Windham council explores possible town meeting charter amendment

By Ed Pierce

Members of the Windham Town Council are weighing a potential town charter amendment to pivot from holding an annual town meeting to approve the town budget on the second Saturday in June to one having residents casting ballots coinciding with RSU 14’s annual budget validation voting in June.

Members of the Windham Town Council
are hoping to have a charter amendment
referendum on the ballot in November
2026 to change from an Annual Town
Meeting to a public vote coinciding
with the RSU 14 budget voting.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE 

In place since Windham adopted the town council form  of government in 1975, recent years participation at the Windham Annual Town meeting has dwindled to less than 150 residents out of more than 12,000 registered voters. Councilors are looking at increasing public participation by moving away from an in-person meeting to a secret ballot referendum and making the process easier and more convenient for town residents.

During town council meetings this summer, legal aspects of making a charter change were discussed by councilors and the town attorney. To change the charter, councilors must determine that an amendment is needed and then is required under Maine law to propose an amendment through a formal process that includes public notice, public hearings, and ultimately a vote by town residents at a regular or special election. Or a charter commission of appointed or elected citizens researches the existing charter, potentially comparing it to those of other municipalities, and drafts a proposed amendment. Citizens can also propose a possible charter amendment through a petition.

Any potential charter amendment must comply with state law and require citizen participation, legal compliance, and a collaborative effort to ensure the town's governing charter effectively serves the needs of town residents.

Windham Town councilor Bill Reiner says there are guidelines in place on how a specific charter change can be proposed and brought up before the people.

“One is a revision in which a ‘Charter Commission’ would be required. Revisions make large changes that would potentially affect the Charter in its entirety,” Reiner said. “This is a long process and opens Pandora’s box so to speak as anything in the Charter is up for discussion and potential modification.
The second method is a ‘Charter Amendment’ which can be utilized when a specific existing section of the Charter is desired to be changed and the change proposed will not drastically affect the Charter in its entirety.”

He said the council has discussed and preliminary proposed to change the date and method of municipal budget validation.

“It is proposed to be a ‘secret ballot referendum vote’ held at the time of June Primaries which conveniently coincides with the RSU 14 timeline,” Reiner said. “Town legal council has approved this method to move forward as they feel it fits the scope of an ‘Amendment’ and not a ‘Revision.’ So that’s a lot of technical jargon on how we get things rolling, and regardless of how we get things moving, all of this still comes up in front of all registered Windham voters to make the final decision, not only the seven councilors. We are doing the heavy work to get this out to a vote ‘Of the people’ which is the proper way to do it in my mind.”

During discussions about converting from an annual town meeting to a public vote, councilors talked about the best way to educate voters to ensure they make informed decisions. They weighed simplifying warrant article questions without losing significant details and councilors also explored the possibility of presenting the entire annual town budget as a single up-or-down question as opposed to a list of multiple detailed warrant articles to be voted upon.

Councilors agreed to establish a committee made up of residents and town staff and charged with the task of formulating clear and concise ballots and launch an effective voter education campaign if the charter amendment is adopted.

Reiner says another technical aspect of approval is that if an election for this potential referendum is on the ballot, it must have at least votes cast that equals 30 percent of the previous gubernatorial election for it to pass by simple majority.

“I regret to say that the town unfortunately will not have the proposal and discussions completed in time for this November’s election,” Reiner said. “The council, staff and legal still has work to complete on language and guidelines. The next scheduled election for this charter amendment referendum would be the June Primaries in 2026.”

He said while it may be placed on the June 2026 Primary ballot if complete, primaries tend to not have enough turnout to break the 30 percent line, and even if successfully passed at that election date, it could not be in effect timely enough to be used prior to the 2026 June Annual Town Meeting date.

“So, it is most likely to be presented as a referendum vote at the 2026 November election date and changes would be in effect the following year if successfully passed,” Reiner said.”

Windham Town Council Chair Jarrod Maxfield said he supports moving away from the Annual Town Meeting to a public vote.

“I support the change to a voter approved budget and have always felt the Town Meeting is an antiquated form of government that results in very few voices being heard,” he said. “The change is a large one though and I support the town using the next year to study the change, get public input and then ultimately have it on the ballot for next year so the Windham voters have the ultimate decision if we change, which I believe they will."

What this means is that Windham residents, town staff and town councilors will need to prepare for at least one more Annual Town Meeting conducted under the current format.

“While I love the tradition of the Town Meeting, its method has outlived its usefulness,” Reiner said. “Because of that I fully support the efforts being made by the council to enact the potential for change and the ability to bring this Charter Amendment before the people for their consideration and vote. Lastly, and equally important in my mind, is that this discussion and potential change was initiated by input from the public on how they want the town to operate.” <

Windham Town Council reviews warrant for Annual Town Meeting

By Ed Pierce

Members of the Windham Town Council reviewed the Town Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting in June during a council meeting on Tuesday evening.

The proposed budget in the Windham Town Warrant for 
2025-2026 is $50,582-929, a 7.26 percent increase from 
last year's $46,991,715 budget. The municipal portion is
about 36 percent of the budget with Cumberland County
and RSU 14 accounting for the rest. COURTESY PHOTO   

The Town Warrant contains municipal budget specifics for the coming year and will be voted upon by town residents at the Annual Town Meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 14 at the Windham Town Hall Gym. Articles contained in the Town Warrant are detailed descriptions of town expenditures and each article is voted on separately at the Annual Town Meeting.

Prior to reviewing the Town Warrant, councilors received a briefing from Assistant Town Manager Bob Burns about the proposed budget that included budget figures from Cumberland County and RSU 14 should voters from Windham and Raymond approve the RSU 14 budget during a public meeting at Windham High School on May 14.

