7994-R1_MechanicFalls_20-21_AnnualReport_Text_4C_Web

T OW N

O F

M A I N E

ANNUAL REPORT

FY 2021-2022

TOWN OF MECHANIC FALLS ANNUAL REPORT 2021-2022

T OW N O F

M A I N E

TOWN OF MECHANIC FALLS ANNUAL REPORT 2021-2022

Table of Contents

Annual Report Dedication

4

Spirit of America Award

5 6 7

Demographics Tax information

Hours of Operation

8

➢ Town Office ➢ Transfer Station ➢ Library ➢ Water Department Important Phone Numbers

9

Meeting Schedules General Information

10

11

➢ Governance ➢ Budget Adoption ➢ Fiscal Year ➢ Tax Payments ➢ Vehicle Registrations ➢ Permits

Elected Municipals

12 12

Appointed Committees

➢ Planning Board

13-14

➢ Board of Appeals ➢ Library Trustees ➢ Historical ➢ Budget Committee ➢ Recreation Committee ➢ Development Commission

TOWN OF MECHANIC FALLS ANNUAL REPORT 2021-2022

Elected State Officials

15 16 17 18 19 20

➢ Governor Janet Mills

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

➢ Kathleen Dillingham

21

Town Manager

22 23

Town Clerk

Vital Statistics Animal Control

24-25

26 27 28

Fire/Rescue Department Emergency Management

Code Enforcement General Assistance

29-31

32

Library

33-34 35-36

Police Department

Public Works

37

Water Department Transfer Station Santa Program Recreation Committee

38-39 40-41

42 43 44

Municipal Revenues Received

Municipal Budget Summary FY 2021-2022

45-48

Municipal Audit

49

TOWN OF MECHANIC FALLS ANNUAL REPORT 2021-2022

Regional School Unit 16

50 51 52 53 54

➢ Elm Street School

➢ Whittier Middle School

➢ Poland Regional High School

➢ RSU 16 Adult Education

Unpaid Property Taxes

55-59

➢ Personal Property Tax

55 56

➢ Real Estate Liens

➢ Unpaid Property Taxes -2021 (First Half)

57-59

Town Charter Amendment Language Municipal Town Budget Warrant

60

61-63

ANNUAL REPORT DEDICATION

T OW N

O F

M A I N E

This 2021-22 Annual Report of the Town of Mechanic Falls is dedicated to Steve French

Hired by the Town of Mechanic Falls in 1987, Steve has been at the forefront of many changes to the Water Department. His leadership through the years has brought not only stability, it has brought growth; a lot of growth. In his letter to the council to announce his retirement he wrote: “There is a lot that I am proud of. Negotiating land right of ways, locating and instigating the land purchase where our reservoir sits today, designing our office building, seeing two more reservoirs installed, all new meters throughout the town, witnessing over 10 miles of new pipe installed by contractors, and installing over 3 miles with the assistance of Jake Verrill, the replacement of the river crossing, and many new services and sprinklers. And countless smaller projects. I am proud of the work I have done here.” The Town of Mechanic Falls dedicates this Annual Town Report to Steve French, and wishes him the best in his retirement. Thank You Steve.

SPIRIT OF AMERICA AWARD

T OW N

O F

M A I N E

The Mechanic Falls 2022 Spirit of America Recognition is awarded to

Michelle Emery

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 ……. 3,023

Form of Government

2020 ……. 3,107

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

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 2021/22 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 2021/22

$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 $207,550,378 $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 $159,622,378

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 2021/22

$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 $3,188,706

Municipal Valuation

Tax Rate/$1000

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* 2021/22*

$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 $21.60

*20/21 CERTIFIED RATIO @ 85%

*21/22 CERTIFIED RATIO@ 85%

7

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

As Needed

Board of Appeals Budget Committee Charter Commission

February-April

As needed

As Needed

5:30pm SecondMonday

Quarterly

Development Commission

7:00pm SecondMonday

Monthly

Fire & Rescue

7:00pm Third Wednesday

Monthly

Historical Society Town Council Planning Board

6:30pm First Monday

Monthly

6:30pm Wednesday following

Monthly

the Council meeting

6:00pm Second Thursday

Monthly

Recreation Committee

7:00pm First Wednesday

Monthly

Library Trustees

10

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 .

