Select Board signs FY10 Tax Commitment on August 5, 2009 – as projected, NO increase in property taxes this year!

Item 1: As projected, due to the efforts of the Finance Committee and Select Board, the mill rate for property taxes will not increase this year. With a decrease in state and local revenues and an increase in both the education and county assessments, this is quite a feat! Tax bills are expected to be sent out by the end of August with the first payment due October 15th.

Item 2: The calendar may say that it’s August, but here at the town office we’re gearing up for September’s Celebrate Bowdoinham scheduled this year for September 11 & 12th. Tony Cox, Community & Economic Development Director and the coordinator of Celebrate Bowdoinham is busy planning for this year’s activities. The parade begins Saturday at 10am with the Kora Renegades, tractors and local floats. This year there is a theme to the parade, “Maine’s Craftiest Town” as designated by Downeast Magazine. Also included in the celebration is, “Bowdoinham Best”, a Pie and Produce Exhibition at the Masons Hall. Free activities for children include the lobster crate challenge, arts tent and archery. The Merrymeeting Arts Center hosts the annual arts and craft fair featuring many local and regional artists demonstrating their work. Local food vendors and a myriad of musicians round out the activities to make this day a Maine destination not to be missed this summer. Look for more information in next month’s newsletter as well as on the town’s website at www.bowdoinham.com. If you would like to help out, please contact us. We need lots of volunteers to make the celebration possible!!

Item 2: Paving Update – Folks living along the north section of Ridge Road have shown much patience this summer. Paving on the Ridge Road has been delayed due to the summer’s rainfall however we expect the paving to begin by the end of August. In addition, a one-mile section of the Brown’s Point Road will be paved in September and prep work has already begun.

Item 3: Harward Bridge Project –The Department of Transportation awarded the contract to remove the existing bridge and replace it with an at-grade railroad crossing to T Buck Construction. Country Fare Excavation is the subcontractor that will remove approximately 37,000 cubic yards of fill from the site. This section of Route 24 will be closed to for 6 weeks to traffic. The expected detour route established by the contractor is the White Road. The project is expected to start at the beginning of September.

Item 4: Buy Bowdoinham campaign featured on CNNMoney.com!! Bowdoinham’s “Buy Bowdoinham” campaign was featured as one of six grassroots stimulus programs in the nation! Our campaign was initiated by Tony Cox! Thank you Tony! If you own a business and would like to be featured in the Buy Bowdoinham campaign, please contact Tony at 666-5531. This month’s campaign features the talented woodworking of Mark Donovan, Scott Libby and Greg Zoulamis.

Item 5: The Public Works Department has been busy maintaining the town’s local roads. On the Carding Machine Road the department hauled off approximately 250 yards of ditching, applied over 300 yards of gravel and replaced culverts. On the Dingley Road the department applied over 325 yards of gravel and replace culverts. A culvert on the Millay Road was replaced that had been washed out due to a rainstorm.

Item 6: Ann Davis, EMS Director reports that Bowdoinham EMS responded to 17 calls for the month of July. Also, due to Ann’s efforts, a Basic EMT class is being held at the town hall. This class is quite rigorous and requires each student to attend class twice a week for 3 months. Five Bowdoinham EMS members are enrolled in the class. This is good news for Bowdoinham residents as this will provide more licensed personnel able to respond to the emergency medical needs of Bowdoinham residents.

Item 7: Our Fire Chief, Jack Tourtelotte reports that the fire department responded to 7 calls which included 3 auto accidents and 2 calls for mutual aid: one each to Richmond and Bowdoin.

Item 8: LIHEAP UPDATE- Heating Assistance for Low Income residents in Bowdoinham will be provided by the Kennebec Valley Community Action Program. Last heating season the community agencies in Maine distributed more than $66 million in heating assistance to over 61,000 Maine low-income households. If you would like more information or need to make an appointment for heating assistance or weatherization, call 1-800-542-8227.

Have a wonderful end to your summer! Be safe –

Kathy Durgin-Leighton
Town Manager