7574-R1_LGP_MechanicFalls_AnnualReport_2021_Text_4C_Web

ANNUAL REPORT

FY 2020-2021

TOWN OF MECHANIC FALLS ANNUAL REPORT 2020-2021

T OW N O F

M A I N E

For the Year

January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020

Including Financial Report for the fiscal year

July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020

TOWN OF MECHANIC FALLS ANNUAL REPORT 2020-2021

Table of Contents Annual Report Dedication Spirit of America Award  Town Office  Transfer Station  Library  Water Department Important Phone Numbers  Governance  Budget Adoption  Fiscal Year  Tax Payments  Vehicle Registrations  Permits General Information Demographics Tax information Hours of Operation

4 5 6 7 8

9

10

Meeting Schedules Elected Municipals

11 12

Appointed Committees

13-14

 Planning Board  Board of Appeals  Library Trustees  Historical  Budget Committee  Recreation Committee  Development Commission

TOWN OF MECHANIC FALLS ANNUAL REPORT 2020-2021

Elected State Officials

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 24 25 26 27

 Governor Janet Mills

 Susan Collins  Jared Golden  Angus King  Ned Claxton

 Kathleen Dillingham

Town Manager

22-23

Town Clerk

Vital Statistics Animal Control

Fire/Rescue Department

Code Enforcement General Assistance

28-30

31 32

Library

Police Department

33-38

Public Works

39 40 41 42 43 44

Water Department Transfer Station

Santa Program

Recreation Committee

Community Day

Payments to Municipal Officials/Employees

45-46

Municipal Revenues Received

47

Municipal Budget Summary FY 2021-2022

48-53

Municipal Audit

54

TOWN OF MECHANIC FALLS ANNUAL REPORT 2020-2021

Regional School Unit 16  Elm Street School

55 56 57 58 59 60 61

 Whittier Middle School  Poland High School

 Poland Regional High School

Unpaid Property Taxes

60-63

 Personal Property Tax

 Real Estate Liens

 Unpaid Property Taxes -2021 (First Half)

62-63

ANNUAL REPORT DEDICATION

This 2020-21 Annual Report of the Town of Mechanic Falls is dedicated to the memory of Donald T. Patterson (1934 – 2020)

Donald Patterson, 86, passed away on November 14, 2020 at Montello Manor. He was born on July 12, 1934 to Elmer T. and Ella (Chase) Patterson in Lewiston. Don served in the Air Force from June 16, 1952 to June 15, 1956, when he got out, he worked for Bryant Energy, Community Concepts and for the Fire Department in Mechanic Falls where he was a Chief as well as a dispatcher. He married the love of his life, Claire Godbout on November 28, 1997. He is survived by his wife, Claire Patterson; step daughter Lisa Rowe and husband John; granddaughter Cheyenne Rowe; sisters-in-law Diane Cote and Suzanne Godbout. He was predeceased by his son; parents; and brother-in-law Kenneth Cote.

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SPIRIT OF AMERICA AWARD

The Mechanic Falls 2021 Spirit of America Recognition is awarded to Andrew Coleman The Spirit of America Award was established in Maine in 1990 to honor volunteerism and community service by individuals living in Maine communities. Each year during National Volunteer Month the Town Council recognizes an individual or group in the town who represent excellence in community service and volunteerism to receive this honor. This year the town council chooses to recognize Andy Coleman.

Andy, or Android as he is affectionately referred to by his family, is an unsung individual who volunteers many invisible hours during his lunch break or after a long week of work to mow and maintain the town recreation facilities. Andy is a dedicated part of the town Public Works crews who all go above and beyond expectations to keep the roads clear, sidewalks clean and parks decorated for the holidays. But it is what Andy does after work that shows his commitment to his community and to upholding his father’s legacy as the namesake of the Jerry Coleman field which he now maintains. Andy grew up in Mechanic Falls and spent his youth playing T-ball being coached by his own father. Now, as his kids are the ones benefiting from the sport, he has doubled his commitment

to continue his father’s legacy by coaching himself. He spends his spring and summers grooming fields, cutting grass, lining fields and raking in fields. He invests endless hours during tournaments, and on his weekends and his days off caring for the facility but more importantly nurturing a playing field on which so many kids will create boundless memories.

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DEMOGRAPHICS MECHANIC FALLS ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY STATE OF MAINE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA INCORPORATED MARCH 22, 1893

Population by Census 1980 2,589

1990

2,919

2000

3,138

2010

3,031

Form of Government Charter / Council / Town Manager

Altitude

Approximately 300 feet above sea level (downtown area)

to about 600 feet above sea level (Pigeon Hill area)

Area

Approximately 11.6 square miles

Approximately 21.77 miles of publicly maintained roads

Public Schools Regional School Unit #16

Mechanic Falls, Minot & Poland

Elm Street School, PreK thru 6

Bruce M. Whittier Middle School, 7 thru 8

Poland Regional High School, 9 thru 12

6

TAX INFORMATION State Valuation

Tax Commitment

2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21

$118,850,000 $125,500,000 $141,350,000 $155,700,000 $163,750,000 $166,150,000 $166,550,000 $158,550,000 $153,600,000 $146,900,000 $144,350,000 $150,500,000 $152,300,000 $155,150,000 $161,400,000 $178,400,000 $190,050,000 $83,965,286 $131,557,680 $135,568,928 $137,864,855 $139,705,496 $141,712,679 $144,717,137 $147,314,147 $147,178,523 $140,461,609 $142,411,547 $142,776,795 $146,055,324 $144,137,494 $148,329,448 $156,176,157 $156,521,481

