list, then
we're just kind of going from meeting to

1690
02:14:41,520 --> 02:14:49,199
meeting and um I think it would be good
for us to get our ducks in a row and try

1691
02:14:45,360 --> 02:14:54,159
something new. So, I'm all for it.
>> All righty. Does anyone have anything

1692
02:14:51,119 --> 02:14:56,880
else before we adjourn?
I'll give you

1693
02:14:55,840 --> 02:15:02,159
» second.
>> All right. Motion to second if there's

1694
02:14:58,719 --> 02:15:05,599
no discussion. Oh, yeah. And unanimous.
>> Everyone wants to leave. Good night.

1695
02:15:03,920 --> 02:15:07,679
Thank you. Oh. Oh, wait. I got to do
this.

1696
02:15:06,400 --> 02:15:11,880
» It It has ended.
>> This was supposed to be a quick one

1697
02:15:08,880 --> 02:15:11,880
tonight.