The Rangeley Board of Selectmen received an update from their TIF Attorney Alyssa Tibbets at their October 4th meeting.  Rangeley’s Downtown Tax Increment Financing District (TIF) application has been approved by the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development.  The approval was not completed prior to the required August commitment date which means that the Town may not start sheltering any TIF District tax revenue until April 1, 2022.  The date of the original tax assessed value baseline will remain the same as of March 31, 2020.  The Selectmen voted to authorize a technical revision to the TIF District Development Program establishing its effective date as April 1, 2022.  The TIF District has a term of thirty tax years and will end March 31, 2053.
District 17 State Senator Russell Black was present to provide in person information to the Selectmen.  Senator Black explained how the process of expanding the Franklin County Commissioners from three to five would work.
The Senator also answered questions about the new winter angling opportunities approved by Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife in our area.  The opening up of Loon Lake to ice fishing is controversial.  The Dallas Plantation Assessors and the Loon Lake Association submitted letters of opposition stating concerns about protecting the brook trout fishery and lake access.  There are no legal wintertime parking areas available for ice fishermen to access Loon Lake.  The Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife approved winter angling with a prohibition on live bait.  Senator Black indicated that there is no opportunity to roll back the approval until the next legislative session which is approximately one year from now.
The Selectmen voted to approve a $175,000.00 transfer from the General Reserve Account to individual Department reserve accounts.  This process was part of a Warrant Article that passed with voter support at the 2021 Annual Town Meeting.  The money was generated by the sale of Town owned material from the Chick Hill Wastewater Treatment site to the airport project contractor.  This money which was not airport money was transferred out of the Airport Reserve Account and into the General Reserve Account by the Selectmen earlier this year.
The Selectmen also approved the expenditure of $9,500.00 from the Cemetery Reserve Account.  The money will be used for consulting engineer services to advance the Evergreen Cemetery Rehabilitation and Expansion Project.
Town Manager Joe Roach provided the Selectmen an update on the fuel bid they approved at their last meeting.  Dead River Co. had been awarded the fuel bid but when the Town contacted them to formalize the agreement a Dead River representative declined to honor their bid price.  The representative informed the Town Manager that too much time had lapsed since the bid and the price had increased.  The other bidder, S-K Quality Fuels, agreed to honor their original bid price and was awarded the contract.
The Town of Rangeley has hired Karl Kolze as Deputy Code Enforcement Officer.  Karl lives in Rangeley with his family and has a background in electrical engineering and utility permitting.
A Public Hearing is scheduled for a Liquor License at 2485 Main Street.  The Corner Bar (formerly Forks In The Air) license application hearing will be held at the October 18th Board of Selectmen’s meeting at 6:00pm.
The Dangerous Building Public Hearing for 124 Cary Road in Oquossoc that was previously cancelled has been rescheduled for November 1, 2021 at 6:00pm.
A quarterly meeting with the Board and surrounding Plantations is scheduled for November 17 at 6:00pm at the Dallas Plantation Town Hall.
The Rangeley Selectmen will hold their next regularly scheduled meeting on October 18th at 6:00pm.  The Selectmen will also conduct a workshop at the Rangeley Town
Office on October 19th at 6:00pm to start reviewing proposed changes to Chapter 38 of the Rangeley Zoning Ordinance.  The Selectmen strongly encourage all business and property owners to get involved in this educational process.

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