2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21

$2,451,786 $2,486,440 $2,562,732 $2,605,930 $2,556,611 $2,465,800 $2,539,785 $2,571,996 $2,815,379 $2,911,010 $3,062,745 $3,134,026 $3,144,796 $3,144,073 $3,225,607 $3,088,033 $3,095,832

Municipal Valuation

Tax Rate/$1000

2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20* 2020/21*

$29.20 $18.90 $18.90 $18.90 $18.30 $17.40 $17.55 $17.55 $18.65 $20.40 $21.20 $21.40 $21.31 $22.00 $21.80 $20.95 $21.45

*19/20 CERTIFIED RATIO @ 95%

*20/21 CERTIFIED RATIO @ 85%

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HOURS OF OPERATION

Town Office

Monday & Tuesday……... 8:00am-5:00pm

Wednesday ……….……... 8:00am-4:00pm

Thursday…….…………... 8:30am-5:30pm

Friday…………………... 7:30am-11:30am

Transfer Station

Wednesday………………. 12:00pm-4:00pm

Thursday……….……………12:00pm-6:00pm

(Thursdays Summer Only May-Sept)

Saturday……………………. 8:00am-4:00pm

Sunday……………………… 8:00am–1:00pm

Library

Monday & Wednesday ......... 9:00am–5:30pm

Tuesday & Thursday ............. 3:00pm-7:00pm

Saturday ................................ 9:00am–2:00pm

Water Department

Monday – Friday ...............7:30am– 4:00pm

8

PHONE NUMBERS

Androscoggin County Dispatch: 207-753-2500 Option 8 Code Enfocement: 207-345-3221 Elm Street School: 207-345-3381 Fax: 207-345-9201 Library: 207-345-9450

Poland Middle School: 207-998-3462 Poland High School: 207-998-5400 RSU 16: 207-998-2727 Sanitary District: 207-345-3077 Town Office: 207-345-2871 Transfer Station: 207-345-3556 Water Department: 207-345-5351

9

MEETING SCHEDULES

Board of Appeals Budget Committee Charter Commission

As Needed

February-April as needed

As Needed

Development Commission

530pm Second Monday, Quarterly 7pm Second Monday, Monthly 7pm Third Wednesday, Monthly 7pm First Wednesday, Monthly 6:30pm Third Monday, Monthly 6:00pm Second Thursday Monthly 6:30pm First Monday, Monthly

Fire & Rescue

Historical Society Library Trustees Planning Board

Recreation Committee

Town Council

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GENERAL INFORMATION Governance :

By charter adopted in 1992, amended in 2019; five elected Councilors and an appointed Town Manager. Budget Adoption : Referendum Voting 2 nd Tuesday in June Fiscal Year : July 1 st through June 30 th Tax Payments :

Property tax payments are due twice per fiscal year. The first half payment is due by the close of business day on October 15 th , the second half is due by the close of business day on May 15 th . Interest is imposed, for late payments, beginning the following day. Property owners should notify the Town Office of changes to your property and structures therein by April 1 st each year. Various Tax Exemptions are available to citizens. Please contact the Tax Office for further information . Vehicle Registrations : What to bring to the Town Office … Re-registration  Bring the old registration, current (unexpired) proof of insurance, and the exact current mileage of the vehicle. New Registration  Dealer Sale – Bring Bill of Sale showing sales tax was paid, blue Title Application form, window sticker, current (unexpired) proof of insurance, and exact mileage of the vehicle.  Private Sale – Bring Bill of Sale, Title (1995 and newer), Release of Lien (if applicable), current (unexpired) proof of insurance, and exact mileage of the vehicle.  Transfer of Plates – Bring all applicable documents/information above PLUS registration from old vehicle.

Permits: The Town of Mechanic Falls requires numerous permits for specific activities; please contact the office at (207) 345-2871 for more information. Not obtaining the proper permit prior to engaging in an activity is subject to fines and/or prosecution .

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ELECTED MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS

