saturday, march 21

38 articles to appear on Jackson town meeting warrant

Sun, 03/15/2020 - 3:30pm

    JACKSON — The Town of Jackson will hold its annual town meeting Saturday, March 21 at 9:30 a.m. at the Jackson Community Center. 

    Thirty-eight articles are listed on the town meeting warrant. 

     

    Article 1. To nominate and elect, by ballot, a Moderator to preside over said meeting. 

    Article 2. To nominate and elect, by ballot, a Selectperson for a three-year term. 

    Article 3. To set selectmen’s compensation. Selectmen recommend: $2,000 (first year), $3,000 (second year) and $4,000 (third year). 

    Article 4. To nominate and elect, by ballot, a Sexton and to set compensation. Selectmen recommend $2,500. 

    Article 5. To nominate and elect, by ballot, a Fire Chief and to set compensation. Selectmen recommend $2,500. 

    Article 6. To nominate and elect, by ballot, an EMA Director and to set compensation. Selectmen recommend $750. 

    Article 7. To nominate and elect, by ballot, a representative to Unity Area Regional Recycling Center and to set compensation. Selectmen Recommend $400. 

    Article 8. To see if the Town will authorize the Selectmen, on behalf of the Town to sell and dispose of surplus equipment or real estate acquired by the Town for non-payment of taxes on such terms as they deem advisable and execute quit claim deeds for the property. Except that the Municipal Officers shall use the special sale process required by 36 M.R.S. 943-C for qualified homestead property if they choose to sell it to anyone other than the former owner(s). Selectmen recommend a “yes” vote. 

    Article 9. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to sell any hay, wood, buildings or stumpage on town tax acquired property. 

    Article 10. To see if the Town will vote to have a date set when taxes are due and payable and fix the date accordingly. Recommended: Due Oct. 1, Interest Begins Oct. 2

    Article 11. To see if the Town will vote to accept early payment of taxes. 

    Article 12. To see if the Town will vote to charge interest on unpaid taxes, fix the interest rate and set the date when the interest will start accruing. (State of Maine maximum rate of interest that can be charged is 9%). 

    Article 13. To see if the Town will vote to apply any tax payment received to the oldest unpaid tax. 

    Article 14. To see if the Town will authorize the Selectmen to issue orders in 2020 pursuant to MRSA 2953 specifying the location of roads or portions thereof to be closed for winter maintenance purposes and the time during which road or roads will be closed. Such orders by the Selectmen shall constitute a final determination without any additional vote by the town. 

    Article 15. To see if the Town will vote to lease fire equipment to the Jackson Volunteer Fire Department for the sum of $1 per year. 

    Article 16. To see what sum, if any, the Town will vote to appropriate from the Snowmobile Registration refunded from the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The said money to be used in conjunction with the Jackson Wheel-n-Ski Club on the Municipal Grant Program with the Department of Conservation, Snowmobile Division. Selectmen recommend funding 100% of receipts. 

    Article 17. To see if the Town will vote to annually apply all revenues received from the School Ministerial Fund Investments against the MSAD 3 assessment pursuant to 13 MRSA, Section 3167. 

    ARticle 18. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate from property taxation for Planning Board expenses. Selectmen recommend $500. 

    Article 19. To see what sum of money, if any, the Town will vote to raise and appropriate from property taxation to fund the Fire Department Capital Equipment Fund. Such purchases are to be approved by the Board of Selectmen. Selectmen recommend $1,500. 

    Article 20. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from surplus $2,740 to contract with Brooks Ambulance Inc. for one year. 

    Article 21. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate from property taxation the sum of $4,250 for cemetery and municipal grounds maintenance. 

    Article 22. To see if the Town will vote to raise from property taxation the sum of $500 for Cemetery Capital Improvements. 

    Article 23. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate from property taxation the sum of $2,900 for Code Enforcement, LHO, Addressing Officer. Includes mileage and expenses. 

    Article 24. To see if the Town will vote to take from the Animal Control Reserve fund the sum of $2,200 for Animal Control Officer. Includes mileage and expenses. 

    Article 25. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate from property taxation the sum of $5,000 for expenses incurred by the Jackson Community Center. 

    Article 26. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from surplus $4,000 to update the property tax maps dated April 2004. (Funds appropriated in 2019 not used.) 

    Article 27. To see if the Town will allow the Selectmen to enter into a three-year contract with an independent contractor for snowplowing and winter road maintenance. Contract not to exceed monies raised and appropriated from taxation and monies taken from excise and surplus each budget year. 

    Article 28. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate from property taxation the following. (See attached PDF for amounts.)

    Article 29. See attached PDF for amounts. 

    Article 30. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate from property taxation the sum of $12,000 for the Jackson Volunteer Fire Department expenses provided that no amount of this appropriation shall be paid by the municipality without itemizing the expenditures.

    Article 31. To see if the Town will vote to rollover any unspent money from the fire department budget into the Fire Department Capital Equipment Fund. 

    Article 32. To see if the Town will authorize the Selectmen to accept funds from the State of Maine Local Road Assistance Program and to apply these funds to Bond payment. 

    Article 33. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate from property taxation the sum of $100,000 for Bond payment. 

    Article 34. To see if the Town will vote rollover any unspent money from the town roads and bridges budget into the Town Road Reserve account. 

    Article 35. To see if the Town will authorize the Selectmen to appropriate money (not to exceed 1/6 of each budget account) as needed in each budget category of the 2021 budget during the period from February 1, 2021 to the 2021 Town Meeting. Selectmen recommend a “yes” vote. 

    Article 36. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to accept and appropriate to the designated department any grants, donations, gifts and reimbursements made available to the Town. 

    Article 37. To see if the Town will authorize the Selectmen to appropriate from the following Reserve Funds (Road Improvement, Veteran Memorial, Library Reserve, Cemetery Reserve, Fire Department Capital Equipment and JCC Reserve) monies to cover expenses up to the limit of the reserve fund. 

    Article 38. To see if the Town will vote to increase the property tax levy limit established for the Town of Jackson by State law in the event that the municipal budget approved under the preceding articles will result in a tax commitment that is greater than that property tax levy limit. (Must be a written ballot.)