Including the county and RSU budgets, the overall Windham budget in the Town Warrant is $50,582,989 which is a 7.26 percent increase from last year’s $46,991,715 budget, Burns said.

Burns said if the proposed budget is approved, the mil rate for Windham would rise to 12.18, up 71 cents from the current mil rate of 11.47, or a 6.39 percent increase.

Cumberland County is proposing a 7.2 percent mil rate increase, while RSU 14’s proposed budget asks for an 8.1 percent increase primarily driven by construction funding for the new Windham Raymond Middle School, he said.

According to Burns, under the new budget, taxes on a home with an assessed value of $400,000 would rise $80 a year, or $6.67 per month.

Windham Town Manager Barry Tibbetts said that despite the 71-cent increase, the 12.18 mil rate remains one of the lowest in the surrounding area of Maine.

He said the budget proposal was formulated using many different factors and influences, including slightly increased projected revenues, the town’s general operating budget and fixed expenses, insurance costs, contractual obligations, energy costs, debt expenditures and personnel changes. Fixed expenses for the town included in the budget proposal take into account insurance costs, employee healthcare, contractual obligations for municipal organizations, long-term contracts, debt expenditures and wage adjustments.                

Among items included in the proposed municipal budget are funds to add a part-time General Assistance employee in January, a projected Cost of Living increase for municipal employees of 3.5 percent, and funding for three projects including a new North Fire Station on Franklin Drive behind Hannaford Supermarket and across from Home Depot, renovation work to turn the current Windham Middle School into a community center for the town when it is vacated as construction is completed on the new Windham Raymond Middle School in 2027, and $1.5 million for acquiring land from Portland Water District for expansion of the youth athletic fields at Gambo Park and to build a new public ice rink and playground by the new North Windham Fire Station.

Town Council Chair Jarrod Maxfield said that a misconception circulating on social media is that town taxes are paying for the sewer project underway in North Windham.

“The sewer is not in your taxes,” Maxfield said.

Funding for that $40.4 million project is derived from a combination of grant funding, a $38.9 million award by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, a federal grant obtained by U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, and North Windham TIF funding supported by North Windham businesses.

Town Councilor David Nadeau said that of the budget that voters will ultimately be asked to approve during the Annual Town Meeting, just 36 percent of it is for the Town of Windham with county and the RSU 14 budgets making up the rest. 

The budget will now have a public hearing during the Windham Town Council meeting on May 13 and a public vote on June 14 at the Annual Town Meeting. 

In addition to reviewing the Town Warrant, councilors also unanimously approved appointments to town boards and committees at the meeting.   

Councilors appointed Yvonne Myer as Chairman of the Voter Registration Appeals Board for a four-year term to expire Aug. 15, 2029, and appointed Gary Lytle to the Board of Assessment Review for a three-year term to end Feb. 15, 2028.

Susan Marean was appointed to the Natural Resources Advisory Committee for a term to expire Aug. 15, 2028, and appointed Geoffrey Sparrow as an alternate to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a three-year term to end Feb. 15, 2028. The council also appointed Peter Forbes to the Board of Assessment Review for a three-year term to end Feb. 15, 2028.

Many volunteer board and committees have vacancies and are seeking individuals to serve.

Open positions include four members for the Assessment Review Board; one position for the Human Services Advisory Committee; three positions on the Natural Resources Advisory Committee; one position on the Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee; one on the Summerfest Committee; and one alternate seat on the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Volunteers willing to serve are asked to apply at the Town Manager’s Office at Windham Town Hall. <

Windham residents approve 2024-2025 municipal budget

By Ed Pierce

Windham voters approved a municipal budget of $34,922,971 for 2024-2025 and other associated warrant articles during the annual town meeting on June 15 at the Windham Town Hall Auditorium.

Windham Town Councilors vote for a warrant article during
the Annual Town Meeting on Saturday, June 15 at Windham
Town Hall. From left are Councilors John Henry, Bill
Reiner, David Nadeau, Jarrod Maxfield, and Nick
Kalogerakis. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE 

Warrant articles also approved during the meeting authorized the issuance of general obligation bonds up to $13 million to finance the design, engineering, construction and an analysis of operations and assessments for a sewer system to serve RSU 14’s campus including Windham High School, Windham Middle School and Windham Primary School. Another warrant article that voters supported is the execution of agreements with the Portland Water District in connection with the financing, constriction, ownership, operation and maintenance of the RSU 14 campus sewer system.

Windham Town Manager Barry Tibbetts said these actions are part of Phase 2 of Windham’s installation of sewers as approved by voters during a referendum in June 2022.

He said this new system will result in the existing Wastewater Treatment Plant at Windham High School being closed and the new plant at Windham Middle School will be used to pump wastewater to the new treatment facility at Manchester School in North Windham.

According to Tibbetts, Phase 1 of the sewer installation has about a $4 million shortfall because of construction cost and materials increases, but a warrant article approved by voters at this meeting allows the town to issue a bond of $4 million through the state’s Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund. In doing that, the shortfall will have no impact for taxpayers.

Tibbetts said the new municipal budget will also allow the town to add four new firefighter/emergency medical technicians, two of them funded in the budget and two funded by grant.

“The intent is to reduce overtime and per diem costs of firefighters and EMTs,” he said.

Other town personnel actions approved in this new budget include hiring a Public Works Operational Manager to offer more efficiency for that department and making the Windham Police Department’s Community Resource Liaison a full-time position. The Community Resource Liaison position provides additional support to individuals struggling with mental health or substance use and up to now has been a shared position between the Windham and Gorham Police Departments.

Funding approved in the budget also will allow the Windham Fire/Rescue Department to purchase new self-contained breathing apparatus and equipment for $535,000 and to acquire land located at Cherry Lane adjacent to Gambo Soccer Fields for $750,000. The new budget also includes up to $750,000 for the paving and repair of 10 local roads.