Town Council

Term Expires

Kieth Bennett, Chair

2023 2021 2022 2023 2021

Tarsha Downing, Vice Chair

John Emery II Rose Aikman Raymond Lavoie

*Nicholas Konstantoulakis served until May 2020

RSU #16 School Board Members

Mary Martin Travis Ritchie Leena Stotts Amber Lyman Kelsey Earle

2022 2021 2023 2023 2021

*Scott Lessard term ended early

Sanitary District Trustees

Scott Penney Wayne Hackett John Emery Michael Baird Gary Purington

2023 2021 2021 2022 2022

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APPOINTED BOARDS/COMMITTEES

Planning Board

Term Expires

Lou Goulet, Chair

2022 2023 2022 2023 2021 2021

Walter Goss, Vice Chair

Louis Annance

Paula Stotts

Vacant Vacant

Board of Appeals

Term Expires

Jillian Pelletier Martha Wiseman Eriks Petersons Christopher Strout

2021 2022 2023 2023 2021

Vacant

Library Trustees

Term Expires

Melinda Straight, Chair Georgia Randall, Vice Chair

2022 2022 2022 2022 2022 2022 2023

Jenn Durant, Secretary Janice Earle, Treasurer

Elizabeth Yates Ann Hobart Laura Vincent

Historical Society

Term Expires

James Craig

2022 2022 2022 2022 2022 2022 2021

Eriks Petersons Nancy Petersons Pamela French William French Patricia Marquis

Vacant

13

APPOINTED BOARDS/COMMITTEES Budget Committee

Term Expires

Louis Annance Peter Ford Sr. Thomas Walton Brian Ahlquist Mary Allen Andrea Winn

2021 2023 2022 2021 2023 2023 2021

Vacant

Recreation Committee

Term Expires

Justin Starbird, Chair

2022 2023 2023 2021 2023 2022 2023

Jay Bryant

Robyn Coleman

Craig Smith

Jessica Cummings

Wayne Usher Jill Starbird

Development Commission

Term Expires

Michael Baird, President Stuart Davis, Treasurer

2023 2021 2022 2023 2021

Brenda Coleman

Tim Dean

Vacant

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ELECTED STATE OFFICIALS

SUSAN COLLINS US SENATOR

ANGUS KING US SENATOR

JARED GOLDEN CONGRESS 2 ND DISTRICT

413 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg. Washington DC 20510 Tel (202)224-2523

133 Hart Senate Office Bldg. Washington DC 20510 Tel (202)224-5344

1223 Longworth House Office Bldg. Washington DC 20510 Tel (202)225-6306

JANET T MILLS MAINE GOVERNOR

NED CLAXTON MAINE SENATOR DISTRICT 20

KATHLEEN DILLINGHAM REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 72

1 State House Station Augusta ME 04333 Tel (207)287-3531

3 State House Station Augusta ME 04333 Tel (207)287-1515

2 State House Station Augusta ME 04333 Tel (207)287-1400

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Dear Friends: It is an honor to represent Maine in the United States Senate. I am grateful for the trust the people of our State have placed in me and welcome this opportunity to reflect on 2020, an incredibly challenging year for Maine families, small businesses, and communities. When the pandemic struck, our country faced the specter of an overwhelmed health care system and devastation to our small businesses and the millions of people they employ. I immediately worked with Republicans and Democrats to pass multiple laws allocating approximately $3 trillion to respond to this public health and economic crisis, including more than $8 billion directed to Maine to support testing, schools, the economy, and other purposes — that is nearly double Maine’s annual state budget. I am especially proud of the bipartisan Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) I co-authored. This program has provided three out of four Maine small businesses with nearly $2.3 billion in forgivable loans, which has helped sustain more than 250,000 Maine jobs. I have met thousands of Maine small employers and employees in all 16 counties who are surviving because of the PPP. As one small business owner told me, the PPP provided “exactly what we needed at exactly the right time.” The PPP also allowed employers to maintain benefits, such as health care, during this challenging time. Another round of PPP is needed to sustain small businesses and their employees. While the pandemic continues across Maine, our nation, and the world, I thank the first responders, health care professionals, teachers, grocery store employees, factory workers, farmers, truck drivers, postal employees, and so many others who continue to stay on the job during this difficult time. With the deployment of the first vaccines, better tests, and the incredible speed with which these life-saving responses were developed, I am hopeful we can emerge from this crisis in the next few months. While providing relief to American families was my focus throughout 2020, other accomplishments include the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, which provides full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and addresses the maintenance backlog at our national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges. As Chairman of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, in 2020 alone, I secured $132 million to improve Maine’s roads, bridges, airports, buses, rail, ferries, and seaports. Finally, as Chairman of the Aging Committee, I led the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, which funds programs that improve the well-being, independence, and health of our nation’s seniors and their caregivers, and I authored laws to reduce the cost of prescription drugs and protect individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. As the end of 2020 is approaching, I have cast more than 7,535 votes, never having missed one. In the New Year, my focus remains to work with colleagues to find common ground on policies to help support the health and safety of Mainers and the safe, responsible opening of our communities. If ever I or my staff can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact one of my state offices. May the coming year be a successful one for you, your family, your community, and our state.

Susan M. Collins United States Senator

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Dear Friends, I hope this letter finds you safe and well. I know that this year has been challenging for many of our communities. In the midst of these challenges, it remains a privilege to represent you, and I appreciate the opportunity to update you on what I have been working on in Congress for the people of the Second Congressional District. The coronavirus pandemic has made this year an especially difficult one. We’ve seen the struggles of small businesses, workers and families, hospitals, and states and towns. COVID-19 has been a serious threat to public health that requires a comprehensive, ongoing response. In March, Congress passed the largest of three bipartisan pieces of relief legislation, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act . The CARES Act was a $2 trillion economic relief package to provide immediate assistance for some of those hit hardest by the pandemic. While an important start, many of the programs and benefits created by the CARES Act were set to expire by the end of 2020 at a time when COVID-19 cases were on the rise. That’s why in late December, Congress passed another bipartisan bill to provide COVID-19 relief to small businesses and hospitals, the unemployed, and families struggling to put food on the table. However, the action Congress took at the end of 2020 cannot distract from its failure to act sooner. The unwillingness of many members of Congress to accept compromise throughout the fall left many Mainer’s struggling and led to a rushed process that produced a bill with serious flaws. In 2021, Congress needs to step up, come together, and lead the country through this pandemic and get our economy back on track. There are a few bright spots that came out of the work done by Congress this year. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I helped advocate for a national defense bill that would include important priorities for American national security, Maine shipbuilders, and servicemembers and their families. The legislation authorizes a new DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyer to be constructed at Bath Iron Works and helps BIW compete for new work by encouraging a new multi-year procurement process for the DDG-51 Flight III. This funding bill also makes permanent new federal guidelines proposed by Senator King and me to allow Gold Star Families free admission to national parks and other federal lands. I’ve been working to improve mental health services for veterans for years, and I led the Maine delegation’s effort to address the need for long-term mental health substance abuse treatment for veterans in our state. This past fall the Veterans Administration announced we were successful. Construction starts next year on a new, 24-bed facility at Togus that will ensure Maine veterans won’t be sent out of state to receive residential care for substance use disorder and associated mental health issues. This is one result that I am especially proud to deliver for my fellow Maine veterans. As I reflect upon what I am most grateful for this year, I am especially glad to be able to share that my wife Izzy and I are expecting a baby in 2021. We are excited about this new addition to our family and look forward to the blessings ahead. This period is challenging for Mainers as we all take steps to limit the spread of the coronavirus, protect our families and our communities, and lean on each other to withstand this pandemic and economic hardship. My staff and I stand ready to assist Mainers as we work through these challenges together. I look forward to continuing to work on your behalf in 2021. Respectfully,

