Camden’s 2017 Town Meeting plate is full
Camden citizens have an extensive list of municipal business items before them June 13, at the polls (open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Camden Fire Station), and likewise even more June 14, when they gather at the Camden Opera House at 7 p.m. to decide how to spend taxpayer money, as well as ordinance amendments and other policy initiatives.
At the June 13 polls, there will be six ballots, each dealing with school, town or the one state bond issue.
Besides elections for Select Board, two Camden residents, Matt Dailey and Elizabeth Noble, are running unopposed to sit on the SAD 28 and Five Town CSD school boards.
There are three seats available on the Select Board, two three-year terms currently held by Jim Heard and Don White, and one one-year seat, following the untimely passing of Select Board member Leonard Lookner, last winter. Heard is not seeking reelection, but White is.
Both Jenna Lookner and Steve Beveridge are seeking to fill Leonard Lookner’s seat.
The candidates have responded with their individual written answers.
Marijuana
Camden voters will also consider June 13 a nonbinding referendum concerning the use of marijuana in town.
The questions asked follow a a six-month moratorium on marijuana sales and social clubs that was enacted last winter. After a substantial discussion, however, the town amended its original moratorium language to assign a committee to gather public input on ordinances related to retail and marijuana social clubs while the moratorium is underway.
The questions on the referendum ask Camden citizens their opinion on whether the town should altogether prohibit marijuana sales, prohibit marijuana social clubs, or adopt ordinances designating where such activities could occur.
This is the marijuana ballot: Non-Binding Advisory Ballot
Proposed Middle School Project and School budgets
The biggest school ballot proposal concerns the proposed Middle School project and the $25.2 million bond to demolish and build a new school on Knowlton Street.
The ballot questions asks voters:
“Do you favor authorizing [SAD 28] to issue bonds or notes in the name of the district form school construction purposes in an amount not to exceed $25,200,000 to construct and equip a grade 5 through 8 middle school on the site of the existing Camden-Rockport Middle School, as described in greater detail below (‘the Project’)?
“The Project includes the following elements:
“a. New Construction
“b. Demolition of the existing middle school facility.
“c. To the extent, if any, needed for the development of the Project on the existing site, acquisition and conveyance of easements and other interests in real property.”
Read more: MARY E. TAYLOR BUILDING NOT AUTOMATICALLY DESTINED FOR WRECKING BALL
Supporters of new Camden middle school rally for June 13 polls; residents question need for MET demolition
Here is the ballot question: SAD 28 Referendum (school construction)
The 2017-2018 school budgets for both the Camden-Rockport K-8 schools, as well as the Camden Hills Regional High School, are also on the ballot. The ballots are:
Camden will also consider approving its new comprehensive plan. Article 3 - Comprehensive Plan Backup
Over the last 10 years, the average age of the Camden resident has increased by seven years. Given that Maine is among the oldest states in the union, right up there with Arizona and West Virginia, and the whitest, Camden is reflecting the state. But does Camden want to continue on that path? Market forces determine how an economy gets shaped, but so does public policy, and that’s where Camden citizens hold some sway over the future of their community.
“It’s important to plan for the town’s future,” said Camden Planning Board Chairman Lowrie Sargent, earlier this year, talking about the comprehensive plan. “Things will happen that you don’t anticipate, but there are questions to answer. Do we want to continue to attract young people to town now?”
If so, how?
It is time, said Sargent, to address those fundamental issues, to agree on a plan, and to get the comp plan implemented. He and the committee are recommending that the Select Board form an implementation committee for the plan, if and when voters approve it.
The plan is It is a guidebook, not a set of rules, wrote the comp plan contributors. But, it reflects the direction the town collectively wants to take.
Read more about the plan in “Camden, what’s your plan?”
American Boathouse, harbor and waterways ordinance amendments
Camden residents will also see on their June 13 ballot several zoning and land use initiatives.
The American Boathouse zoning amendments concern a project to convert an historic boathouse to a residence. Cynthia and John Reed hope to renovate and transform an old cedar-shingled boathouse at the head of Camden Harbor into a home, but they need voter approval to proceed. Currently, the American Boathouse sits empty next to the Camden Harbor Park at 15 Atlantic Ave., a vestige of the town’s rusticator heritage. Built in 1904, its warps are becoming more pronounced, as its settles further into the the frost-heaved ground.