The budget also awards $850,000 to the Windham Fire/Rescue Department to purchase a new fire engine, up to $400,000 for adding additional space and making improvements at Smith Cemetery. Funding included in the budget also will allow the town to complete work on the heating and cooling systems at Windham Town Hall, create new additional trails at the East Windham Conservation Area, award town employees a 4 percent wage increase and to finish sidewalk projects under way in South Windham along Gray Road.

Approval of the budget also authorizes $3.5 million to create a sidewalk on Windham Center Road from Windham High School extending to the site of the new Windham Middle School. Tibbetts said $1.2 million of that cost will come from grants, so that expense will be reduced when completed.

After the meeting, Tibbetts said work on formulating the annual town budget began in December and proceeded to a goal-setting session with Windham Town Council members in January. In February, Tibbetts met with town department heads to streamline budget requests before the Windham Finance Committee reviewed the preliminary budget before it was formally presented at a Town Council meeting in April and a Public Hearing was conducted at a town council meeting in May.

“Now that the budget has been approved by voters, we have to get to work,” Tibbetts said. “There’s a lot of nice things in this budget but there’s a lot of work left to be done.”

He said among things still to be decided in the future are choosing the best location for a new fire station and what to do with the current Windham Middle School building once the new Windham Middle School building opens.

At the start of the town meeting, Windham resident and former Windham Town Council member Tim Nangle, who currently serves as a Maine State Senator, was elected as moderator to preside over the gathering. <

Voters approve municipal budget during Windham's Annual Town Meeting

By Ed Pierce

Windham residents approved a municipal budget of $40,418,346 for 2023-2024 and other associated warrant articles during the annual town meeting on June 17 at the Windham Town Hall High.

Some members of the Windham Town Council raise cards
indicting their approval of warrant items in the 2023-2024
municipal budget during the annual town meeting at the
Windham Town Hall on Saturday, June 17. From left are
councilors William Reiner, Brett Jones, Nick Kalogerakis,
and Jarrod Maxfield. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE  

Warrant Articles also approved included authorizing up to $462,728 in recreation program fees, applying $3.6 million in excise tax receipts against the budget, spending up to $675,499 in user fees for operations of the South Windham Sewer Fund and applying $11,747,309 of varied revenue against the total municipal budget. Some of that varied revenue comes from state reimbursement for Homestead Exemptions, Veterans Exemptions and Local Road Assistance Funding, along with boat, snowmobile, and ATV registration fees.

Town voters attending the meeting also agreed to apply $500,000 of unappropriated fund from the Town Fund Balance against the Municipal Budget for the coming year.

A total of $30,898,911 for 2023-2024 was authorized by town voters including $7.2 million for general government; $4.6 million for Public Works Services; $3.7 million for Police Services; $3.2 million for Fire-Rescue Services; $1.1 million for recreation and cultural services; $777,635 for property and inspection services; $645,545 for development and conservation services; $386,535 for health and welfare; $7.8 million for capital, debt and other charges; $462,728 for the Recreation Program Fund; and $675,499 for the Sewer Fund.

Voters also authorized the Windham Town Council to transfer any unencumbered appropriation balance between any offices, department, or agencies during the new fiscal year and to accept any state grants or other anticipated funding toward budgetary needs in 2023-2024. The town council also was authorized to appropriate any Tax Increment Financing not allocated in the municipal budget.

Another warrant article was approved by voters for road improvements and sidewalks for the River Road/Route 202 intersection; South Windham sidewalks from Blue Seal Feeds to Depot Street; paving for the Collingwood and Running Brook developments; repairs for the William Knight Bridge; and $700,000 for the purchase of trash carts and receptacles for town residents as Windham converts to a new trash collection system in the coming year.

During the meeting, Windham Town Manager Barry Tibbetts told those in attendance that the town will combine funds allocated in the 2022-2023 budget for the transition to the new trash system and that he expects the rollout to be sometime in the spring of 2024. Tibbetts said the trash contractor is waiting for new trucks to be ordered and delivered and that is why he does not anticipate the new trash system to launch until next spring.

Tibbetts said that town residents will be issued separate bins for trash and recyclables which can be emptied mechanically by a single truck operator.

"My staff and I thank the town, residents and businesses for being able to serve them," Tibbetts said. "We look forward to this coming year in continuing that service in this upcoming budget."

Compared to last year, Windham Town Council William Reiner said he thought the budget process ran smoothly.

“There was much more discussion about the budget than it seemed in previous years,” he said. “This year we added a staffing template which will be used going forward for new town hires.”

With the approval of the town budget, Windham is expected to contribute to funding a School Resource Officer from the Windham Police Department for students in lower grades and to create the position and hire a new communications officer for the town.

Windham Town Council Chair Mark Morrison said voter approval of this budget is the culmination of a long process that town departments, town managers and staff and town councilors went through to formulate a budget that kept a close eye on keeping tax increases to a minimum.

“With the challenges of rising inflation, we had to go through the budget process slowly and carefully to be justified,” Morrison said. We did our best to keep the mill rate low and using state and federal monies for items such as acquiring open space.”

Morrison said that tabulating the new budget was done with the finances of town residents in mind.

“This budget will have very little impact for taxpayers,” he said. “We are trying to balance what makes sense and the upcoming fiscal year and position us for the future.”

During the town meeting, Windham resident and former state legislator Gary Plummer was elected as moderator to preside over the gathering. <

Windham residents to vote on municipal budget on June 17

By Ed Pierce

With all the 2023-2024 budget details having been finalized by the Windham Town Council, town voters attending the Annual Town Meeting next month will now determine if the budget is approved.

