June 4, 2019
Laura Bolduc, a GHS Junior, spoke about her concerns with the Gorham High School expansion into Robie Park and thinks that the park is irreplaceable and priceless. She explained that when Carrie T. Lowell sold the land for Robie Park to the town for $1 it was not because it wasn’t worth anything but because she wanted what was best for the town, and to keep it maintained as a playground. She hopes that a different and better solution can be reached.
Several residents voiced their concerns regarding the proposed sober living facility, Courage House.
Town Manager Ephrem Paraschak reported that the Main Street project will begin this summer and continue through the fall.
The following school budget items were unanimously adopted and approved for fiscal year 2019-2020: $18,368,220 for Regular Instruction; $6,288,786 for Special Education; $10,000 for Career and Technical Education; $885,932 for Other Instruction; $3,067,720 for Student and Staff Support; $1,359,703 for System Administration; $2,092,945 for School Administration; $1,997,263 for Transportation and Buses; $4,020,027 for Facilities Maintenance; $2,623,989 for Debt Service and Other Commitments; $30,000 for All Other Expenditures.
The Town Council unanimously voted to adopt the 2019-2020 Fiscal Year Budget with the following departmental totals:
- General Government $1,775,180
- Public Safety $4,481,350
- Public Works/Solid Waste/Engineering & Insp Services $2,826,467
- Health & Welfare and Social Service Agencies $50,600
- Recreation/Community Center/Cable $576,731
- Libraries and Museum $510,888
- Development $131,581
- Debt & Interest $1,759,458
- Capital Items $165,777
- Insurance and Employee Benefits $2,592,956
- Other Town Services and Unclassified $547,294
- Subtotal $15,418,282
- Cumberland County Property Tax $1,238,053
- Total $16,656,335
- Non-Property Tax Revenues $7,168,114
Amendments to the Senior Property Tax Assistance Ordinance were approved. The purpose of which is to establish a program to provide property tax assistance to persons 65 years of age and over who reside in the Town of Gorham.
Special Meeting ~ June 18, 2019
Several residents again voiced their concerns regarding the proposed sober living facility, Courage House.
The Town Council unanimously accepted a moratorium ordinance on Rooming Houses which can be read in its entirety at www.gorham-me.org
The Ordinance Committee was instructed to review and provide a recommendation on a new Disorderly Housing Ordinance.
The Town Council asked staff to provide legal guidance and recommendations on incorporating standards for boarding homes and recovery houses.
Ben Thompson, from Cumberland County Regional Assessing, was appointed as the Town Assessor for a 3-year term to expire on July 31, 2022.
The Town Council voted to table a discussion about a resolution to create a fund for asylum seekers until July.
The full town council meeting minutes for both meetings are available on the town’s website at www. gorham-me.org