11

ELECTED MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS

Town Council

Term Expires

Tarsha Downing, Chair Rose Aikman, Vice Chair

2024 2023 2024 2023 2022

Darrell Young Paula Stotts

Cynthia Larrabee

RSU #16 School Board Members

Mary Martin, Chair Jessica Smith Alyssa Morrison Amber Lyman

2022 2022 2023 2023 2024

Patrick Irish

Sanitary District Trustees

Scott Penney, Vice Chair

2023 2022 2022 2024 2024

Michael Baird, Chair

Gary Purington

Mark Gary

Anthony Emery

12

APPOINTED BOARDS/COMMITTEES

Planning Board

Term Expires

Lou Goulet, Chair

2022 2023 2022 2025 2025 2021 2021 2022 2023 2023 2021

Walter Goss, Vice Chair Shannon Snowman

David Griffiths Shannon Sturgis

Vacant

Board of Appeals

Term Expires

Jillian Pelletier Martha Wiseman Eriks Petersons Christopher Strout

Vacant

Library Trustees

Term Expires

Melinda Straight, Chair Georgia Randall, Vice Chair Jenn Durant, Secretary Janice Earle, Treasurer

2022 2022 2022 2022 2022 2022 2023

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

Peter Ford, Sr. Thomas Walton

2023 2022 2022 2023 2023

Lou Goulet Andrea Winn

Mary Allen

Vacant 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

14

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 KATHLEEN DILLINGHAM REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 72

JANET T MILLS MAINE GOVERNOR

NED CLAXTON MAINE SENATOR DISTRICT 20

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

15

Dear Friends:

When I took the oath of office as Maine’s 75th governor, I never imagined that we would face a deadly pandemic. For nearly sixteen long, difficult months under a State of Civil Emergency, it was my responsibility to guide our state through this time to keep Maine people safe and healthy, and to put our economy on a path to recovery. COVID-19 wreaked havoc on our national economy, dealing heavy losses to businesses of all sizes, and leaving millions of people unemployed. Here in Maine, it has taken the lives of thousands of people and sickened many more. Since the arrival of the first vaccines in December 2020, we have worked hard to get as many shots into the arms of Maine people as quickly as possible, getting our state and our lives back to normal. Maine can be proud of our nation-leading progress over the past year, but our work is far from done. My Administration, in collaboration with public health experts and business leaders across the state, developed a plan to restart Maine’s economy. We formed an Economic Recovery Committee charged with assessing the economic impacts of the pandemic on Maine’s economy and providing recommendations for policy changes to deal with these impacts. And, joined by Republican and Democratic lawmakers, I was pleased to sign into law a balanced, bipartisan budget that charts a brighter future for all of Maine. Together, drawing on the hard work and resilience of Maine people, we will rebuild and strengthen our economy and rise from this unprecedented challenge to be a stronger, better state than ever. I continue to be amazed by the strength and courage of the Maine people and businesses who have found different ways to do business and the brave first responders in your town and in our health care facilities. Maine people have persevered, and, although challenges remain, we will get through them together just as we did this past year. I congratulate and thank you for all that you have done to protect yourselves, your loved ones, and your fellow citizens.

Please take care,

PHONE: (207) 287-3531 (Voice)

888-577-6690 (TTY)

FAX: (207) 287-1034

www.maine.gov

16

Dear Friends:

I am deeply honored to serve the people of Maine in the U.S. Senate, and I welcome this opportunity to share some of the areas I have been working on over the past year.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose enormous challenges for our state and our country. When the pandemic began, I co-authored the Paycheck Protection Program that helped small businesses remain afloat and keep their employees paid. In Maine, our small businesses received more than 47,000 forgivable loans totaling $3.2 billion. I also led efforts to provide relief for loggers, lobstermen, and bus companies. In addition, I helped secure $700 million to assist Maine’s overwhelmed hospitals and nursing homes, and a new law I led prevented Medicare payment cuts to help further ease the financial strain on our hospitals. I also urged the CDC to update its recommendations so that our students and teachers could safely return to their classrooms, and I pressed the Administration to end the closure of the U.S.-Canada border. While addressing the pandemic has been a major focus, I’ve also worked hard to ensure Maine’s other needs are met. A group of 10 Senators, of which I was a part, negotiated the landmark bipartisan infrastructure bill that was signed into law in November. I co-authored the section of the bill that will provide Maine with as much as $300 million to expand high-speed internet in rural and underserved areas. Soaring inflation is another crisis, particularly when it comes to the cost of heating oil. I have strongly supported federal programs that help Maine families stay warm. In November, Maine was awarded $35 million to help low-income Mainers pay their energy bills. And the bipartisan infrastructure bill included $3.5 billion to help families make energy efficiency improvements that would permanently lower their heating costs. As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, I have supported investments in Maine’s communities. This year’s funding bills include $265 million I championed for 106 projects across Maine. These projects would help create jobs, improve workforce training, address the opioid crisis, and increase access to childcare and health care services. In addition, I worked to reverse proposed cuts to our Navy in order to help protect America and keep the skilled workers at Bath Iron Works on the job. The bills also include $475 million for the construction of a new dry dock at Maine’s Portsmouth Naval Shipyard that will allow the Navy to continue to carry out its submarine missions. I will keep working to get these important bills enacted. No one works harder than the people of Maine, and this year I honored that work ethic when I cast my 8,000 th consecutive vote, becoming the only Senator in history to do so without ever having missed a roll call vote. The Lugar Center at Georgetown University once again ranked me as the most bipartisan Senator for the eighth year in a row.

In the New Year, I will keep working to solve problems and make life better for the people of Maine and America. May 2022 be a happy, healthy, and successful one for you, your family, and our state.

Sincerely,

Susan M. Collins United States Senator

17

18

January 1, 2021

Dear Friends, I hope this letter finds you safe and well. It remains a privilege to represent you in Congress, and I appreciate the opportunity to update you on what I have been working on for the people of the Second Congressional District. This year, our small businesses, workers and families, hospitals, states and towns continued to face challenges related to the coronavirus pandemic. COVID-19 has been a serious threat to public health and our economy that requires a comprehensive, ongoing response. While we are not yet out of the woods, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Still, I know there are many Mainers who will continue to need assistance getting through this pandemic. I am committed to making sure our communities’ most urgent needs are met to get our economy back on track. One thing I am particularly proud of this year is that Democrats, Republicans and the Biden Administration worked together to pass the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which will make a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure and support Maine jobs. This bill will bring $1.3 billion to Maine for highways and $225 million for bridge replacement and repairs, as well as $234 million to improve public transportation options. It will also allocate over $100 million to help provide broadband access to the 42,000 Mainers currently without it and make 310,000 Mainers eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Benefit to help families pay for internet access. Crucially, it will also provide Maine with $390 million to combat Maine’s historically high rates of lead poisoning by replacing lead pipes and allowing Maine families access to clean drinking water. Another one of my priorities in Congress is protecting Maine jobs. For one, shipbuilders at Bath Iron Works are a vital part of our economy, and the ships they build are critical to our national security. Throughout 2021, I led the Maine congressional delegation in pushing back against the Biden Administration’s proposed decrease in DDG-51 shipbuilding, a proposal that would have had serious consequences for the shipbuilding workforce at BIW, one of the two shipyards that produces these destroyers, and American naval capabilities around the world. We fought successfully to include authorization for construction of three new DDG-51 destroyers in the final National Defense Authorization Act. I will continue to work hard with my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee to ensure that we protect our national security and shipbuilding jobs in Maine. My most meaningful work in Congress continues to be providing direct assistance to Mainers. My staff and I stand ready to serve you. If you are looking for assistance with a federal agency, help for your small business, or want to keep me informed about the issues that matter to you, please reach out to one of my offices below:

• Caribou Office: 7 Hatch Drive, Suite 230, Caribou ME 04736. Phone: (207) 492-6009 • Bangor Office: 6 State Street, Bangor ME 04401. Phone: (207) 249-7400 • Lewiston Office: 179 Lisbon Street, Lewiston ME 04240. Phone: (207) 241-6767

I am especially glad to share that my wife Izzy and I were pleased to welcome our daughter, Rosemary, into the world this year. Mom and baby are happy and healthy, and we’re so thankful for this blessing. We look forward to showing her the beauty of Maine in the months and years ahead. Sincerely,

