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Select Board approvals: abatements, supplements, public hearing date, warrants and permissions
Summary
At its Sept. 16 meeting the Select Board approved a package of tax abatements and supplemental assessments, set a public hearing for the General Assistance appendices, approved warrants, and granted a contract acceptance and a resident request to tap a tree.
The Town of North Berwick Select Board approved multiple routine and substantive items at its meeting. The board recorded motions and votes on several tax abatements and supplemental assessments, set a public hearing date for General Assistance appendices, approved vendor and warrant payments, and granted a resident permission to tap a town tree.
Votes at a glance
- Approve minutes of Sept. 2, 2025: Motion approved (motion carried). (Recorded in meeting minutes.)
- Tree tapping request (public input): A resident identified in the transcript as Mister Chandler asked permission to tap a tree for maple sugar season. The board moved and approved the request; the presenter said "You are good to go." Outcome: approved.
- FY26 tax abatements and supplemental assessments: The board considered a sequence of abatements and supplements listed in the meeting packet and approved each motion as called. Abatement and supplemental identifiers and outcomes recorded in the meeting include: • Abatement A-2026-1 (Emmons): eliminate value 126,500; tax abatement $1,182.78 — motion carried (approved). • Abatement A-2026-2 (Stan Rice, Portland Street): reduce assessed acreage from 1.65 to 0.88 acres; value reduction 32,900; tax abatement $307.62 — motion carried (approved). • Abatement A-2026-3 (Karen Boston): value reduction 14,500; tax abatement $135.58 — motion carried (approved). • Abatement A-2026-4 (Susan Malloy, Maple Street): value reduction 171,900; tax abatement $1,006.27 — motion carried (approved). • Abatement A-2026-5 (Susan Malloy, same property): value reduction 84,400; tax abatement (amount discussed in meeting) — motion carried (approved). • Supplemental S-2026-1 (Alyssa Wyswell/Wizrell): supplemental tax $1,607.27; value 171,900 — motion carried (approved). • Supplemental S-2026-2 (Susan Malloy): supplemental tax $1,659.63; value 177,500 — motion carried (approved).
All abatement and supplemental motions were presented by staff, moved and seconded by board members and the Select Board announced each motion "carries." The packet identified errors in lot descriptions and lot splits as the cause of the adjustments; staff said more abatements could arise during the ongoing maintenance process.
- General Assistance (appendices): The board set a public hearing date for October 7, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. to consider updates to the General Assistance ordinance appendices, including heating oil fund information and updated benefit tables. Outcome: public hearing scheduled (motion carried).
- Vendor/warrant approvals: The board approved warrants for Sept. 9, 2025 ($22,062.43) and Sept. 16, 2025 ($1,022,626.24). Staff explained the larger September warrant included the fall bond principal payments. Outcome: approved.
- Contract acceptance for revaluation measured-list (KRT): See separate article. Outcome: accepted and staff authorized to sign contract.
How the decisions were reached: Staff presented details for each packet item, board members moved and seconded each item, and the board recorded each motion as carried. The transcript records staff explaining the reasons (lot splits, corrected legal descriptions, supplemental taxes tied to corrected parcel values), and board members asking clarifying questions about amounts and the ongoing maintenance process.
Ending: Staff will proceed with processing abatement paperwork, publish the October 7 public hearing notice for General Assistance appendices, finalize vendor contract documentation for the revaluation measured-list, and process warrant payments as approved.
