News

NG mill rate to go down
Fiscal Year 2005-2006 proposed budget is in
By Naomi Morrison

New Gloucester--The proposed budget for fiscal year 2005-2006 is complete and will be discussed at the Board of Selectmen's Budget meeting Monday, January 31, at 7 p.m. in the Meetinghouse. As of now the projected mill rate is $11.34, which is $.21 less than the current mill rate of $11.55.

The assumption that the school and county budgets will only increase by three percent, along with the municipal budget decreasing $180,000 from the current fiscal year while non-tax revenue is estimated to increase $25,000 are conditions of the projected NG mill rate. To review the proposed budget, copies are available at the Town Hall. A copy is available to review at the Library as well.

Planning Board Application fees to rise

An increase in the Planning Board application fees was acted upon at the New Gloucester Selectmen meeting Monday night.

According to Town Planner James Isaacson, the site plan permit fees haven't been revised since at least 1992. He presented the board with his estimation of how much time he spends with each type of permit including the minor costs of processing the application and increased the prices accordingly.

The site plan application fee for a residential home increased from $50 to $75, while the non-residential remains the same at $150. The fee for a minor subdivision, which is four or less lots, was changed from a $400 flat rate to $200 per lot. A major preliminary subdivision, which is five or more lots, has also changed from a $400 flat rate plus $100 per lot to $200 per lot. The major final subdivision also changed to $200 per lot from a flat rate of $250 plus $50 per lot.

With slight hesitance on increasing these fees, Chair Steve Libby said the Town Planner's office should be as user friendly as possible. Mr. Isaacson demonstrated the average cost for subdivision fees of the surrounding towns that were slightly higher than the existing fees that New Gloucester is charging.

"With the proposed fee [increases], we will be about average," he said.
Included in his proposal was a $75 transfer of development rights application fee. This would apply to persons in the sending zone who wish to sell their building rights.

Mr. Isaacson said the initial review will include a preliminary estimate of how many transferable rights the owner has and how many conservation easements he or she will need to place on the property upon selling those rights. After the land is surveyed, the town will issue a document that the owner can sell. At this time, Mr. Isaacson said he does not anticipate any other additional fees.

"This is really just a best guess on what it will cost," he said... "Not having gone through the process, we don't know [how much time and cost there will actually be]."

The new application fees take effect immediately.

Use fee reimbursement

In other permit news, the Code Enforcement Officer Debby Parks approached the board requesting approval to reimburse a use permit fee for an individual who was unable to begin construction due to financing problems. Since there is no cost to the town because construction did not begin, the board approved her request. In addition, the Board encompassed future applications by stating that, effective immediately, use permit fees can be refunded if construction has not commenced.