Budget panel backs new assessing contract, $75,000 revaluation and $5,000 mapping onboarding

The Phippsburg budget committee recommended funding a new assessing services contract, advancing $75,000 for a townwide revaluation and approving $5,000 to bring parcel maps online.

Committee members reviewed a single RFP from Municipal Consulting Group of Maine that includes property sketches, data management and a minimum in-office presence. Members discussed three-year contract pricing and interim rates, and authorized staff to interview the proposer and clarify the draft contract before final signing. The committee then voted to recommend professional assessing services at the level proposed for FY27; the recommendation was recorded as unanimous by the four voting budget committee members.

The committee also discussed a long-planned revaluation, noting the contractor’s proposed timeline would take roughly two years with an effective date of April 1, 2028. Members argued the $75,000 request would bring the account to the contract balance and provide continuity for future valuation cycles; that recommendation passed unanimously.

Separately, members supported a $5,000 request to set up an online GIS viewer and print-on-demand maps. Supporters said a public, layered map system would help permitting, planning and property research and reduce repeated paper printing; the committee recommended the mapping funds unanimously.

Next steps: staff will arrange interviews with the assessing proposer, bring a draft contract back for review and integrate the recommended amounts into the broader FY27 budget schedule.