Pie charts show where funding in the proposed 2023-2024
Windham Municipal Budget will be directed to. Windham 
residents will be able to vote on the budget during the 
Annual Windham Town Meeting on June 17 at Windham
High School. COURTESY PHOTO

Windham Town Manager Barry Tibbetts has proposed an annual town budget for 2023-2024 of $40,418,346, up from the current 2022-2023 budget of $38,227,469. That amounts to a budget increase of 5.7 percent. For a home valued at $400,000 in Windham currently paying taxes of $4,644, under the new budget, taxes would rise to $4,910. That’s about $266.16 more per year or about $22 per month.

Tibbetts said the budget proposal weighs many different factors and influences, including projected lower town revenues, fixed expenses, and two planned town personnel additions. Some of the increase will offset the loss of $700,000 the town incurred by switching over from the Pay As You Throw (PAYT) trash collection system to a new trash cart system this fall.

There is also about $400,000 less coming into the town revenue stemming from a decline in state sales taxes. Overall revenue for Windham is also projected to decline $1.2 million because of rising energy and healthcare costs, contractual obligations, long-term debt and new staff hires.

The town’s long-term debt includes expenses for projects that are offset by grant funding, Tibbetts says. Some of the projects include an expense of $2.052 million for reconfigured sidewalks along Route 202 in South Windham offset by a grant of $1.856 million, an expense of $625,000 for rebuilding the sidewalk on Route 302 at Boody’s Corner offset by a grant of $684,000, and an expense of $751,000 to reconfigure the intersection of River Road and Route 202 offset by a grant of $751,000. Short-Term Debt includes $551,000 set aside for heavy equipment and vehicle purchases including a plow truck, an ambulance, fire department vehicles, fire pumping equipment and training materials and placing $150,000 in an account reserved for future debt.

“Overall, the town’s current total indebtedness (town and schools) is $25,641,000, or .88 percent of the state valuation, so the margin for additional borrowing is $411,474,000,” Tibbetts said. “Bonding Agencies recommend that an average of 12 to 14 percent of the total operating budget as debt service is consistent to addressing infrastructure needs.”

The budget proposal also includes capital equipment investments and some short-term debt for public safety including the purchase of heavy equipment and vehicles such as an ambulance and two fire vehicles. If the budget is approved by voters, Windham would purchase a new snowplow truck and some specialized fire safety equipment including a new fire pump, nozzles, training materials, mechanic specialty equipment, and shelving.

Capital projects funded under the proposed budget include repaving sidewalks in South Windham, reconfiguring the Route 202 Intersection and maintenance paving for Collin Circle, Running Brook Road, and Montgomery Road.

The Windham Police Department also plans to add an additional school resource officer in the coming year and Windham is also expected to hire a new communications director.

Tibbetts says that the town’s TIF district funding is projected to be basically flat for the coming year as revenue from that source is being used for significant infrastructure improvements for the town that have been approved by voters. Those include upcoming projects such as Route 302 access roads to alleviate traffic congestion in North Windham, the North Windham Wastewater Project, and the East Windham Conservation Project.

Members of the Windham Town Council approved the final budget proposal at a meeting on May 9 and also set the Annual Town Meeting to be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 17 at Windham High School. <

Residents approve East Windham Conservation Project during Annual Town Meeting

Three Windham Town Councilors, from left, Ed Ohmott, 
Mark Morrison, and Jarrod Maxfield, vote in favor of a town
warrant article during Windham's Annual Town Meeting on
June 18 at Windham High School. At the meeting, town
residents approved the town budget for 2022-2023 and also
approved a bond using open space impact fees to help
purchase 661 acres near Little Duck Pond in East Windham
to create a new outdoor recreational area.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE  

By Ed Pierce

Along with approving a near $38 million annual budget and associated warrant articles during the annual town meeting on June 18 at Windham High School, residents also voted to allow Windham to enter into a partnership with Presumpscot Regional Land Trust to purchase and conserve 661 acres near Little Duck Pond in East Windham.

The East Windham Conservation Project would acquire the forested acreage for recreational opportunities in Windham while also adding 1,545 feet of undeveloped water frontage on Little Duck Pond, the 150-acre Deer Wintering Area for hunting, and the 580-foot Atherton Hill, the tallest hill in Windham.

Earlier this month, the Lands for Maine’s Future organization awarded the East Windham Conservation project $998,000 to help fund the initiative. The project will directly abut more than 1,000 acres of other conserved land in Windham and Falmouth, including Lowell Preserve, North Falmouth Community Forest, and Blackstrap Hill Preserve, providing 20 miles of interconnected trails and five trailheads for public access, and amounting to one of the largest unfragmented forests in the Greater Portland region.

Voters approved a bond to match the LMF award with open space impact fees so there will be no impact upon the mil rate for local homeowners. The project will preserve a part of Windham that residents have identified is an important area to conserve during increasing concerns about local development, offers scenic views of the western mountains and offers a place for outdoor recreation.

Amanda Lessard, Town of Windham Planning Director, said that in the latest Open Space Plan, Windham identified this area of East Windham as important to conserve for its large undeveloped habitat blocks, preservation of rural character and water quality protection.

Lessard said that Windham has been collaborating with the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust over the past six months to engage the community on developing a vision for this property.

“With guidance from the steering committee, we held two community meetings, site walks of the property, and put out a town-wide survey that had 900 responses,” she said. “The top-ranked community benefit identified by the survey was to conserve the land to remain undeveloped for wildlife habitat, water quality protection and rural character. The second-highest ranked community benefit was to provide multiple-use outdoor recreation and create access for the whole community. Finally, the top four highest-ranked activities that will bring respondents to this land once it is conserved are walking, hiking, visiting an observation tower with 360-degree views including scenic views of the White Mountains.”

