ROCKLAND – Knox County Commissioners held their scheduled February 8, commission meeting via Zoom. Commissioners set the county’s mil rate at .00106261 for 2022. Commissioners had set the mil rate for 2021 at 0.0010865807, the 2020 Knox County mil rate was 0.0010883496, as compared to the mil rate for 2019 at 0.0010754446. 

Mil is short for millage and comes from the Latin word millesimum, or mill for short, which means thousandth part (1/1000). 

Knox Count Administrator Andrew Hart said the county typically sets the overlay at two-percent and this year it was lowered 1.75 percent.    

Hart said the overlay was lowered to be able to reduce the mil rate a fraction and give municipalities a small break on their property taxes. Commissioners also set the interest rate on delinquent county taxes for 2022. 

The amount, 4 percent, is the same rate as last year. Hart said the recommendation is 4 to 6 percent and the commissioners went with the lower rate. 

In other county business:  

Commissioners approved an expenditure to Quirk Auto of Rockland in the amount of $42,615 for a GMC Sierra to be used for an airport security vehicle.  

Jeremy Shaw, manager of the Knox County Regional Airport, informed commissioners of three seats open on the airport public advisory committee (APAC). The 10-seat committee is designed to provide a link between the mid-coast communities, the airport manager, and the county. 

Terms for the commercial pilot seat (representing the pilot group), the Owls Head seat (Owls Head), and the flying club seat expire this year. The bylaws allow individuals to serve up to three consecutive terms. Kathleen Shaw (commercial pilot seat) from South Thomaston is completing her third term and is not eligible to serve another. Ron Vanosdol (flying club seat) and Adam Philbrook (Owls Head seat) are not seeking reappointment. 

The Knox County Commission will consider any and all nominees and will fill the seats during the April 12, 2022 commission meeting. Nominations should be sent to the airport manager, Jeremy Shaw (jshaw@knoxcountymaine.gov), or any current member of the APAC by March 8, 2022. 

Current seats are held by the following people.  

District #1 Seat: Brad Ketcher, Owls Head (term expires: 2024) 

District #2 Seat: Roger Peabody, Warren (term expires: 2023) 

District #3 Seat: Dick Witherspoon, Vinalhaven (term expires: 2024) 

Environmental Seat: Linda Garat, South Thomaston (term expires: 2024) 

South Thomaston Seat: Jan Gaudio, South Thomaston (term expires: 2023) 

Business Seat: Jeff Northgraves, South Thomaston (term expires: 2024) 

Airport Business Seat: Bill Packard, Union (term expires: 2023) 

Flying Club Seat: Ron Vanosdol, Camden (term expires: 2022) 

Commercial Pilot: Katie Shaw, Owls Head (term expires: 2022) 

Owls Head Seat: Adam Philbrook, Owls Head (term expires: 2022) 

Additional information, APAC Charter, By-Laws, meeting agendas and meeting minutes can be found at http://www.knoxcountymaine.gov/airport 

Commissioners approved an act to authorize the county administrator to sign any master settlement agreements for the nationwide settlements to resolve all opioid litigation brought by states and local political subdivisions. 

Commissioner Sharyn Pohlman had asked how much money the county can expect to receive. 

Hart said there has not been a specific amount assigned to the settlement. He said all that’s been done is they have submitted a few participation forms to the attorneys.  

“There was an agreement with the state of Maine’s Attorney General's Office,” he said. “And we have not received any documents to sign.” 

Hart said things happen fast sometimes and he didn’t want to have to wait to get authorization if something comes through to sign.  

The act authorizes the county administrator to receive funds only and not to expend those funds. Expenditures, Hart said, would need to be agreed upon once the documents were signed. 

 Commissioners approved 3-0. 

The state of Maine received $130 million in the settlement. Half will go to a drug abuse recovery fund while 30 percent of the settlement will be split between 39 Maine counties and municipalities that participated in the litigation. The settlement will award the funds over 18 years.