POLAND — Selectman Steve Robinson on Tuesday addressed rumors concerning actions the board took at two special meetings held Jan. 6 and 14.
Robinson said the Jan. 6 meeting, held entirely in executive session, was called to finalize plans on how to address problems stemming from an assessing error that occurred in 2010. The error resulted in property tax receipts that should have been placed in the TIF 2 account instead going into the general fund.
The assessing error, which deposited taxes from about $17 million worth of Poland Spring Bottling Co. property into the wrong account, was discovered when Robert Duplissis took over assessing duties for the town in late September 2015.
Present at the meeting, in addition to board members, were Town Manager Bradley Plante, Finance Director Sharon Chammings, Executive Assistant Nikki Pratt and Attorney Erik Stumpfel, a TIF consultant who has been assisting the town as it made certain amendments to the TIF districts.
Stumpfel confirmed Duplissis’ discovery and advised the board in the proper procedures for correcting the situation.
At the Jan. 14 meeting, the Board of Selectmen approved two fund transfers to clear up the result of the assessing error:
• $202,844 of TIF 2 revenues for 2010 were transferred to the general fund.
• $523,659 from taxes for the years 2010 through to 2016 was transferred from the general fund to the TIF 2 account.
“There is no impact to the Poland taxpayer,” Robinson said. “The money was just in the wrong accounts. There was no money lost, misappropriated or stolen.”
Selectman Janice Kimball said the action does change the town’s fund balance, which has about $2.2 million, an amount that is considered very healthy.
Accounts with Poland Spring Bottling Co. are now set straight, Robinson said.
“All is OK,” he said. “The TIF can pay all its obligations; nothing is owed to anybody.”
“I’m glad you cleared this up,” resident Arthur Berry said.
In other business, selectmen received five citizen petitions from resident Barbara Strout, requesting that selectmen put five articles on the annual town meeting warrant in April.
Strout said the intent was for residents to give the selectmen feedback on several matters of concern.
Selectmen accepted the five articles for inclusion on the warrant:
• Acting on the Walker/McConaghy property;
• Authorizing public use of the conference room at the town’s fire and rescue station;
• Authorizing clearing of trees and brush behind the Ricker Memorial Library;
• Establishing a charter commission to update the present town charter; and
• Establishing a zoning ordinance that would set a limit of one marijuana distribution center in the town.
Selectmen also accepted the resignation of Scott Sawyer from the Regional School Unit 16 board. At their Feb. 16 meeting, selectmen will appoint a replacement to serve until June 30. Those interested should contact the Town Office as soon as possible.
Selectmen also accepted Debbie Lamb’s resignation from the Ricker Library board of trustees and Roy Forsberg’s resignation from the Community and Economic Development Committee.
Debra Ouellette was named to the Community and Economic Development Committee for a term to expire June 30, 2017.
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