The plan envisions a year-round trail head parking area, multi-use trails, access to fishing, hunting and wildlife observation area, a universal access trail connecting from Falmouth Road to Little Duck Pond and Atherton Hill, an observation tower that will provide scenic views to Casco Bay and Mount Washington, and destinations with scenic views of the western mountains and the pond.

Rachelle Curran Apse, Executive Director of the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, said that the land trust is grateful to be partnering with the town of Windham to conserve the area for the future.

She said that the Land Trust will lead a private fundraising effort over the summer to raise the remaining funds needed to conserve the land and that support and donations will be needed to finalize the project.

The bond for the conservation project was just one of a series of town budget warrant articles which were approved during the meeting.

Windham Town Manager Barry Tibbets told those in attendance that while town revenues are up $1.5 million, excise taxes, building permits and other revenues are expected to be flat or down for the coming year. He said revenue sharing from the state has been set at $2.5 million, with Windham expected to receive about $1.63 million from Cumberland County.

Tibbetts said TIF funding for the year ahead also is expected to be flat because of anticipated expenditures for local access road funding and for the North Windham wastewater project. The approved budget takes into account increases in labor relations contracts, and general health and benefit increases coupled with the RSU 14 budget.

The 2022-2023 town budget also includes the expense of adding six fire-EMS personnel, and fixed cost increases from rising electric and fuel expenses, along with medical and dental contractual obligations, bonding, and capital equipment leases. The budget also funds other initiatives in Windham such as intersection engineering for River Road/Route 202; preliminary development of a Northwest Fire Station; Firewall and Switch Replacement for municipal buildings; creating a Public Safety Memorial at Windham’s Public Safety Building; records conservation; Collinwood Circle and Running Brook Development; purchase of a recreation storage container; and providing reserves for capital projects and bonding.

Several residents attending the meeting also inquired about the status of the trash and recycling contract for the town and if the Pay As You Throw program will be eliminated.

Tibbetts said that the town is still negotiating with Pine Tree Waste, Inc., also known as Casella Waste, on a new contract to replace the one that expires next year. He said the contractor wants to modify the contract because of staffing issues to require separate bins for trash and recyclables which can be emptied mechanically by a single truck operator but that nothing has been settled yet.

According to Tibbetts, the new budget includes funding for new trash and recycle bins for the town if needed.

During the town meeting, attorney Stephen Langsdorf of the law firm Preti Flaherty was elected as moderator to preside over the gathering. <

Windham municipal budget approval heads to voters

Voters in Windham will accept or reject a budget of $32
million during the Annual Town Meeting to be held at
the Windham High School auditorium next month. The 
proposed budget includes adding six rescue-emergency
staff members for the town and three capital projects
including creating new access roads, the East Windham
Conservation Area, and sewers for North Windham.
FILE PHOTO  

By Ed Pierce

One of the most important decisions in Windham history will be presented to voters during the upcoming Annual Town Meeting in June. Voters attending the meeting will approve or disapprove of a proposed $37,238,051 budget, that includes funding for three, long-range capital investments.   

Members of the Windham Town Council finalized the process of creating warrant articles for the budget during a council meeting on May 10. The proposed budget addresses capital project investments such as the North Windham Local Access Road Project; adding six new rescue-emergency medical services staff members; the creation of a North Windham Wastewater Treatment System; and acquiring more open space for the town through the addition of the East Windham Conservation Project.

“A lot of work went into this, and I hope the public grasps what we’re doing,” said Windham Town Council Chair Jarrod Maxfield. “I hope folks see they’re getting something for it. We are getting something out of this. It’s an investment for the future of Windham.”

In unveiling the proposed budget, Windham Town Manager Barry Tibbetts said that while town revenues are up $1.5 million, excise taxes, building permits and other revenues are expected to be flat or down for the coming year. He said revenue sharing from the state has been set at $2.5 million, with Windham expected to receive $1.63 million from Cumberland County.

According to Tibbetts, TIF funding for the year ahead also is expected to be flat because of anticipated expenditures for local access road funding and funds for the North Windham wastewater project. A budget of $28.7 million with increases in labor relations contracts, and general health and benefit increases coupled with a proposed RSU 14 budget increase of 4.34 percent led to the formulation of this new municipal budget, Tibbetts said.

None of the new capital projects will lead to a tax increase, Tibbetts said. Taxes could rise as much as 6 percent overall, but that is driven by the cost of adding six fire-EMS personnel, and fixed cost increases from rising electric, and fuel expenses, along with medical and dental contractual obligations, bonding, and capital equipment leases.

“It’s important to say that no residential monies are going into the access roads and because of a major grant from the state, there will be no tax hit for residents on the wastewater treatment facility,” Tibbetts said. “As far as the open space preservation in East Windham, that will be taken care of by impact fees.”

The proposed budget also would fund a number of other initiatives in Windham. Some of those include intersection engineering for River Road/Route 202; preliminary development of a Northwest Fire Station; Firewall and Switch Replacement for municipal buildings; creating a Public Safety Memorial at Windham’s Public Safety Building; records conservation; Collinwood Circle and Running Brook Development; purchase of a recreation storage container; and providing reserves for capital projects and bonding.

Tibbetts said the budget was prepared anticipating a General Inflation rate of 7.9 percent. He said that the overall CPI Net Town Increase in the proposed budget is 5.4 percent or an average estimated increase of $1 per day.

Windham’s budget for the past two years has essentially been flat with no tax increases, he said. Last year’s town budget approved by voters at the Annual Town Meeting was $34,459,803.  

Prior to the budget vote, residents will also be able to cast ballots on Maine Primary Day on Tuesday, June 14 to approve by referendum an agreement between the Town of Windham and the Portland Water District to finance the design, engineering and construction of a new sewer system serving North Windham.

