NORWAY — Town Manager Jeffrey Wilson told members of the Select Board on Thursday that the town has only received 55% of the 100% reimbursement promised by the state for the Property Tax Stabilization Program.
The program allowed people 65 years and older who owned their home for at least 10 years to freeze their property taxes. The state was supposed to reimburse communities for the lower amount of taxes collected.
Norway, for instance, was expecting to receive about $47,000 for the lower property taxes, but received just $26,733.91.
“There was $15 million released to repay these funds, and it was a shortfall,” Wilson said. “It really should be up to $26.5 million budgeted, at least. There is a little bit of an uproar with the town managers because there was a guarantee that towns would receive 100%.”
The program has been discontinued.
Wilson noted there is a legislative hearing in Augusta later this month to address the shortfall.
In other business, the board approved a one-day liquor license for the Western Foothills Land Trust to hold the 14th annual Snowshoe Festival on Feb. 17 at Roberts Farm. It will include snowshoe races, a chili cook-off, a beer garden and live music. The trust is expecting 100 people to attend.
Selectmen accepted a donation of $50 from Connie Sessions for smoke and carbon monoxide detectors for the Fire Department and a $65 reimbursement from Shirley and James Boyce for a fire extinguisher.
Gary Howe, Dennis Yates, Vern Maxfield, James Boyce, Mike Mann and Joan Beal were named to the Budget Committee. Named to the Provider Agency Committee, who considers requests from nonprofits, were Kelli Knapp, Sarah Wilson, Jennifer Sunday, Jenna Mulandy and Town Manager Jeffrey Wilson.
David Everett of Norway will again supply the town with sand for the upcoming fiscal year.
The front window at the town clerk’s office will be closed March 5 for the presidential primary.
A public meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on March 5 in the Forum at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School on Main Street in Paris to discuss the plans to redesign Main Street with the Maine Department of Transportation and the business community.
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