FAYETTE — Fayette may need another townwide property revaluation next year after Maine Revenue Services declined to approve the town’s application stating its parcel ratio was certified at 100%, Town Manager Mark Robinson said.

The issue was listed as “Town Response to Maine Revenue Services Denial” on the July 7 Board of Selectmen agenda. Robinson said no formal action was taken and the matter remains a work in progress.

“MRS did not approve of the application that stated Fayette certified its parcel ratio at 100%,” Robinson said. “More work will be needed to accomplish that goal and we are cautiously optimistic that can be achieved prior to the tax commitment.”

Robinson said the town is not yet ready to state whether the denial will have a financial impact on the town or taxpayers. He said Maine Revenue Services and the town’s assessing service providers are expected to continue working toward an agreement on Fayette’s certified ratio.

Still, Robinson said the broader issue is clear.

“That said, it is apparent that the town will need to conduct a full townwide revaluation in the subsequent year,” he said.

Fayette completed a townwide revaluation in 2023 and increased all property values by 15% in 2025, Robinson said. Even with those adjustments, he said, resale prices have continued to climb faster than assessed values.

“Resale values are causing us to conduct a full revaluation just to keep up with the ongoing trend of people selling their properties at a much higher value than the value assessed,” Robinson said. “This scenario is very common throughout the state of Maine.”

In other business, selectmen kept the board’s leadership unchanged, choosing Lacy Badeau as chair and Brian Holman as vice chair for another year.

The board also approved annual appointments through its consent agenda, Robinson said. The appointments included Robinson as town manager, tax collector, town clerk, treasurer and several other municipal roles; Jessica Leighton as code enforcement officer and local plumbing inspector; Ron Hewett as cemetery sexton; and Marty Maxwell as fire chief, fire warden and civil emergency preparedness director, contingent on the Fayette Fire Department’s first-of-year election.

Planning board appointments listed on the agenda as two-year terms were amended to three-year terms before approval, Robinson said.

The board also unanimously approved a cemetery conveyance for Fayette Mills New Yard, Row 8, Lot M #3, for Bethany Lancaster of Livermore Falls. Robinson said there was no public comment or discussion on the item.

Supporting Sponsor for Franklin Journal, Livermore Falls Advertiser, Rangeley Highlander and Rumford Falls Times.
Keeping communities informed by supporting local news. franklinsavings.bank