The Annual Town Meeting is set for 10 a.m. Saturday, June 18 in the auditorium of Windham High School. <

Windham council approves sending proposed budget to town voters

Windham residents will be asked to approve or reject a
proposed town budget of more than $37 million during the
annual town meeting, scheduled for June 18.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

By Ed Pierce

After two years of enjoying a flat taxation rate, residents of Windham will be asked to OK about a 6 percent tax increase for the coming year after members of the Windham Town Council unanimously approved a proposed budget of $37,238,051.

Windham Town Manager Barry Tibbetts reviewed the detailed budget proposal with town councilors during the meeting and explained that three specific items are responsible for the proposed increase and cited fixed cost increases resulting from inflation for electricity, fuel and municipal contractual obligations such as health care and dental care; the proposed addition of six firefighters/rescue personnel; and capital operational expenses such as bonding, several personnel additions and equipment leases as the basis for the possible tax increase. Residents will vote to approve or reject the proposed budget during Windham’s Annual Town Meeting on June 18.

Tibbetts told councilors that three significant improvements including the North Windham Wastewater Treatment Facility, the North Windham Mobility Project of creating access roads to alleviate traffic congestion along Route 302 in North Windham and conserving up to 750 acres for the East Windham Conservation Project will be covered by grants, TIFS, and town impact fees.

“It’s important to say that no residential monies are going into the access roads and because of a major grant from the state, there will be no tax hit for residents on the wastewater treatment facility,” Tibbetts said. “As far as the open space preservation in East Windham, that will be taken care of by impact fees.”

Other capital projects Tibbetts mentioned in his budget presentation for the coming year were for the Windham Municipal Building NW Fire Station preliminary engineering; sidewalks in South Windham along Route 202, installing smart traffic lights in the town, and Police and Fire Department renovations/additions and capital equipment.

The proposed budgets for RSU 14 and Cumberland County also show increases with the school district seeking a 4.34 percent increase and the county proposing a 4.18 percent hike from a year ago.

According to Tibbetts, Windham’s town revenues are up $1.5 million with Excise taxes, building permits and other revenues expected to be flat or down. He said revenue sharing by the state is expected to be about $2.5 million down from an earlier state projection of $2.7 million.

“This proposed budget addresses budgetary modifications, long term capital project investments, local access roads, the North Windham Wastewater Treatment System, the Open Space East Windham Conservation Project, manpower additions and adjustments and capital equipment investments,” Tibbetts said.

The proposed budget was reduced by $500,000 on the capital side from a draft that town manager shared with councilors in March.

As far as long- and short-term bond debt for the town goes, Tibbetts shared this information with councilors:

Long-Term Debt

Local Access Road (TIF 10 percent, Town, 10 percent, State/Federal 80 percent)

Open Space (East Windham Conservation Project and abutting land, Offset by impact fees)

South Windham Village Center, Route 202 Sidewalks, (Pacts 50/50)

Route 302 Sidewalk, Boody’s Corner, Pacts 50/50 Greater Portland Council of Governments)

Trash containers, (General Fund)

River Rd/Route 202 intersection, (MPI 50/50 MDOT)

NW Wastewater with PWD and SRF program via TIF/GF Short-Term Debt (heavy equipment and vehicles (TIF)

Short-term debt

Plow truck, ambulance, ACO truck, crime lab truck, fire crew cab 1/2 pickup truck, fire vehicle and two pick-up trucks), CPR compression units, $850,000 General Fund.

“A lot of work went into this, and I hope the public grasps what we’re doing,” said Windham Town Council Chair Jarrod Maxfield. “I hope folks see they’re getting something for it. We are getting something out of this. It’s an investment for the future of Windham.” <

Windham establishes sewer vote as ballot item

By Ed Pierce

During a lengthy Windham Town Council meeting on Tuesday night, councilors approved putting a measure for voters to approve a proposed North Windham Sewer project on the ballot in June.

Rather than have the proposal determined by residents at the annual Windham Town Meeting on June 18, councilors decided to have it come before voters by paper ballot on Maine Primary Day on June 14.

Windham Town Manager Barry Tibbetts briefed councilors about the proposed project during the meeting saying that the community explored the possibility of installing sewers in the area for the last 15 years.

Tibbetts told councilors that a previous $40 million bond was rejected by voters some 10 years ago and the cost of doing that same project has now risen to more than $100 million, making it too costly for the town.

He said the intent of this new proposal, which is a joint project with the Portland Water District, is to safeguard public health by protecting the environment and that in doing so, a residual effect would create an estimated $60 to $80 million in new investment in the North Windham area along the Route 302 corridor.

According to Tibbets, because of a lack of an effective sewer system over the years contaminants are polluting the aquifer, affecting surrounding ponds and lakes with increasing nitrate and phosphorous levels threatening local water resources including Sebago Lake.

“If we do nothing more contaminates will flow into the aquifer,” he said. “This is an opportunity to clean up a significant part of the environment.”

The plan also calls for the construction of a public wastewater system and result in the creation of a collection and pumping system over three miles in length to connect businesses and residents to the system and treat wastewater through an advanced micro-filtration system.

The proposed system would also create a new pumping station near Windham High School and RSU 14 that would service from the high school campus to a new treatment facility in North Windham. It also would establish a wastewater treatment facility on the grounds of Manchester School and a new pumping station at Windham Middle School.

Tibbetts said the project would not disrupt traffic in North Windham and also said the project is good for all Windham residents as 17 percent of the tax base in Windham comes from the North Windham area.

