Hazardous Waste Day is October 1

(Lamoine) — The MDI League of Towns will hold its annual Household Hazardous Waste collection day on October 1, 2005 at MDI High School. Details are still being worked out, but the program last year allowed residents to pick up permits at the Town Office to take materials to the collection point. Several Lamoine residents took part in the collection. Check the town's website (www.lamoine-me.gov) periodically for details when they become available.

Voters Reject Land Purchase Again

(Lamoine) — A special town meeting in April saw voters once again reject purchase of land behind the Lamoine Consolidated School. The question asked if the town wished to use $40,000 in surplus funds to purchase 3-acres from the Miller family. The land abuts the athletic fields.

Selectmen were criticized for putting the matter to a special town meeting vote when voters had rejected a larger proposed purchase the previous November. Selectmen felt the town should be given the opportunity to decide if it wished to try a smaller purchase. The nearly 200 people who attended rejected the question on a hand vote.

Voters at the April 28th special town meeting looked over a poster with pictures of the proposed land purchase. Public Works/Land Search Chair Ken Smith developed the plan. Selectmen thanked Mr. Smith for his tireless dedication during the past few years to finding potential land to purchase

Parks Committee Named, Gets Rolling

(Lamoine) — Lamoine's newest committee is up and running. The Parks Committee was required by the ordinance approved at Town Meeting in March. Selectmen appointed Christa Bray, Steve Valleau, Kerry Galeaz, Mary Henry, and Tom Barr as full members, with Bill Fennelly and Bonnie Moretto serving as alternates.

The committee has devised a form to utilize the parks for special events. It has also visited the two formal parks (Lamoine Beach and Bloomfield Park) as well as the Marlboro Beach area to determine just what is there and come up with ideas on what if any regulation is needed. The committee met with Hancock County Chief Deputy Richard Bishop in June to talk about regulation at the park areas. The Committee plans to meet with the Selectmen in July to help further define their role and expectations from the town.

Mrs. Bray was chosen to chair the committee, Mrs. Henry is the vice chair, and Mr. Valleau serves as secretary.

Selectmen Look At Shellfishing Rules

(Hancock) — Lamoine's Selectmen attended a meeting with officials from Hancock and Franklin as clam diggers ask for regulation of the flats in the three towns. No decisions came from the meeting. Selectmen report that diggers favor limiting the number of people who can utilize the mud flats for clamming and worming in order to give the clam, mussel and worm populations a chance to rejuvenate.

The biggest issue would seem to be how to enforce any mutli-town effort efficiently. Lamoine had a shellfishing ordinance many years ago but the town meeting voted to do away with the ordinance. The Maine Marine Patrol headquarters is stationed at Lamoine State Park and provides enforcement of state laws in town.

Roads Named

(Lamoine) — Selectmen have approved “Misty Way” as the new road name for the Marlboro Mist II subdivision and “Boulder Cove Way” for the new subdivision off Shore Road. The Board also settled on “Lydia's Lane” for the road that serves the Marlboro Woods subdivision.

We're Number 39—For School Building!

(Lamoine) - The State Department of Education has pretty much squashed any chance of receiving state grants for any major building project at the school. The door is still open, though, on an interest free loan for school construction.

The School's building committee discussed the findings from the state in late May, learning Lamoine had come in 39th out of 65 applications from across the state. At best, the state will fund about a dozen projects. The Lamoine School's application ranked high in priority for fire protection, its water and septic system, its plumbing system, the lack of program space, the portable classrooms, and the lack of space for specialized instruction, visual and performing arts.

The building committee will meet with the Board of Selectmen in July to discuss how to proceed. The no-interest loan is available for up to $1million. Some of the deficiencies that could be addressed with such a loan are getting rid of asbestos floor tile and mastic throughout the building, correcting condensation problems in the roof, making the entrances ADA compliant, and protecting those entrances from falling ice.

Other areas eligible for a loan are upgrades to the water and plumbing systems, upgrading the electrical system, and replacement of the heating and septic systems.

The committee recommended to the full school board that the Old Town engineering firm that did the original survey of the school be retained to update the cost estimates. Superintendent Bill Fowler will prepare an application to make the needed renovations.

Time Warner Purchases Cable Company

(Lamoine) — The former owners of Adelphia are now in jail and the cable giant's bankruptcy has resulted in the sale of its assets to Time-Warner and Comcast. Lamoine's cable TV system will become part of the Time-Warner holdings.

Little is expected to change in regard to local cable service. Time-Warner has a large presence in Maine already, especially in the southern part of the state. The transaction should be complete by the 1st of next year or sooner.

Many residents have inquired about renegotiating the existing contract with Adelphia to include more areas in the buildup. The town is exploring what options are available, but the 15-year franchise agreement with Adelphia was renewed just a few years ago.

Sales Tax On Rentals

(Lamoine) - Got a summer cottage that you rent out? Sales tax (7%) is supposed to be collected on the rental fees and submitted to Maine Revenue Services. If rentals are for fewer than 15-days each calendar year a person does not have to register or collect the sales tax. Rentals to sales tax exempt organizations, and continuous rentals to a person for more than 28 days as a primary residence are exempt from the tax.

More information about the sales tax can be found at the Maine Revenue Services website (www.maine.gov/revenue/salesuse/Bull32.pdf).

Welcome Packet Updated

(Lamoine) — New residents in town now have an up to date packet of material to help explain how things work with the town government. The Welcome to Lamoine packet was originally developed in 2000 to help answer a range of questions such as how to register a car, when the transfer station is open, and with a map of the town. The information changes from time to time. Selectman Cynthia Donaldson was particularly helpful in finding areas to bring up to date. Copies are available at the town office

Liens Filed

(Lamoine) — Tax Collector Jennifer Kovacs has filed 40-tax liens for the 2004/05 tax year. The value of the unpaid taxes was $20,640.15. The number of liens is 3-higher than the 2003/04 tax year, but the value is $357.57 lower than the last batch.

A lien is placed on a property with unpaid taxes between 8-months and 1-year following tax commitment. Lien notices were sent in late May, and over half the unpaid taxes were collected to avoid the liens.