Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Special Funds topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Wayne select board suspends local "Neighbors Helping Neighbors" fund pending Attorney General review, votes to refund recent donations
Summary
The Town of Wayne Select Board voted unanimously to suspend a locally run Neighbors Helping Neighbors program and return $2,000 in recent donations until the Attorney General’s office reviews whether the fund is legally a trust; the board cited unclear records and $25,000 of town disbursements tied to the program.
The Town of Wayne Select Board voted unanimously March 17 to suspend operations of a locally administered special fund commonly called "Neighbors Helping Neighbors" and to refund $2,000 in recent donations while the town seeks guidance from the Maine Attorney General's office.
The board’s chair said the town has paid out more than $25,000 under the program without formal board acceptance of the fund and that the Maine Municipal Association (MMA) advised the town to consult the AG because the account might meet legal criteria for a trust. "My suggestion would be those be returned to the donors," the chair said, recommending refunds until the town determines the account's legal status.
Treasurer Lynn (town staff) told the board that some donations had been deposited into town accounts while disbursements were recorded in the general ledger, complicating the ledger and access to funds. A public commenter asked whether MMA had received the original donor communications stating the money was not intended as a trust; town staff said MMA's advice was cautious and that the AG's consumer-protection division typically reviews charitable arrangements.
Board members discussed options if the AG determines the money is a trust: written approval may be required when the total is between $50,000 and $500,000, while amounts under $50,000 may be treated via notice procedures. The chair recommended suspending operations and, if needed after legal review, proposing an ordinance or warrant article to formally authorize a town program.
The board moved that the town suspend the program, refund the $2,000 recently received and direct staff to seek the AG's guidance; the motion carried on a 5–0 voice vote. The chair said the town will review bank records, consider seeking counsel if necessary, and return to the board with options for formalizing any future program.
The select board did not adopt a final ordinance or policy at the meeting; the next steps are legal review and possible follow-up agenda items or a warrant article after counsel and AG guidance.