The overall estimated cost of the sewer project is $46 million and Tibbetts told the council that the proposal has the blessing of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, which has authorized giving Windham a loan of up to $40 million at 1.5 percent interest and no payments have to be made on the loan until the system would be operational.

Through North Windham TIF funding, grants from the federal government, the Economic Development Association of New England, Cumberland County, Tibbetts said he expects Windham would fall about $500,000 short to fund the project which could then go out for a bond.

Preliminary engineering reports have been completed, and a project budget was established April 1 with the town applying last Friday for preapproval of a groundwater discharge permit on April 15.

Councilors Nicholas Kalogerakis and David Nadeau said that they disagree with social media postings they’ve recently seen about the town “trying to sneak things through” at the town meeting, including this proposal.  They both said the project has been written about in The Windham Eagle newspaper and posted on the town’s website and over the past two years the mil rate for Windham taxpayers has remained flat after the town’s annual budget amounting to millions of dollars has been voted upon by less than 40 voters at the Annual Town Meeting.

Town Council Chair Jarrod Maxfield said that he agrees that the Annual Town Meeting is sparsely attended yet remains a meeting open to public participation, but he preferred to have as many residents involved in the approval process for the sewer proposal as possible.

“I personally think it’s only fair to give the public full opportunity to push this forward,” he said.

The council voted to send the proposal for voter approval at the ballot box on June 14. <

Windham residents gather for annual town meeting June 12

Windham's Annual Town Meeting will be held at 10 a.m.
Saturday, June 12 in the Windham High School Auditorium.
Residents will vote on proposed municipal and RSU 14
budgets and for a number of upcoming town projects
and purchases.  PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

By Ed Pierce

During Windham’s annual town meeting this weekend, residents will have their say in either approving or disapproving of the submitted 2021-2022 town and RSU 14 budgets.

The meeting starts at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Windham High School auditorium and participants are required to sign in to receive a voting slip. Ballots will determine the fate of Windham’s proposed $35,115,270 budget and RSU 14’s $52,233,221 budget.

Windham’s municipal budget is up slightly from the $35,048,303 budget for 2020-2021 approved by town voters last June.

“In the proposed budget 2021-2022, we are looking to accomplish several objectives,” said Windham Town Manager Barry A. Tibbetts. “We hold the budget increase due to the COVID impacts on residents and businesses, continue with the paving and equipment replacement programs, develop recreational playing fields and playground while expanding parking at Lowell. The first item is to hold or limit any increases in the budget to the minimum based on the COVID impact to residents and businesses. The municipal budget increase is at 0.33 percent, or flat or no increase to the mil rate.” 

If approved on Saturday, the new budget would fund paving and sidewalk work; work on rear access roads off Route 302; addressing North Windham wastewater treatment; completing the second phase of the Lowell Reserve parking lot; creation of three new playing fields behind Manchester School; a possible new community center; and addressing open-space property issues in Windham.

Town meeting participants will be asked to greenlight repaving projects for Land of Nod Road; Depot Street; Common Avenue; Dunridge Circle; Page Road, Vance Drive; Varney Mill Road; the Gosher and Gateway Subdivison; Hillcrest Subdivision; the Abby and Oak Subdivision; and Lantern Lane Cross Culvert. 

Should the budget proposal be approved, capital funding would also be allocated up to $200,000 for paving stretches of dirt roads on Hall Road; Gilman Drive; Old Country Road; a portion of Swett Road; Keene Road; Barnes Road; Read Road; Town Farm Road; Pendleton Ash Way; Peartree Lane; Craig Road; Claman Drive; Jones Hill Road; Hall Road where it meets Route 302; and Neighborly Way.

The 2021-2022 budget proposal will authorize Windham to add an assistant town manager and two new fire/emergency medical technicians. Town impact fees will be used to replace the playground equipment at Lowell Preserve and funding will be used for a design and engineering study to improve Donnabeth Lippman Park.

Budget approval will give permission for the town to lease or purchase two plow trucks; a street sweeper; a trackless snow blower/mower; three new EMS stretchers; and three new cardiac monitors. It also allocates $550,000 to complete the purchase of Engine 7 for the Windham Fire Department.

With the mil rate of 4.4 unchanged from a year ago, the municipal tax rate for Windham will be flat, Tibbetts said.

The 2021-2022 budget proposal for RSU 14 is up $1,450,223 or about a 2.86 percent increase from its 2020-2021 budget.

RSU 14 Superintendent of Schools Christopher Howell said that minimal additions were proposed through the budget process this year and that the increase reflects fixed costs related to negotiated salaries and benefits for employees.

“The district will be receiving an additional $974,159.00 in subsidy from the state this year,” Howell said. “This is a welcome addition that should result in a minimum tax increase for households in Raymond and Windham.”

According to Howell, Maine Gov. Janet Mills has proposed an increase in funding to the legislature to meet the promise of 55 percent for public education.

“If this passes through the legislature, it will further reduce the tax requirement for the RSU,” he said.

Even with this proposed budget, per pupil cost for RSU 14 students is slightly below the state average of $12,442, coming in at $12,294.

If approved at the town meeting, Windham Primary School would receive additional funding for physical education, music and art and for educational technicians. Raymond Elementary School would gain additional funding for educational technicians, while Windham Middle School would lose one teacher. Also under the budget proposal, the district would create a new e-sports program, and the nurse position at Jordan-Small Middle School would be converted to a nurse technician. <

Proposed Windham budget could have lasting positive impact for town

Windham's town councilors will receive the town
manager's proposed 2021-2022 budget of 
$35,115,270 during a meeting on April 6. If
approved, the budget will be presented to voters
during the annual town meeting on June 12.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE  

By Ed Pierce

For many town residents, there’s a lot to like about Windham 2021-2022 budget proposal as members of the Windham Town Council prepare to examine it closer when it is presented during the council’s scheduled April 6 meeting. 