Jared Golden Member of Congress

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January 1, 2021

Dear Friends, 2020 was a year unlike any in our lifetimes. Our state and nation dealt with unprecedented challenges--the coronavirus pandemic, ensuing economic fallout, and a prolonged, heavily divisive campaign season each took a significant toll on all of us. The worst part? In order to protect each other, we had to face these challenges in isolation. But a new year represents new possibilities; a chance to take stock of what we’re grateful for and focus on the opportunities in front of us. As we reflect back on 2020, we will remember heartbreak and loss – but we cannot forget the shining rays of hope that broke through the darkness, reminding us all that better days are ahead. Throughout the pandemic, my top focus has been on bridging the partisan divide in Washington in order to deliver desperately-needed relief for Maine people. Joined by colleagues last March, we pushed for bipartisan negotiations to produce a strong bill that helped fellow Mainers, businesses, and institutions weather this storm. In the weeks and months after the CARES Act passed, our team stayed in close contact with people throughout the state to determine how we should adjust our response to best support our citizens. Unfortunately, the aid provided by the CARES Act lapsed without Congressional action, leaving too many families and businesses in limbo. I never stopped pushing for a bipartisan relief bill and, after extensive negotiations, we ended the year on a good note by breaking the gridlock and passing new relief legislation. This new bill isn’t perfect; in fact, it should just be the start our renewed response. As we enter 2021 with a new administration and new Congress, we must fight for additional legislation to help restore stability to our working families and rebuild our economy and public health infrastructure. In the midst of this crisis, Congress did manage to accomplish a few successes that will outlast this awful pandemic. Among these was the Great American Outdoors Act, a bipartisan bill which was enacted into law in August 2020 and will help address a $12 billion backlog at our national parks so future generations of Americans can enjoy these beautiful lands and create lifelong memories. Also, as we learn more about the recent hacks of our nation’s networks, there is help on the way: 27 of the cybersecurity recommendations made by the Cyberspace Solarium Commission – which I co-chair with Republican Congressman Mike Gallagher– made it into this year’s defense bill. While there is no guarantee that these provisions would have prevented the massive hack, they will certainly improve our cyber defenses. Despite the challenges, I’m hopeful for the future. Vaccines are being distributed across our state – starting with our healthcare heroes, who have sacrificed so much throughout this unprecedented catastrophe and deserve our eternal gratitude. If there can be a silver lining from these challenges of 2020, maybe it will be this: I hope that, in the not-so distant future, we will be able to come together physically and we will be reminded of our love for each other. We have differences, without a doubt. But as Maine people stepped up to support each other, we saw again and again that our differences pale in comparison to the values we share. We are one state, and one community – and there is nothing we cannot or will not do for each other. Mary and I wish you a happy and healthy 2021. We can’t wait to see you soon. Best Regards,

Angus S. King, Jr. United States Senator

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130th Legislature Senate of Maine Senate District 20

Senator Ned Claxton 3 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0003 (207) 287-1515 Ned.Claxton@legislature.maine.gov

Dear Friends, Thank you for the opportunity to continue serving as your State Senator. Representing our communities in Augusta and getting to know so many of you over the last two years has truly been the honor of a lifetime. This past year, Mainers have faced challenges that we could have never imagined. We have confronted a global pandemic, an economic crisis, and mass unemployment, all while trying to go about our day-to-day lives to the best of our abilities. Unfortunately, these challenging times have not yet passed us by. Even though we see the light at the end of the tunnel with the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines, I would encourage everyone to stay strong and do their part now to slow the spread of the virus and prevent further loss of life. In the Legislature, I have been appointed to serve as Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee. I am looking forward to taking my experience as a family physician and applying it to my work in Augusta. I will keep fighting to increase access to quality, affordable health care, especially in rural Maine, lower the cost of medications and work to crack down on greed in the health care and insurance industries. As with everything else in our lives, the way we will do our work will also be different this year. We will be doing much of it virtually, and only convening all-together in person when it’s necessary. Our committee hearings and meetings will all be live-streamed and recorded and can be seen online at www.legislature.maine.gov. In addition, folks will be able to participate and testify in these meetings live on camera or by calling into 1-800 numbers. I will make sure that even during these unusual times, the public always has ample access to see our work and to add their voices to the process. I also want to remind you that I am here as a resource to you or your family. Whether you have an issue with your unemployment benefits, need to contact a state agency or just have a question or comment, don’t hesitate to reach out. You can send me an email at Ned.Claxton@legislature.maine.gov or call my office at 287-1515. I know these are still difficult times, but we will get through them and on to brighter days. Sincerely,