The Reeds want to buy it and spend approximately $5 million rebuilding it from stem to stern, and convert its use to a residence, with room underneath for a yacht. They need, however, to change town ordinance so that the zone in which the boathouse sits – Harbor Business District – will allow residential development at the first floor level. The purpose of the Harbor Business District is: “to preserve and maintain for the citizens of Camden the character of Camden Harbor, including its scenic value and views from the land, its accessibility to the public, and its economic value for functionally water-dependent uses.”
Article 5 - Development Agreement for American Boathouse
Questions and Answers regarding American Boathouse Amendment
Article 6 - Camden Zoning Ordinance Amendment for the American Boathouse
And, Camden voters will consider an amendment to the town’s Harbor and Waterways ordinance that adds language to allow commercial marinas established before June 13, 2017 to extend their docks. This is to accommodate a Lyman-Morse at Wayfarer dock reconfiguration/extension.
Article 4 - Harbor & Waterways Ordinance Amendment Backup
Other warrant articles include
Article 10 - a municipal release deed to the Jordan's in return for reserve easement rights for a 25 foot strip of land located on a portion of their property on Harden Avenue
The state is asking voters: "Do you favor a $50,000,000 bond issue to provide $45,000,000 in funds for investment in research, development and commercialization in the State to be used for infrastructure, equipment and technology upgrades that enable organizations to gain and hold market share, to increase revenues and to expand employment or preserve jobs for Maine people, to be awarded through a competitive process to Maine-based public and private entities, leveraging other funds in a one-to-one ratio and $5,000,000 in funds to create jobs and economic growth by lending to or investing in small businesses with the potential for significant growth and strong job creation?"
According to the Maine state treasurer, General Obligation bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the State and must be submitted statewide to voters for approval. Once approved, the Treasurer issues bonds as needed to fund the approved bond projects and uses a rapid 10-year repayment of principal strategy to retire the debt. If the bond proposals on the ballot in June 2017 are approved by the voters, general obligation debt service as a percentage of the State’s General Fund, Highway Fund and Revenue Sharing appropriations is expected to be 2.30 percent in FY17 and 2.78 percent in FY18.
The intent of the bond is:
This Act would authorize the State to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed fifty million dollars ($50,000,000), to raise funds for the purpose of economic development.
The bonds would run for a period not longer than 10 years from the date of issue and would be backed by the full faith and credit of the State. Proceeds of the sale of the bonds would be expended as follows:
• Forty-five million dollars ($45,000,000) would be distributed by the Maine Technology Institute in the form of grants to support infrastructure, equipment and technology upgrades in the following targeted technology sectors: biotechnology, aquaculture and marine technology, composite materials technology, environmental technology, advanced technologies for forestry and agriculture, information technology, and precision manufacturing technology. Funds would be awarded to public and private entities in Maine through a competitive process, and recipients would be required to match these State dollars with an equivalent amount of federal or private funds.
• Five million dollars ($5,000,000) would be placed in the Small Enterprise Growth Fund, which is administered by the Finance Authority of Maine and disbursed at the direction of the Small Enterprise Growth Board, for investments in qualifying small businesses that demonstrate the potential for high-growth and public benefit. The statute establishing this Fund defines a small business as one that employs fifty or fewer employees or had gross sales of five million dollars ($5,000,000) or less within the last twelve months for which financial data is available.
Eligible businesses are those involved in: marine sciences, biotechnology, manufacturing, export of goods or services out of state or that result in significant amounts of capital being imported into the State, software development, environmental services or technologies, financial or insurance products or services, value-added goods from natural resources, and any other enterprises found to meet the purposes and intent of the program. Applicants must provide evidence of commitment of all reasonably available resources to the project and a need for the financial assistance from the fund in order to realize projected growth and achievement of public benefits.
If approved, the authorization of these bonds would take effect 30 days after the Governor’s proclamation of the vote. A “YES” vote approves the issuance of up to fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) in general obligation bonds to finance the activities described above. A “NO” vote disapproves the bond issue in its entirety. Debt Service Prepared by the Office of the Treasurer Total estimated life time cost is $63,750,000 representing $50,000,000 in principal and $13,750,000 in interest (assuming interest at 5.00% over 10 years).
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