POLAND – Selectmen are set to vote next week on a proposal to raise all town fees by 50 percent.

The proposal, which comes a few weeks after selectmen voted 4-1 to raise the town’s tax rate from $19.60 to $21.30 per $1,000 of assessed property value, must be voted on after a public hearing. The hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17, in the municipal building conference room.

Town Manager Richard Chick said rising costs have put a strain on the town, and many of the fees were simply due for an update. He also cited the impending vote on the Taxpayer Bill of Rights as a contributing factor to the proposal. If TABOR passes, then a town would need to bring a fee hike to a public referendum rather than just to selectmen.

“We’re trying to get our house in order” before TABOR is voted on, Chick said.

Some of the fees and the proposed increases are:

• Copies of vital records, from $10 each for the first copy and $5 for each extra during the same visit, to $15 and $7.50, respectively.

• Marriage licenses, from $30 to $45.

• Building permits for new residences, from 15 cents per square foot to 22 cents psf.

• Permit for a commercial well that will use equal to or more than 10,000 gallons of water a day, from $500 to $750.

• Timber harvesting, from $10 an acre to $15 per acre.

• Transfer station use sticker, from $2 to $3; disposal of major appliances, from $15 to $22.50; disposal of fire extinguishers, from $11 to $16.50.

Roger Knowlton, a vocal TABOR supporter and campaigner, said he hopes townspeople will participate in the public hearing.

“This is an example of why we need to have a taxpayer bill of rights,” he said, “because fees would have to be approved by the taxpayer before they’re increased.”

If the proposal passes at the selectmen’s meeting, Chick suspects it would go into effect immediately. “Unless the selectmen specify otherwise, it would,” he said, noting that such an action would be unlikely.

Selectman Lionel Ferland Jr. said he understands people being put off by the idea of their fees rising, especially after the tax rate rose.

“Nobody likes increased fees,” he said. “It does create a hardship for townspeople. On the other hand, we do have to support our services.” He said the proposed fee increase is justified. When compared to other towns, Poland’s fees, for the most part, are lower, he said.

“It’s our responsibility to review the fees every two years,” he said, “and one of our goals is to bring Poland’s in line with the other towns.”

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