Ned Claxton State Senator

Fax: (207) 287-1585 * TTY (207) 287-1583 * Message Service 1-800-423-6900 * Website: legislature.maine.gov/senate

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H OUSE OF R EPRESENTATIVES 2 S TATE H OUSE S TATION A UGUSTA , M AINE 04333-0002 (207) 287-1440 TTY: (207) 287-4469

Kathleen R. J. Dillingham P.O. Box 164 Oxford, ME 04270 Phone: (207) 744-2153 Kathleen.Dillingham@legislature.maine.gov January 2021 Mechanic Falls Town Office 108 Lewiston Street Mechanic Falls, ME 04256

Dear Friends and Neighbors, It has been a pleasure to serve the residents of Mechanic Falls in the Maine Legislature. I am honored that you have entrusted me again with this responsibility. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the second session of the 129th Legislature adjourned Sine Die on March 17, 2020. The opening on December 2 nd of the 130th Legislature was still impacted by the pandemic and to ensure social distancing, the Swearing In was held at the Augusta Civic Center instead of the chambers in the State House. This session, our biggest priority is addressing the next biennial budget with which we’re facing a serious budget shortfall over the next three years. Difficult decisions will have to be made for prioritizing resources to make ends meet. I encourage you to actively participate in your state government. Phone calls and letters are always a welcomed avenue for providing feedback. This session, with the increased utilization in remote meetings and hearings, happenings in Augusta are now even more accessible. Using the homepage of the Maine Legislature: Legislature.Maine.Gov , you will find access to Zoom meetings, public hearings, and YouTube videos providing updates on the latest at our State Capitol. To join my weekly e-Newsletter featuring current state news, please contact me at Kathleen.Dillingham@legislature.maine.gov and I will happily add you to my distribution. Again, thank you for giving me the honor of serving you in Augusta and may you all have a safe and healthy 2021.

Sincerely,

Kathleen R. J. Dillingham State Representative

21 District 72 Mechanic Falls, Otisfield & Oxford

TOWN MANAGER

March 15, 2021

To: Town Residents Fr: Zachary Maher, Town Manager Re: 2021-22 Annual Report

“The lesson is the importance of never becoming untethered

to oversight & accountability.”

– James Comey

The second half of 2020 posed for us all more novel challenges than previously thought possible. Still, due in part to the crafty resourcefulness of staff and residents alike we were able to continue our operations safely, with only minimal and short-term reduction of services. The town’s financial stability, much like the resolution of its residents, remains strong. With the added awards of Covid preparedness & election grants we were also able to improve our processes around sanitation and

elections which will carry forward. All things told, we faired the 2020 tempest well and came out more confident, resilient and better prepared for future changes, whatever they may be. So far, the beginning of 2021 has been focused on a few key projects which were put on hold earlier in the year. Instead of harping on a year which we are all so keen to put behind us, I wanted to take this opportunity to talk about the work we still have to do so that you will know what is coming in FY 21-22.

Codification is something you might be hearing more on in the coming months. This will involve utilizing a 3rd party specialist reviewing all of our governance documents and making recommendations with the intent to make them clearer to residents and staff while eliminating troublesome contradictions. Some modern ordinances, written with all good intentions, have on multiple occasions contradicted previous and un-repealed ordinances. This has causes uncertainty for staff, Planning Board and Appeals Board members as they are tasked with interpreting and approving requests with varying degrees of clarity and straightforwardness. Some changes such as spot zoning or approved uses were not approved through the correct process, and though common precedent has been set, enforcement of these regulations could be challenged based on the nature of their adoption. At the end of the codification process these proposed changes will be reviewed by the Council and public hearings will be held to attain the largest amount of public input as feasible before any definitive action is taken.

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Similarly, staff is addressing a myriad of issues. We regularly find unpermitted construction or uses throughout town which violate our existing ordinances. The illegality of these uses is sometimes illogical, but in the past, instead of changing the governing ordinances they were simply ignored leaving us to choose between commonsense flexibility or essential credibility. I do believe we can have both, but in order to do so we much put in the extra work to change that which we deem out of sync with the needs of the day. We fully expect to continue to make logical changes to use and construction codes which allow for the most freedom and self-determination of residents within the community. There will also be a complementary increase in enforcement. From an administration point of view is based more on an evenhanded application of community expectations with will rub some people sour, but that is the nature of the office. Lastly, the municipal complex planning is on hold. This process began when I asked the previous Council in 2019 for a survey of the town boundary lines as we knew of multiple encroachments which would first need to be addressed. That Council chose not to proceed with this first and essential step. Thankfully, the present Council saw the importance of doing so and we now have a blueprint to start with. Currently, standing in the way are two sets of property encroachment. The first is on us. In 2003 the Town built a storage garage which we now know straddles the property line. We have begun conversations to correct this, but any formal agreement will ultimately end up in front of the voters to correct, so I wanted to start the conversation early. The second encroachment is present on over 1 acre of town owned land to the east of the town office. It includes part of a trailer park as well as a junk yard. This poses a bigger imposition to the development of plans for a future facility as this is valuable space necessary for a policy involving the relocation and separation of the Public Works layout yard from the recreation fields, which are currently comingled. There are various possible conciliatory actions regarding these encroachments, some which may involve moving property lines. Therefore, plans for this development will pick up again once these issues are resolved. Sometimes it is best to overlook disparities or avoid contentious conversations in order to move on as a community. Sometimes reconciliation without accountability creates a short-lived and tumultuous peace. Tim Harford, a financial columnist and economist contends "the price of credibility can be a painful lack of flexibility." What we see today is the unfortunate result of decades of "flexibility" in the form of lax enforcement, reactionary governance and overly accommodating zoning and approvals. This was the path of least resistance, and as Utah Philips reminds us, the path of least resistance is what makes the river crooked. This does not mean that this current administration does not wish to be flexible and accommodating but there is a necessary balance to strike. What we will do moving forward with this process is to lobby for logical and thoughtful change on resident’s behalf where needed and enforce the rest of our ordinances as required because for us, credibility and fairness are paramount.