Jared F. Golden Member of Congress

19

Senator Ned Claxton 3 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0003 (207)287-1515

130th Legislature Senate of Maine Senate District 20

Dear Neighbor, It is a true honor to represent you in the Maine Senate, and I hope this message finds you and your family healthy and doing well. Though we had hoped to move beyond the pandemic, COVID-19 continues to play a large role in each of our lives. Despite the continued disruptions, our work in the Maine Legislature has continued in a productive, bipartisan fashion. In 2021, we made significant progress on the issues most important to folks in our community. To address high property taxes, we voted to restore revenue sharing to municipalities to five percent by 2023 and bolstered the Homestead Exemption Program by refunding municipalities for 100 percent of the cost. After 17 long years, we fully funded K-12 public education at 55 percent, as it was mandated by voters in 2004. We also continued efforts to bring down the high cost of prescription medication and health care in our state. We created the new Office of Affordable Health Care to ensure we’re taking the best steps possible to lower costs, improved transparency in drug pricing, and passed a new insulin safety-net program that will help us prevent someone dying because they couldn’t afford their insulin that month. That new program will be funded by the drug makers themselves. In the Health and Human Services Committee, which I chair, one of our proudest achievements was the work we did to raise the pay for our dedicated direct care workers. These folks care for our most vulnerable residents, and they have gone underpaid and underappreciated for too long. In the two-year budget, we raised their pay to 125 percent of the minimum wage, which will help us retain and attract more people in this field. On January 5, 2022, the Legislature began the second regular session, which is scheduled to continue until mid April. As I have done since I was first elected, I plan to continue working in a collaborative, bipartisan manner to address the most pressing issues facing our state. At the start of the legislative session, our committee meetings will be held remotely over Zoom, but we will be meeting in person at the State House to vote on legislation as it is brought up. Every committee meeting is streamed live and archived at www.legislature.maine.gov, and you can also testify during public hearings from the comfort of your own home. If you ever need assistance, have a question or would just like to share your thoughts with me, you can send me an email at Ned.Claxton@legislature.maine.gov or call my office at 287-1515. Sincerely,

Ned Claxton

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

20

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 House Republican Leader

2021 Annual Town Report

Dear Friends and Neighbors, It has been one of my greatest honors representing you the last eight years in the Maine State Legislature. As I begin the second session of my final term, I remain committed to seeing our communities succeed. During the first session of the 130 th Legislature, I am proud to share that two of my bills were signed into law. My bill, LD 467, " An Act To Support E-9-1-1 Dispatchers and Corrections Officers Diagnosed with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder," added corrections officers and E-9-1-1 dispatchers to the list of employees for whom there is a rebuttable presumption under the laws governing workers' compensation. Dispatchers and correctional officers serve the public by performing dangerous, stressful jobs in order to protect us, and they are an important and vital piece of the first responder family. I am thankful for the bipartisan support my bill received and what it will mean for men, women and families impacted by post traumatic stress disorder. My second bill, LD 1031, “An Act To Create an Administrative Review Process for Hunting Violations,” created an administrative review process for serial hunting offenders, negating the need to have to go to court repeatedly. I sponsored this bill in response to a 2006 hunting tragedy suffered by a family of South Paris. The family has since worked diligently to expose flaws in the system of license suspension and ensure landowner’s rights while protecting due process rights for law-abiding sportsmen and women. The statutoary adjournment date for the second session of the 130 th Legislature is April 20 th and as always, please don’t hesitate to contact me should you want to discuss issues of state government. I can be contacted at Kathleen.Dillingham@legislature.maine.gov for any questions or concerns you may have. Again, thank you for the pleasure of serving you at the State House and may you all have a safe and healthy 2022. Sincerely,

Kathleen R. J. Dillingham State Representative

District 72 Mechanic Falls, Otisfield & Oxford

21

TOWN MANAGER

March 8, 2022

To the citizens of Mechanic Falls:

First, let me express to you all, how happy I am to be your Town Manager. Since joining your town in September of last year, I have come to know and appreciate the quality of personnel that serves you every day. We have good people, doing good things. I also appreciate and have tremendous respect for our dedicated councilors. Not only do they work well together, but always have the best interest of the town in mind. I can report to you that the state of the Town of Mechanic Falls is strong. While finishing touches are being put on the annual audit report, a sneak peak, has the Town’s Undesignated Fund balance at just under 1.7 million dollars. Annual Debt Service comes in at just under $200,000 and, the town currently has over a million dollars set aside in various Reserve Accounts. From a financial perspective, my only concern moving forward is how the town funds the Capital Budget. Currently, in my opinion, we rely way too much on the use of surplus dollars to fund these accounts, with just a small amount coming from the taxpayer. My concern is what would happen if in some year there were no surplus dollars. Would the town go without a Capital Budget? Or drastically increase the mil rate? To solve this problem, I intend to bring forward a series of incremental taxpayer increases over the next several years with the goal to eventually fund this budget with tax dollars. Then, when we have surpluses, we can use those dollars for the really big ticket items including fire trucks, roads and more. By self-funding these big-ticket purchases, instead of taking out loans and paying interest, we will save the taxpayer even more money in the long term. Things to look forward to this year include our LED Streetlight project, which when completed in late summer will save the town as estimated 78% of the current costs. The Council has approved using ARPA dollars to pay for the project. The projected savings over the next 20 years comes in at over $335,000. In addition, early prep work for the upcoming town wide revaluation will begin later this year with the bulk of the project taking place in 2023

While over the past several months I have had the opportunity to meet with many of you… yet, there are still plenty of folks with whom I have not had the pleasure to meet. Please know that I have an open-door policy. I will meet with anyone, anytime, to discuss any topic concerning the town. In conclusion, from finances, to staff and council, the state of the Town of Mechanic Falls is strong. I look forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Sincerely,

Vic Hodgkins

Town Manager

22

TOWN CLERK

This year has seen many changes in the Clerk’s Office. Julie accepted a position in Otisfield after working in the Town of Mechanic Falls for 4+ years. I came on board in November to “replace” Julie; and I jumped right into the deep end with my first day being the first Monday in November, meaning it was Town Council Meeting night; my second day was Election Day! Both were long days, giving me a feel for what was to come, but I came back Wednesday morning ready to go.

As with most things in life, change is inevitable and the Clerk’s Office is no exception. Lorrie Rand, our Deputy Clerk moved on inMarch to become the Registrar in Otisfield; I am so grateful for the time I had her here to learn from. My biggest debt of gratitude goes to Lisa Prevost, who patiently puts her own work aside as I continually interrupt her with

questions. I am getting more comfortable as your Town Clerk every day and would like to thank everyone for their patience as I learn the ropes. I have met many of the citizens of Mechanic Falls and thank you for welcoming me into your community. I look forward getting to know this community better and to help with your needs going forward. Please be sure to check out the town’s website for upcoming events and announcements: www.mechanicfalls/govoffice.com. 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 at 207-345-2871 if you have any questions.

Janice Ferri, Town Clerk

Voting

2021 Vital Statistics

2184 Active Voters

24 Births

744 Republicans

45 Deaths

563 Democrats

22 Marriages

140 Green Independent 737 Unenrolled

Inland Fisheries & Wildlife 174 Hunting/Fishing licenses

Motor Vehicle Registrations

94 Boat Registrations 172 ATV Registrations

2387 processed registrations

111 Snowmobile Registrations

23

VITAL STATISTICS

Our condolences to the family and friends of our 2021 departed

Wayne P. Andrews

74

1/25/21

38 74

12/4/2021 9/3/2021

Danielle J. Laughton

Terry R. Bisbee Robert E. Bowie Helen M. Boyd Gary Roland Carroll Lee David Clark, Jr. Sharon M. Cloutier Sandra Elaine Coolidge Fredie O. Crowder Ramon A. Duchette

74 10/10/21

Jon Philip Loring

79 92 66 56

7/3/21

76 5/28/2021

Randal L. Madore, Sr. Jane O. Manchester Shannon Mason Judith Edna Miller Louise Edna Mitchell Phillip A. Mitchell Arthur W. Montana Vicki Lynn Moulter Beatrice M. Page Paul Rene Pelletier, Sr. Denise Rae Purington Gary W. Moore

