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Hancock County commissioners approve routine motions, set tax schedule and open wage-study bids
Summary
At their Feb. 3, 2026 meeting, Hancock County commissioners approved a slate of routine motions — including setting the tax due date to Sept. 1, 2026 with a 4.0% delinquent interest rate — opened sealed bids for a 2026 county wage study, and authorized an opioid-settlement advisory committee and related grant process.
Hancock County commissioners met Feb. 3, 2026, in Ellsworth and approved a series of routine motions by unanimous votes (3-0) that set the county’s near-term administrative and financial agenda.
The board set the 2026 county tax due date to Sept. 1, 2026, and approved a 4.0% interest rate to apply to delinquent taxes not received by Oct. 31, 2026. Commissioners also accepted monthly bills and warrants and signed the recapitulation assessment of county tax.
County officials approved technical and operational matters including acceptance and filing of monthly reports from the Airport, Emergency Management Agency, Maintenance, Regional Communications Center and Human Resources. The board approved a change proposal to the Nickerson & O’Day airport contract to reflect wage-scale and certified-payroll requirements under Executive Order 14236 and authorized the chair to sign on behalf of Hancock County.
On the Unorganized Territories agenda, the commissioners accepted the UT monthly report, repealed the existing trash-removal Memorandum of Agreement with the Town of Steuben covering July 1, 2024–June 30, 2027, and approved a new MOA effective Feb. 3, 2026, through June 30, 2028 (all motions 3-0).
The board accepted the resignation of Travis True effective Feb. 3, 2026, and approved the promotion of Tristian Nuttall from part-time on-call corrections officer to full-time corrections officer effective Feb. 7, 2026, at pay rate 9‑A with full benefits (motions 3-0).
Commissioners approved administrative actions including acceptance of Unorganized Territory financial statements for the year ending June 30, 2024, and authorized the county treasurer to change corporate credit vendors from COMDATA to Machias Savings Bank.
The board also approved the Hancock County Opioid Settlement Funds Advisory Committee bylaws and application and opened the 2026 Community Benefits Grant application cycle, accepting applications through April 1, 2026.
By motion the board entered executive session under MRSA Title 1 §405(6)(D) for contract negotiations with the Fraternal Order of Police. The meeting recessed into executive session at 9:10 a.m. and reconvened at 12:02 p.m., after which Commissioner Wombacher reported that negotiations were making progress.
Finally, the board approved a motion allowing the treasurer to pursue a tax anticipation note (T.A.N.) discussion with Machias Savings Bank without soliciting bids, citing reported lender reluctance tied to pending legislation that would permit counties to file bankruptcy. The meeting adjourned at 12:18 p.m.