All the Best,

Zachary W. Maher

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TOWN CLERK This year has been very different in the Clerk’s Office since COVID. In the beginning of the pandemic the window closed to the public for safety precautions, but with protocols in place we were able to open back up safely and keep residents and staff healthy. I am happy to announce after many classes and trainings, I passed my exam and became a Maine Certified Clerk. I will be recognized by Maine Town City Clerks Association in the fall. Changes with staffing happened and we welcomed a new Deputy Clerk Lorrie Rand. Treasurer Lisa Prevost and her have been extremely helpful during these crazy times.

With rules of maintaining social distancing and limits of indoor gatherings, staff and elections clerks were able to provide a safe place to exercise your right to vote. November Presidential Election 1722 people absentee voted or voted in person and we had a great turnout of 74%. There is now a locked drop box available during elections to drop your absentee ballot off safely. Please check out the Town Website

www.mechanicfalls/govoffice.com got upcoming events or announcements. We also offer a wide variety of online services like Rapid Renew for registrations, ATV, Boat, Snowmobile registrations, Hunting and Fishing licensing as well as Dog Registrations. All of the links are posted on the Website. Please do not hesitate to contact us @ 207- 345-2871 if you have any questions.

Julie Ward, Town Clerk

Interesting information from Clerk’s office

Voting

Vital Statistics

2313 Active Voters 757 Republicans

29 Births 22 Deaths

583 Democrats

15 Marriages

143 Green Independent 830 Unenrolled

Inland Fisheries & Wildlife 123 Hunting/Fishing licenses

67 Boat Registrations 137 ATV Registrations

Motor Vehicle Registrations

2593 processed registrations

108 Snowmobile Registrations

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VITAL STATISTICS

Our condolences to the family and friends of our 2020 departed

Maureen Campbell 71

7/3/20

Elizabeth Chisholm Keith Coolidge Paul Fournier Lori Ann Grenier Frank Mottram Sr Lawrence Newth Jr Donald Sevigny Herbert Shipley Marie Sturtevant Kenneth Wood Jr Craig McGee

65

2/9/20

Frank Clement Donald Emery Dorothy Frost Mary Keene Neil McInnis Roger Mottram Malcolm Sawyer

74 83 90 92 59 91 90 60 82 87

12/26/20 11/22/20 3/9/20 8/25/20 10/11/20 1/25/20 8/12/20 12/25/20 7/9/20 3/26/20

56 10/23/20

81 58 66 90 75 81

3/16/20 9/11/20 9/2/20 2/3/20 6/10/20 5/6/20

Richard Shaw Merry Strout

93 10/13/20

81

12/2/20

Paul Tessier M. D

41 04/24/20

Newly married residents of 2020

Benjamin Theberge & Phan Narong Justin Dresser & Randeelynn Smith Benjamin Scott & Rebecca Grimes Cody Miller & Alison Sadler

1/1

Ryan Quatrano & Brandy Townson Fally Kasongo & Carrie Richardson David Walsh & Amanda May Kristina Meader & Kaycee Edwards Eric Morrow & Cassandra Simmons Kevin Collins & Julie Lawrence

4/20

8/8

7/23

8/9

8/21

8/20

8/22

David MacDonald & Alyssa Emerson

9/5

8/29

Robert Porter & Taylor Summers 8/29

3/8

Raymond Caouette & Jayne Stevens Nicholas Meier & Elizabeth Gibson

2/18

Adam Downs & Kristine O’Connor

11/21

12/29

Mechanic Falls Residents welcomed 29 babies in 2020!

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ANIMAL CONTROL For over 27 years Robert Larrabee has been our Animal Control Officer. He has had a unique year due to COVID. State Law requires the licensing of all dogs, as you can imagine, this also creates the requirement for someone to enforce these laws. He generally visits the Town on a daily basis to check in, answer domestic animal complaints, and enforce dog licensing requirements.

Total # of complaints: 210

Registered Dogs

47 Cat Complaints 7 Animal Bites 10 Animal Trespass 18 Dog pick-ups

57 Unaltered

301 Spayed/Neutered 3 Service Dogs 5 Kennel Licenses

RABIES IS FATAL – PLEASE VACCINATE YOUR PETS! All dogs MUST (by State Law) be licensed within the municipality of which their owner resides annually by December 31 st . Cost to license is $11 for unaltered and $6 if spayed/neutered. After January 31 st , a $25 late fee, per dog, is assessed. Service dogs, although they do not require the annual fee, must still be licensed by December 31 st and will still be assessed the late fee as applicable.