11/13/21 9/27/21 5/19/21

89 35

1/27/2021 9/2/2021

75 9/28/2021

63 12/28/21

85

1/27/2021

84 70

8/3/21 7/1/21

87 8/24/2021

84

6/21/2021

86 10/14/21

67 9/23/2021

John E. Emery II Michael C. Everett

68 43

4/20/21 8/17/21

70

5/25/2021

92 6/24/2021

Leroy Stanley Gibbens

77 10/29/21

65 57 75

9/17/2021 1/19/2021 9/17/2021

Louise Girardin Beverly S. Glines

79 90 78 88 85

5/9/21 8/21/21 8/14/21 9/2/21 11/4/21 9/21/21

David Paul Raab

Myron E. Goodrich, Jr. Michela M. Hodgkiss Nicholas Carroll Holmes

81 8/20/2021 38 9/26/2021

Kenneth E. Rideout, Sr.

Dustin Ritchie Arlene M. Salley

58

12/1/2021

Grover Cleveland House, Jr. 67

73 12/24/2021

Katherine Hazel Small

Janice A. Jackson Richard D. Jolin

87 11/27/21

83

6/19/2021

Joan L. Small

73 69 86

1/8/21

40 3/20/2021

Michelle Lei Smith Jamie Richard West

Mervin Wayne Kimball, Sr.

5/27/21

44

7/7/2021

Phillip A. Larochelle

1/1/21

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Newly married residents of 2021

Alan Theberge & Linda Paradis

1/01

Rose Bezio & Mackenzie Lovely-Perfetta Steven Smith & Jeanne Perry Marianne Weiler & Jacob Soucy Kristen Hirsh & Peter Dumond Shari Lynn Smith & Ryan Crist Christopher Gurney & Sarah Harnden Jakob Matson & Mariah Dufour Bradley Bisbee & Amy Brewer Cody Hadley & Monica Raymond Justin Rivard & Maressa Lopes Kathleen Rogers & Kendall Wallace Sr.

9/05

Olivia Yeaton & Cody Bubar

9/7

4/10

Taylor Landry & Nathan Catron

9/11

4/20

Rebecca Foster & Alexander Leduc

9/18

4/26

Justin McLaughlin & Kassandra-Ann Warren

9/18

5/08 6/12

Nathan Spencer & Sarah Blais

10/02

Ethan Evans & Nicole Chamberland

10/04

6/20

Jenny Berry & Wayner Usher

10/16

6/22

Collin Dudley & Christine Fecteau

11/27

7/02

Aliyah-Marie Hamel & Benjamine Michalak David Pagnani & Ashley Laliberte

12/04

7/05

12/16

8/29

Mechanic Falls Residents welcomed 24 babies in 2021!

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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: 296

Registered Dogs

27 Cat Complaints

57 Unaltered

7 Animal Bites

301 Spayed/Neutered 3 Service Dogs 5 Kennel Licenses

7 Animal Trespass 20 Dog pick-ups

RABIES IS FATAL – PLEASE VACCINATE YOUR PETS! All dogs MUST (by State Law) be licensedwithin 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

Mechanic Falls Fire/Rescue

Town Report 2021-2022

Welcome from the Mechanic Falls Fire. As usual it’s hard to believe that another year has passed and it’s that time of year again, at least is warming up from a long cold winter; I hope you all are doing ok. The fire department is still going strong through these times with the pandemic winding down, though it will still be with us in the future. We will deal with its effects on society along with all the other problems in the world going on around us and you can count on the department being ready to respond to the town’s needs whenever called upon. This year’s budget is what we should have to be able to do the job, even with the costs of items of all kinds rising fast we try to keep costs to minimum. One of our biggest costs is the maintenance of vehicles; the newest truck is 6 years old with next two being 22 years old each. Another large cost is that gear for the firefighters has gone up drastically; that’s why we have been putting some away for like new air packs to help on end costs. We really appreciate all of you who support the department. As for personnel of dept is we are doing too bad even after the pandemic we help onto all and gained a few more and we are putting them through a basic fire school right now and have some signed up for future EMT classes in the fall hope fully all pass long, tough classes but glad they are willing to put in the effort and time because we need young energetic folks. I just want to thank you all again for believing in us and the support you give us.

