Councilor Pratt will be attending the Jetport Noise Abatement Committee meeting in October and encourages any comments or concerns to be brought to his attention.
Councilor Phillips discussed the newly formed Founders Festival Committee and reported that they are actively working on plans for events in 2020. She revealed that the Committee is currently looking for volunteers and will meet again in September. She also reported that the Capital Improvements Committee met and discussed the many capital projects going on in the Town. Councilor Phillips is concerned about the number of people who are illegally dumping trash at the Silver Bullets around Town and encourages everyone to remember that the Silver Bullets are for recycling materials only and all of the trash that is dumped there costs the Town money and contaminates the recycling that is brought to Ecomaine.
Councilor Wilder Cross announced that there is an opening on the Planning Board and encouraged citizens to apply. She also met with the Gorham Village Alliance and reports that they have many exciting things planned for the Village.
Town Manager Ephrem Paraschak reported that Absentee Ballot Applications are now available for the November election and reminded citizens that they can vote from the comfort of their homes and avoid long lines by voting absentee. He announced that the Rec Department will be hosting the Glow in the Park Event on August 23 at Shaw Park.
The Town Council designated the Municipal Development and Tax Increment Financing District #10 and the adoption of a Development Program for the District. The proposed District would include a 13.03 acre site located at 200 Narragansett Street and would capture 100% of the increased assessed value of the property for a period of 20 years. 55% of the tax revenue from the incremental value would be returned to the property owner, 49 Raceway Drive, LLC, to be applied to costs of development of the site for the Harvey Performance Company and the remaining 45% would be retained by the Town to be used for various public improvements.
A new Liquor License and a new Special Amusement License were issued to JBN1, LLC, DBA Junction Bowl, located at 7 Railroad Avenue.
The Town Council also issued a new Liquor License to Grand Central Wine Bar, LLC, located at 7 Railroad Avenue.
The Land Use and Development Code was amended to regulate the growing of personal adult-use marijuana. The full amendment is available on the town’s website at www.gorham-me.org.
The Town Council approved all of the qualifying applications from the Senior Property Tax Relief Program.
Map 32, Lot 19 was sent to the Planning Board to be rezoned from the Roadside Commercial Zone to the Industrial Zone.
The Town Council instructed the Appointments Committee to draft an attendance policy for all Council appointed boards and committees for the Council’s review.
$26,460.50 was transferred from account #903-01-5070663 to an account designated for repairs to the entrances of the Gorham Municipal Building.
The Town Council forwarded a proposal to amend the Land Use & Development Code to allow for a waiver and/or reimbursement of impact fees when no new net dwelling is created, to the Planning Board for a Public Hearing and their recommendation. The full proposal is available on the town’s website at www.gorham-me.org.
The Town Council instructed the Town Manager to authorize stenciled letter on curbing within roundabouts in Gorham indicating that signs are not authorized within the perimeter of the traffic control circles according to State Statute policy and for the benefit of public safety.
The Town Council entered into executive session to discuss a personnel matter and economic development.
The full town council meeting minutes are available on the town’s website at www.gorham-me.org.