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Votes at a glance: Old Town council approves zoning changes, welfare limits and several fiscal items
Summary
The council approved a zoning-map change for four Main Street properties, updated general-assistance maximums for Oct. 1, 2024–Sept. 30, 2025, authorized tax write-offs for certain mobile homes, accepted a late sewer redemption of $1,176.62, set election-related warrants and voter hours, and authorized bank signatory powers for named staff.
The Old Town City Council on Oct. 7 approved a package of ordinances, administrative updates and fiscal actions including a zoning-map amendment, changes to general-assistance maximums, several tax and fee transactions and the authorization of staff banking powers.
At a glance: The council voted unanimously to adopt a change to the official zoning map for 761 Main (tax map 29 lot 54), 767 Main (map 29 lot 53), 773 Main (map 29 lot 59) and 13 Penny Road (map 29 lot 58), following a planning-board recommendation from Sept. 10, 2024. The council then approved an amendment to Chapter 21 (Welfare appendices A, B and C) setting food, housing and heating assistance maximums for the period Oct. 1, 2024–Sept. 30, 2025; staff said the adjustment is required by the Department of Human Services to comply with Title 22 MRSA §43054.
Finance and property items: Council authorized the finance director to write off uncollectible real-estate taxes, interest and lien costs for specified mobile homes where the former owner could not be located; staff explained that the prior owner also accrued roughly $110,000 in lot-rent arrears, and that writing off the listed taxes avoids potential additional liabilities if the city were to take possession. The council accepted a late redemption of sewer fees for Justin and Antonio Thompson at 244 Stillwater Avenue for $1,176.62 (including interest, lien costs and a $150 late fee) and authorized the city manager to sign a municipal quit-claim deed.
Elections: The council approved the municipal warrant for the Nov. 5, 2024 municipal election and set voter-hours for that election pursuant to Title 21-A MRSA §101(6), as presented by the city clerk.
Administrative authorization: The council authorized the city manager to submit a corporate authorization resolution to financial institutions listing staff with authority to execute day-to-day financial transactions. The named staff in the resolution were Edmond Moren (Finance Director), Carrie Kenniston (Deputy Treasurer and Tax Collector) and Bill Mayo (City Manager).
Votes and procedures: Most items were adopted by either unanimous roll call (zoning map, Chapter 21 amendment) or by voice vote where noted. Where councilors asked procedural or substantive clarifying questions (for example, about mobile-home tax collection and the implications of lot-rent arrears), staff answered in the meeting record. The council proceeded from these votes to appointments and an addendum item and then moved to adjourn.
Next steps: The council will implement the authorized actions (e.g., forward the corporate authorization to financial institutions, process the quit-claim deed) and expects to finalize the employee handbook at a future meeting after council review of the working draft.