Fred C. Sturtevant III Fire Chief Mechanic Falls Fire/Rescue

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MECHANIC FALLS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Emergency Management/Safety

EMA Town Report Letter

2022

Hello, I hope all is good and everyone is getting through this pandemic. The Emergency Management Agency has been with us all during these times, from keeping track of new mandates, to grants to help the town out and to help us to be ready for any other disaster in the future. Of course, we all hope nothing will come, but eventually something usually does. Androscoggin County has a new director, Angela Molino, and she is very good; she is energetic and is keeping all of us updated about what is coming down the pike to help us out. If you didn’t notice, the EMA is combined with the Fire Dept and that helps coordinate with county which works out well. This is where you will see the budget line and it is still the same as last year. Check out the Maine Emergency Management Agency at https://www.maine.gov/mema/ for some very good information to help keep you and your family safe in the event of an emergency. They provide a “Tip of the day” which covers anything from how to be prepared in the event of an oncoming storm or weather event to how NOT to be scammed by criminals. Planning ahead, being prepared and good communication is the key to staying safe. See https://www.maine.gov/mema/todays-tip for the Tip of the Day and start your plan today.

Take care, be safe and remember if you see something , say something . Report it.

Fred C. Sturtevant III Town EMA director

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CODE ENFORCEMENT

Code Enforcement 2021

Hello again from the Code Enforcement Office! I’ve enjoyed meeting and talking to many more of you during my second year here in Mechanic Falls. After studying long and hard and taking many exams, I’m a fully certified Code Officer now. I’m sure more people know of me now and have discovered that I am here to help YOU. I hope that you have found my interactions with each of you honorable, and have witnessed that I am guided by reason.

Looking for something to do in your spare time?

Did you know that you DO NOT need to OWN land in Mechanic Falls to be on a town board, committee, or even the Town Council? As long as you are a resident of Mechanic Falls, you are eligible to be on a number of boards and committees! That being said, WE NEED PEOPLE on the Planning Board! There is one regular seat open and two alternate seats open.

Ordinances

Codification is underway! Codification is the process of arranging laws or rules according to a system or plan. The process is a lengthy one but General Code and our code editor there (Deb) has been extremely helpful and on top of our Code organization process! The expected date of Publish for our online code is 2024. I know that seems like a long way off, but it’ll be here before you know it! In the meantime, if you have questions about the rules here in Mechanic Falls , 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.

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As I said last year, unfortunately, a citizen not knowing about an ordinance , doesn’t “protect them” from receiving a citation 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 . One feature that will come when our codes are listed online and that I’m particularly excited about is a “notification feature” that you, as a citizen can “opt in to” and then be notified via email whenever a change occurs to any ordinance and never be in the dark again!

Marijuana

We’re looking at some changes to what is allowed for the existing Retail Permit holders. Stay tuned!

Slipping through the cracks

I’ve noticed that after work is complete with building, plumbing or electrical, that people don’t always notify me for inspections. THAT could create a bad situation. If something has been permitted and recorded in the property file, and not inspected, it is not Legal. When someone calls my office to verify something, the inspection initials and date on any

permit in each persons’ property file is a VERY IMPORTANT. To have something inspected AFTER the fact could prove very costly as drywall or anything else covering up the illegal, non-inspected work may need to be removed to allow for inspection. Re-sale is when LOTS of these issues arise, when people are trying to sell a property. Don’t get caught in those situations, please .

911 addressing requirements

If you don’t know the 911 addressing requirements for EVERY HOME and BUSINESS , please get in touch and I can go over the rules with you.

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Comprehensive Plan is 9 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 9 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.

Building Permits

New homes ............................................................. 13 Mobile & Modular Homes ...................................... 16 Renovations/Alterations ........................................22 Garages.....................................................................6 Commercial Buildings ..............................................0 Accessory Structures ...............................................3 Demolitions .............................................................. 1

Plumbing Permits

Internal ....................................................................34 External (Septic System) ........................................ 19

Electrical Permits Electr ical Permits …………………………………51

Complaints Resident Complaints …………………………….7

Let me know how I can help you! Alan Plummer

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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 FALLS TOWN OFFICE – Second Floor Vic Hodgkins G.A. Administrator 345-2871 Applications accepted in Person Monday -Thursday from 8 am – 4 pm Friday from 8 am – 11 am (EMERGENCY cases considered by application)

For Emergency After Hours Situations Only Call Dispatch at 207-753-2599 – Ask for Mechanic Falls G.A.