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FIRE\RESCUE DEPARTMENT

Hello from the Fire & Rescue hope all is well with all your families, this has been one trying year for everyone hope you all made it through in one piece and healthy. One constant the Fire and Rescue has been there for you folks when needed we might look a little funny with masks on but were trying to be safe and protect you and our members from this crazy virus that doesn’t discriminate, now that vaccines are coming out hopefully, we’ll be able to get back to some normal life in the future.

This year’s budget as usual reflects the needs of the department without adding a heavy burden on the taxpayers, we have been watching what going on in Washington and Maine governments with the federal wage and it is reflected in this budget to be able to for when it comes, the dept. appreciates the new side by side to be able to rescue and fight forest fires in town. Membership has stayed up even with the pandemic going on which shows the dedication of all the gals and guys with the support of the town behind them day time coverage can at times be sketchy but with help of mutual aid from surrounding towns we get it done, I want to also thank all the town depts. that are there to help us when we need them and we’ll be there to when called. I just want to thank you all for your support we have a very strong and spirited community here and I’m very proud to serve you all, thanks!

Fred C. Sturtevant III, Fire Chief

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CODE ENFORCEMENT Code Enforcement Greetings from the Code Enforcement Office. I’ve enjoyed meeting and talking to many of you this year. Although it’s been a strange year to come on board, I’m glad that our interactions have been productive, honorable, and guided by reason. Ordinances One of the most prominent issues I’ve discovered in my first year here is that the ordinances of the town, which are simply the local rules created by “you, the people” through the process of the Planning Board, and Town Council are not well known or easily assessable by everyone . This is a critical aspect of my job that has been extremely difficult for me, and I suspect difficult for citizens as well. Codification is the process of arranging laws or rules according to a system or plan. Funding to Codify and put into an electronic, easy to search and find format has been included in the coming years budget and we in the town office will be working diligently to make the town ordinances cohesive and easier to locate and understand in the coming months. In the meantime, if you have questions about the rules , please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me and ASK . There really are no bad questions and I’m happy to steer you in the right direction or help you understand our ordinances. Unfortunately, a citizen not knowing about an ordinance , doesn’t protect you from receiving a violation or a fine for not following the rules. I agree, THAT is unfortunate, so please, if you wonder if there is a rule you should be following, PLEASE ASK me . Marijuana The “flux” of the Maine State rules, definitions, and the industry of legal marijuana in general has been challenging. We’re doing our best to stay on top of it. I believe keeping our rules as simple as possible using the state rules as baseline for our ordinances is a good way to go. COVID If you didn’t know, I, as the safety officer for the town have been tasked by the state, with educating as the need arises, people and business about Covid -19 requirements . Diligence with covid precautions will help keep the spread down as we become immunized and develop heard immunity alongside the rest of the State. I personally have friends who have had a difficult time with Covid infection, so I know it’s important to stay vigilant and follow the best guidelines we have.

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Slipping through the cracks Let it be known that having more than 2 UNREGISTERED automobiles on your lot is a violation of the town’s ordinance, as well as Maine State Law. I will enforce this ordinance as well as all others in the town. 911 addressing requirements For the safety of YOU, the residents of Mechanic Falls, starting this summer, I’ll be checking in with anyone in town whose house or building isn’t adequately marked to allow emergency vehicles in locating your residence or business. If you don’t know, the 911 addressing requirements , please get in touch and I can go over them with you. A couple new roads You may have noticed some new roads around town. Due to 911 requirements, if a driveway has more than one home on it, it must be named and that road recorded in the Maine Enhanced 911 database . That being said, you can’t just put another home on a driveway without meeting the minimum requirements. If you need help with those, again, I am at your disposal. Comprehensive Plan is 7.5 yrs. old The elected officials of Mechanic Falls use the comprehensive plan to guide their decision in directing the town. The comprehensive plan typically gets updated every ten years and ours is 7.5 years old so planning will start soon to start revising that. Keep this in mind and start deciding if you’d like to be a part of that process. Code info online Please know that building code resources are now located on the Mechanic Falls Code Enforcement Web site for your use . As well as many other resources for permitting and code related topics. I look forward to continuing my due diligence in making Mechanic Falls’ administrative processes, in permitting, building, plumbing, electric rules and all things code more assessable to YOU the people. And if you find that some of the ordinances in own aren’t what you’d like, I can talk to you about how you can make a change. Let me know how I can help you! Alan Plummer

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Building Permits New Homes …………………………………………………7 Mobile Homes ……………………………………………10 Renovations/Alteration………………………………18 Garages ……………………………………………………….5 Commercial Buildings ………………………………….1 Accessory Structures …………………………………14 Demolition ………………………………………………….4

Permits Internal 27 External 9

Electrical Permits 34

Complaints 16

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GENERAL ASSISTANCE

GENERAL ASSISTANCE NOTICE

The municipality of Mechanic Falls administers a General Assistance Program for the support of the poor.