Windham Town Manager Barry A. Tibbetts said the goal of this year’s budget proposal is to maintain services and programs while implementing capital improvements to improve the community. 

Potential capital projects for the year ahead for the town funded in the proposed $35,115,270 budget include paving and sidewalk work; work on rear access roads off Route 302; addressing North Windham wastewater treatment; completing the second phase of the Lowell Reserve parking lot; creation of three new playing fields behind Manchester School; a possible new community center; and addressing open-space property issues in Windham.

“In the proposed budget 2021-2022, we are looking to accomplish several objectives; hold the budget increase due to the COVID impacts on residents and businesses, continue with the paving and equipment replacement programs, develop recreational playing fields and playground while expanding parking at Lowell,” Tibbetts said. “The first item is to hold or limit any increases in the budget to the minimum based on the COVID impact to residents and businesses. The municipal budget increase is at 0.33 percent, or flat or no increase to the mil rate.” 

The new playing fields could be accomplished through a municipal bond and the use of town impact fees, Tibbetts said, and the parking lot at Lowell Preserve can also be paid for through town impact fees.

Longstanding wastewater treatment issues in North Windham may finally be addressed and potentially resolved following the Windham Town Council’s approval of two new Tax Increment Financing Districts and amendment of an existing TIF at its Jan. 26 meeting. Councilors agreed at that meeting to establish new 30-year TIF districts for North Windham and South Windham and voted to amend the current NW Roosevelt Trail TIF.

What that means is that the North Windham TIF could leverage taxes generated for a specific project such as wastewater treatment and use them to finance sewers or make other infrastructure improvements in the TIF district.

Savings for funding some other projects will be achieved by the retirement of existing town debt and obligations such as expiring leases on town vehicles and equipment and paying off an existing road bond of $148,625, Tibbetts said.

Roads to be repaved should the councilors approve, and then town voters agree at the town meeting on June 12 are Land of Nod Road; Depot Street; Common Avenue; Dunridge Circle; Page Road, Vance Drive; Varney Mill Road; Gosher and Gateway subdivison; Hillcrest Subdivision; Abby & Oak Subdivision; and Lantern Lane Cross Culvert.  

The budget proposal includes allocating up to $200,000 in capital funding for paving stretches of dirt roads on Hall Road; Gilman Drive; Old Country Road; a portion of Swett Road; Keene Road; Barnes Road; Read Road; Town Farm Road; Pendleton Ash Way; Peartree Lane; Craig Road; Claman Drive; Jones Hill Road; Hall Road where it meets Route 302; and Neighborly Way.

Under the budget proposal, Tibbetts said that Windham will add an assistant town manager and two new fire/emergency medical technicians.

If the budget is approved as proposed, town impact fees will be used to replace the playground equipment as Lowell Preserve and for a design and engineering study to improve Donna Lippman Park.

“We are maintaining our 16.67 percent unassigned balance reserve to meet Government Finance Officers’ Association three-month recommendation for operating revenues,” Tibbetts said. “This is important for any bonding we would be considering.”

Tibbetts said that the town will use about half of last year’s revenues increase for the coming year to provide a reserve for future unexpected variances in the economy.

“Those unanticipated revenues in the coming year over the new projections could be used on next year’s budget,” he said. “This is a conservative approach which will allow for better budgetary management in the long term.”   

For 2021-2022, Tibbetts said revenues are projected to rise overall about 3.2 percent.

“The expenditures are increased by 0.33 percent,” he said. “The county budget has increased by 3.1 percent. The end result of the mil rate, while holding the school overlay and new building and land valuations as static, would increase 0.02 cents based on the county budget.”     

The budget that Tibbetts is proposing includes $1.1 million for the lease/purchase of two plow trucks; a street sweeper; a trackless snow blower/mower; three new EMS stretchers; and three new cardiac monitors. It also allocates $550,000 to complete the purchase of Engine 7 for the town’s fire department. 

Although the RSU 14 has yet to be formulated, the budget Tibbetts will submit to town councilors for 2021-2022 is marginally higher than the 2020-2021’s budget of $35,048,303 approved by town voters and the town council.

With the mil rate of 4.4 unchanged from a year ago, the municipal tax rate for Windham will be flat, Tibbetts said. < 

Raymond Annual Town Meeting is scheduled by Lorraine Glowczak

The Raymond Annual Town Meeting will occur on Tuesday, June 5 at the Jordan-Small Middle School gym at 6 p.m. The meeting will consist of a 48-article warrant that includes, but is not limited to, business and dog barking ordinance changes, as well as budget, finance and cemetery ordinance revisions. The meeting will begin with the election of the town moderator.

The Town Meeting serves the same functions as the Legislature in Augusta and the Congress in Washington, passing laws and adopting budgets. Instead of elected officials acting in the legislative role, it is the Raymond residents themselves that are the legislative body, making decisions and voting upon important issues and needs facing the town.

“It is the purest form of democracy,” stated Town Manager Don Willard, “Anyone who lives in Raymond and is registered to vote gets a say in annual budgets, ordinances issues, etc.”

Continuing the Town Annual Meeting, a bifurcated meeting will take place a week later, on Tuesday, June 12 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the same location of Jordan-Small Middle School gym. This will be the location, time and place to participate in State and Municipal Elections. It is during this day-long election event that the Ranked-Choice Voting System will be implemented for the first time since the process was ruled a lawful voting method in April.

Please also note that there will be a public vote on the RSU14 Proposed Budget in a combined Windham and Raymond Town Hall meeting on Wednesday, May 23^rd at 6:30 p.m. at the Windham High School Auditorium.

For more information, contact either the Town of Raymond at 655-4742 or the Town of Windham at 894-5960.