New Gloucester Board of Selectman meeting, Gray Town council notes and other upcoming events - By Tracy Scheckel

New Gloucester Board of Selectmen
 

The Board heard a presentation from its Assessor’s Agent, Mike O’Donnell of John O’Donnell and Associates, regarding the potential for a property revaluation. He recommended that while things have been fairly stable, the board should consider planning for a revaluation in the next three to five years. Chair Libby reported that there is $157,000 currently in reserve for the next revaluation and asked what the cost would be. O’Donnell estimated conservatively that the cost would be approximately $85 per property and estimated about 3,200 properties including undeveloped land would be affected.

Fire Chief Gary Sacco provided an update about the town's medical transport services that began last November. He reported that call volume is what was originally projected, but due to an eight month lag time associated with getting the Medicaid and Medicare ID number, that billing is still catching up. In a conversation after the meeting, Town manager Paul First emphasized that the program is only in the first year, "Our call volume is high, but collections are not quite where we'd like to see them due in part to the Medicare/Medicaid lag and in part because we're still learning what percentage of services insurance will pay." Sacco stated at the meeting that he is estimating a 3-year timeframe before the program is fully up to speed.

Gray Town Council

With a rather light agenda, the Council approved a contract zone for Britton Lumber, issued a liquor license renewal for Mane Thai, and heard a presentation from the Mountain View Road Association. The association is hoping to exchange an unimproved portion of the town’s portion of the road for a paved portion of the private portion of the road. The council was amenable to the proposal and asked that the association provide the necessary surveys and public easements documents for consideration at a future meeting. The Council also approved a communication and social networking policy which is available for viewing at www.graymaine.org.

Absentee voting in both towns is in full swing. Anyone can absentees vote until Thursday Oct. 30, after that voters must sign an affidavit stating that they will not be available to vote on election day.

The Gray Recreation Department is hosting a Halloween Party at the Pennell Town Hall and Newbegin Complex Sunday, October 26 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The New Gloucester Veterans’ Monument Committee invites the public to a dedication ceremony at the monument site at 1029 Lewiston Road on November 2 at 1 p.m.