Pursuant to Title 22 MRSA 4304, the Municipal Officers have adopted an ordinance establishing that program. A copy of this ordinance is available for inspection at the Mechanic Falls Town Office. Also available for inspection, is a copy of the State’s General Assistance Statutes, as copies of the State law are made available to the municipality by the Maine Department of Human Services.

PERSONS WISHING TO APPLY FOR GENERAL ASSISTANCE MAY DO SO AT THE MECHANIC FALL’S POLICE DEPARTMENT (3 rd Floor):

Michelle Emery 207-344-1509

Applications are only accepted in person Monday -Thurs 8-10am At the Police Department Service Desk (3 rd Floor Town Hall).

For EMERGENCY SITUATIONS ONLY call Dispatch at 207-753-2599 – Ask for Mechanic Falls GA

The municipality’s General Assistance Administrator must issue a written decision regarding eligibility to all applicants within twenty-four (24) hours of receiving application. The toll-free number to call the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), with questions regarding the General Assistance Program, is: 1-800-442-6003 ALL GENERAL ASSISTANCE APPLICANTS MUST BRING ALL PAY STUBS, RECEIPTS SHOWING USE OF INCOME, ANY UTILITY BILLS AND LANDLORD INFORMATION IF GENERAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUESTED FOR SUCH.

This notice is posted pursuant to Title 22 MRSA 4303-4305

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LIBRARY

The Mechanic Falls Public Library continued to provide ways for reading, research and reference in its obligation to the residents of Mechanic Falls in this COVID-19 year of 2020.

Due to the virus, the library closed on March 16, 2020 and reopened for limited curbside

book distribution in April. The public was allowed restricted use during normal business hours beginning on June 1, 2020. The Library followed State of Maine COVID guidelines for cleaning, the quarantine of books, videos, and did not shut down again. With the restriction of the number of people per square foot, however the library was unable to hold the regular pre-school story time. When the schools closed in March, many families in the area lacked sufficient high speed internet services to supply their children with internet to do their home schooling. With the tremendous help of Dominic Dymond, resident and parent, the library was able to offer WIFI in the Municipal parking lot as well as the Before and After School Building. The Library has since upgraded its WIFI capabilities, so WIFI will be available this summer to the Recreations Department’s Softball and Baseball fields. Our Summer Reading theme was “Imagine Your Story”. I did not have as many children participate as in year’ past. Callen Wentworth (age 5) was again top reader for the third year in a row. She had 129 books read to her over a five-week period. Charlotte Tolliver read 16 books independently and Caleb Herlihy had 31 books read to him. I was pleased with their results. The Adult Book Discussion Group has resumed and has been meeting in person and via Zoom. The group meets the second Thursday of every month from 5:30 to 7pm. Stop in or call the Library to find out what the group is reading this month. The Mechanic Falls Public Library had 2,375 patron visits. It circulated 2,609 adult fiction and non-fiction books, 254 interlibrary loans made, and 168 downloaded from the cloud library and 704 DVDs borrowed. The children and young adult fiction, non-fiction circulated 2,291 books. The adult and children’s programs did not have as many participants due to COVID restrictions. By using the information above and applying it to the “library use calculator” from the Maine State Library, the Library services to the Town of Mechanic Falls had an estimated value of $110,226.00. This year’s program is “Tales and Tails” and will start up in July. Stop in or call the Library in June to sign up and receive more information.

Library Cards are free to all residents of Mechanic Falls from Kindergarten and up. Stop in for a visit to see what the Library has to offer.

Nancy Petersons Mechanic Falls Library Director

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POLICE DEPARTMENT The Mechanic Falls Police Department has had quite the unique year in 2020. Wehired our first female officer in the history of the department and we weathered the COVID-19 pandemic with the rest of the world. The pandemic created some changes in how we do things.We closed our office to anyone outside of the absolute necessity of our work. We wore masks when dealing with the public and we had to

curtail a great deal of our self-initiated community contacts. I will say despite the pandemic we continued to answer calls for service and enforce the laws of our State and Town. Some of our usual call numbers are down while others are where they usually are. I will say from our point of view, the people of Mechanic Falls have handled the pandemic quite well. We handled 393 criminal offenses in 2020. (a breakdown sheet will be attached) That is elevated from 2019 by 13 more crimes. That number is off by some as the pandemic protocol has caused us to cut way back on our traffic related criminal offenses. The crimes that are usually generated by members of the public gathering together have also decreased. Our most serious crimes went up from48 to 59. We are looking forward to getting back to somewhat normal so that we can once again have greater contact with the community. We feel that you get to know us better when we are more visible and interactive with the public. I again as in years past want to warn all of you about scams of all types. There are so many out there. If you have a question about a situation, call the office and check with one of us. I will warn you that to our knowledge there are no legitimate organizations that would ever ask you to go buy gift cards to pay off any kind of debt.If a caller says to go buy gift cards and give them the numbers off the cards or send them the cards, it is a scam. Hang up on them. No government organization will threaten you over the phone with jail if you don't pay them money. If we are going to arrest someone we will show upat your door and talk to you. There are some instances where we may call you and tell you that you can be arrested or have an arrest warrant but those situations are resolved with courts and judges and we would never say that you can make the warrant go away if you pay us money. We do not collect fine money. The courts do that. I will close this report with my usual statement that this is your town and we are here to keep it safe. A safe community is everyone's responsibility. If you see suspicious activity or a crim e taking place, call us so that we can do our job. A safe community is a great place to live andwork in. Thank you all for your support. Chief of Police

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