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 mission of the Mechanic Falls Public Library is “Providing Lifelong Enjoyment of Learning, Exploring, and Reading”.

The Mechanic Falls Public Library has continued to thrive and have books and information available to the citizens of Mechanic Falls and the surrounding area. No fee Library Cards are issued to all residents of Mechanic Falls age 5 and up. Proof of address is the only requirement. Please come in and update your card and contact numbers. We are in the process of changing the circulation program so that the library can participate in the reciprocal borrowing program within the Maine State library at some point in 2022. More details of this program will be shared when they are made available. I am very excited about it.

The l ibrary participated in “Tales and Tales” this summer. It was a fun program that kept the children reading for the summer. I also had the collection of Maine Student Book Award winners for the older students to help fulfill their requirements at RSU-16.

The Mechanic Falls Library participates in the Bibliotheca Cloud Library. With a current card, each Mechanic Falls Patron will be able to access electronic books and audible books. They have a new graphic novel section for kids, too. Be sure to investigate it.

Because our library content is limited, a lot of our patrons make use of the Maine State Library Inter-Library loan system. The average wait for a book is a week. This service is free to all card holders.

The Adult Book Discussion Group is still going strong with 8 members. The group meets the second Thursday of the month at 5:30. Stop in or call the library to find out the current m onth’s selection.

Because of the restrictions imposed on the libraries by the state, I was finally able to start the preschool story time in April of 2021. I have a group of active preschoolers who are eager to listen to stories and do crafts. The group meets Mondays (other than holidays) at 9:30.

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The Mechanic Falls Library had 2,322 patron visits. It circulated 2,936 adult fiction and non fiction books, 275 interlibrary loans, and downloaded 105 books from the cloud library. The children, juvenile and young adult fiction and non-fiction books circulated 1134 books. DVDs went out 352 times. Wireless access and computer use numbered 819 patrons. 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 $120,007.00

Stop in for a visit to see what we have to offer.

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

Nancy Petersons, Mechanic Falls Public Library Director 108 Lewiston St 3 rd floor mechanicfallslibrary@gmail.com

207-345-9450 Mechanic Falls

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POLICE DEPARTMENT

2021 was a very difficult year of re-building. We began the year down one officer as Officer Letarte chose to leave the Law Enforcement profession. As we began our search for a replacement, Officer Chasse chose to resign his position and take a job with the Oxford Police Department. Sergeant Daigle decided to relocate to another state and took a Sergeant’s position with the state that he moved to. Officer West chose to take a position that opened with Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Department and Officer Gagnon decided to follow his friend and former co-worker,

James Daigle, moving out-of-state. Officer Gagnon took a position with the same agency that Sgt. Daigle did. Every one of them were excellent people who did great work here in Mechanic Falls. I enjoyed working with them and respected the time and effort that they put in while they were here. Now it was time to rebuild! With much support from the Town Council and staff members, I was able to start that process and hired on a new sergeant. Sgt. Paul Schroeder came aboard from the Auburn Police Department. He started here with three years of Law Enforcement experience and to date he has been doing a superb job with this department. Sgt. Schroeder is a resident of Mechanic Falls. Stg. Schroeder and I together have been able to hire another Mechanic Falls resident, Michael Rioux. Officer Rioux will attend the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in January 2022 with an expected graduation date in late May 2022. We look forward to Officer Rioux’s graduation. I want to thank the citizens of Mechanic Falls for their patience and understanding and for their words of encouragement during this very stressful and difficult period. I truly appreciate all of you who have taken the time to stop by and offer your support. Last, but not least, I want to offer thanks and gratitude to the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Department for their help and patrol coverage during times that we could not cover calls during our rebuilding. They have done an outstanding job and helped us out while being stretched thin themselves at times. The Mechanic Falls Police Department responded to 3,122 calls for service; this number is down significantly from our pre-covid numbers. I suspect that in the next year or two we will be back into the 4,000 range, where we were prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. Overall crime was down last year. We covered 94 crashes and conducted 509 traffic stops. Traffic complaints remains one of our highest citizen complaints. Many residents call to complain about more motor vehicle traffic on their streets. We try to respond and conduct traffic observations and stops when we receive complaints.

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