POLAND — Selectmen on Tuesday set the tax rate at $13.65 per $1,000 of property valuation, an increase of 25 cents over the current rate.

John O’Donnell, the town’s assessor, explained that reduced revenues, rather than an increase in spending, was the prime culprit in the net amount — a little more than $10.2 million — that the town had to raise through property taxes.

O’Donnell noted that the town’s county tax bill went up $25,505 and the amount the town has to pay into Regional School Unit 16 is up by $46,797 — which should be easily offset by the $148,122 reduction in what was being appropriated to support traditional town services.

The new tax rate allows for less than $59,000 in overlay.

Also Tuesday night, over the reservations of Eunice Stover, from the Friends of Ricker Library, selectmen gave Glen Peterson permission to hold a candidates’ night for those running for public office in this November’s election. Peterson will be allowed to use the meeting room at the Town Office, including televising the event over the town’s channel.

Stover noted that the Friends of Ricker Library for years have held televised candidates’ nights for municipal elections and, two years ago, for the gubernatorial election, and said that she felt her organization had been “disrespected” by not being allowed to run a candidates’ night for the November presidential election.

Stover said she had asked that her organization run the candidates’ night the week following the June primary election.

Assistant Town Manager Rosemary Roy noted that Peterson had asked in April, around town meeting time, that he be allowed to moderate a televised candidates’ night for the upcoming November national elections.

Selectmen ruled that Peterson had asked first and said they saw no reason he couldn’t moderate a fair candidates’ night.

Asked whether all candidates would be represented, Peterson said that all would be invited.

In other business:

* Selectmen chose P.M. Construction Co. of Saco to serve as the contractor for the Fire Rescue Station Renovation and Expansion project. Their approval caps construction costs at $1.8 million.

* Selectmen approved changing the name of the Fire Rescue Station Study Committee to “Building Committee” — in keeping with its new charge to oversee the construction of the facility.

* Selectmen awarded the bid for the Town Office energy-efficiency-improvement project, which will properly insulate the Town Office building, to Bios Environmental at a bid price of $23,785. The board, noting that the town had budgeted $28,000 for the project, stipulated that Town Manager Rosemary Kulow could negotiate with Bios Environmental for other energy-efficiency-related improvements, spending up to the full $28,000.

Copy the Story Link