The Rangeley Board of Selectmen gathered for their second monthly meeting on November 15 at 6:00pm. The continuation of a public hearing held on November 1st that dealt with a possible Dangerous Building located at 124 Carry Road was the first item discussed. An attorney representing the mortgage company that has title to the property presented testimony that he had just received the Town issued Order that required corrective action. The attorney requested the Town rescind the Order that had been issued on November 1, 2021 and reissue it with a commencement date of November 15, 2021 so that they would have the entire four week period to come into compliance. The Selectmen agreed to the request and voted accordingly.
The law firms of Preti Flaherty and Jensen Baird responded to the Town’s request for proposals(RFP) for the Town’s legal services. Representatives from both firms provided overviews and answered questions via Zoom. Additional Selectmen’s questions will be funneled through the Town Manager to the appropriate firm. The Selectmen will select a legal firm sometime next month once they feel that they have enough information.
The Town Manager received notice from the Department of Economic and Community Development that Rangeley’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District and Development Program application has received final approval. The Selectmen, Town Manager and TIF Consultant are working on a TIF Policy. The TIF Policy will provide a framework of rules and guidelines for the administration of the TIF Program. The Selectmen received copies of TIF policies from several different towns for their review and plan to work throughout the winter on creating a TIF Policy that best meets Rangeley’s needs.
Former Rangeley Selectman Dave Burgess and former Ordinance Committee and Planning Board member Lucas Sirois were named in a fourteen count federal complaint filed in U.S. District Court, District of Maine on October 20, 2021. The complaint centers around alleged illegal activities conducted through Sirois’s marijuana businesses. Count Three of the complaint alleges that defendants Sirois and Burgess, with others known and unknown, devised a scheme and artifice to defraud and deprive the citizens of Rangeley their intangible right to Burgess’ honest service as a Selectman of the Town of Rangeley. Much of the information contained in the affidavit that accompanied the criminal complaint was obtained after federal authorities received judicial authorization to intercept voice and electronic communications. The affidavit indicated that one credible contact stated that Town of Rangeley government officials were being unduly influenced by Maine’s marijuana industry.
The Selectmen discussed the merits of seeking more information about the possible involvement of other Town officials or employees in defrauding Rangeley citizens of their right to honest service or violations of the Rangeley Code of Ethics and Conduct policy. The Selectmen opted to not take any action on this matter at this time.
The Quarterly Meeting Follow Up that was scheduled for November 17, 2021 was cancelled due to weather. This meeting between the local Plantations and the Town of Rangeley has been rescheduled for December 1, 2021 at 6:00pm at the Dallas Plantation Town Office.
The next Rangeley Board of Selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for December 6, 2021 at 6:00pm.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
