At Monday’s meeting of the Board of Selectmen, members talked about a reevaluation scheduled for 2026 that will bring assessed property values closer to their market worth.
During the board’s tax commitment workshop, Matthew Caldwell from RDJ Appraisals made a presentation talking about the plan to align property values with appraisals to ensure fair taxation.
Currently, properties are taxed at 76% of their market worth. The 2026 reevaluation is intended to bring that percentage to 100. In addition, the state’s Property Tax Stabilization for Senior Citizens program will undergo a transition as it is in “sunset,” and it will expand into the Property Tax Fairness Credit for Senior Citizens.
During the workshop, selectmen also set the mil rate at $12.23 per $1,000 of property value.
During that discussion, Shelly Lowell, a member of the audience, expressed her concern, stating, “I think it is still high . . . I just don’t want to add more to the taxpayers.”
In other business, the board unanimously approved liquor licenses for the Rangeley Lakes Region Historical Society and the Portage Tap House.
Additionally, they gave their approval for two upcoming events, namely the Trail Town Festival and the Parks & Recreation’s Splash out of Summer.
The Oquossoc Park Phase 1 Design and Building Services proposal was also granted, and the board approved spending $1,966 for a new laptop for a police cruiser.
The board made several appointments, including: Jim Ferrara and Harold Schaetzle to the Airport Commission; Jim Higgans, Budget Committee; Dennis Marquis, Cemetery Committee; Wendyll Caisse, Comprehensive Plan Review and Implementation Committee; Dennis Marquis and Carl Symes to the HA Furbish Trust; and Dennis Marquis and Brian St. Louis to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Moving on to new business, board members discussed revision of the by-laws and whether to grant public and press access to the board packets, which typically include the meeting agenda and supporting documents for the items to be discussed. A motion to deny access to the packet did not pass.
Later in the meeting, the board engaged in a discussion with town lawyer Steven Langsdorf, who joined via Zoom.
Langsdorf provided advice to the new board members, emphasizing that Rangeley operates under a town manager form of government, which was established approximately 100 years ago. He stressed the importance of impartiality among small-town board members and reviewed the by-laws.
Langsdorf explained that the board’s role is to implement policies and propose ordinances under the town manager’s guidance. He also highlighted a provision in the by-laws to ensure that meetings do not extend past 9 p.m., noting that “nothing good happens after 9 p.m. in a public meeting.”
Board members in attendance were Ethna Thompson, Samantha White, Wendyll Caisse, and James Jannace.
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