LIVERMORE FALLS — The Board of Selectmen is taking steps to combat a high number of foreclosures and people owing interest on personal property taxes.
At Wednesday’s meeting, the board voted to waive interest on late payments of personal property taxes through the end of the 2017 fiscal year, if those owing interest paid their taxes in full within 90 days of being notified.
The town’s fiscal year ends June 30.
Selectmen debated at length about whether interest on late personal property taxes should be waived.
Chairwoman Louise Chabot made a motion to deny an abatement of interest on personal property taxes for Pine Tree Orthopedic Lab. The motion died because it was not seconded.
“We can’t just select one individual property,” she said. “We do want to keep our businesses, but we have to do what’s right for the citizens, too.”
The board agreed to waive the town’s rights to foreclosed residences at 201 Pine Ridge Loop and 4 Orange Lane.
Selectmen discussed another foreclosed residence at 14 Highland Ave. The house there isn’t livable, and Tax Collector Dawn Young asked Fire Chief Edward Hastings IV if the Fire Department could use it to train.
“I won’t say no,” Hastings responded. “I’d certainly be interested in looking at it.”
He said asbestos would have to be removed from the building before the department could train in it.
In other news, selectmen approved a motion to purchase uniforms for town employees from UniFirst. Town Manager Kristal Flagg said that previously the town had purchased its uniforms from Pratt & Abbott.
The town had paid $1,872 for one uniform and rags for the highway garage from Pratt & Abbott. Flagg said that UniFirst was offering three sets of uniforms plus the rags for $1,325.48.
The Livermore Falls Town Office.