From The Peru Town Clerk:
This emergency legislation has now been signed by the Governor. It addresses a multitude of issues with the covid-19 response, many that may be of interest and impact your municipality, I’ve provided a summary of topics it covers below and the last pages of the bill are a more detailed summary:
- Part A – School compulsory attendance and feeding programs;
- Part B – Unemployment benefits;
- Part C – Changes related to the Medical Direction and Practices Board;
- Part D – Failure to Pass a Municipal Budget & Postponing Secret Ballot Election;
- Part E – Contingency for delay of school budget meeting if state subsidy isn’t finalized in time;
- Part F – Registrations issued by a municipality and online vehicle registration extension;
- Part G – Public proceedings through remote access;
- Part H – Powers of the Governor during emergency proclamation;
- Part I – Loan Guarantee Program Fund established for no-interest loans;
- Part J - Change in implementation date for single use bag fee at retail establishments;
- Park K – Reporting by physicians and health care facilities;
- Park L – Voting for June 9, 2020 elections.
MMA has updated their guidance on town meetings in light of this change:
MMA also provided a summary of Part D & Part G:
· Municipal Budgets & Elections (Part D). In the event that town meetings are postponed, allows municipalities to continue to fund government operations at the same budget levels approved for the previous year and authorizes the municipal treasurer to disburse funds on the authority of the warrant signed by the municipal officers outside of a public meeting. If the budget is not adopted and the assessor(s) need to commit taxes in a timely manner, the law allows the assessor(s) to commit taxes based on the previous year’s budget levels. Allows municipal officers to postpone the date of a scheduled municipal secret ballot election by posting a notice in a public location at least two days prior to the election and to use previously printed ballots. These provisions apply retroactively to March 1, 2020, and are repealed on Jan. 1, 2021.
· Freedom of Access Act (Part G). Up until 30 days after the termination of the emergency, allows entities subject to FOAA, including municipalities, to conduct public proceedings through telephonic, video, electronic, or other similar means of communication as long as certain conditions are met, including: (1) providing notice of the means (e.g., telephone, video, electronic, etc.) by which the meeting will be held; (2) ensuring that members of the body can speak and be heard by other members of the body and members of the public can hear all participants in the meeting; and (3) taking all votes via roll call.
Covid-19Emergency_Maine 129 – SP 789 item 1
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website link
Coronavirus (COVID-19) latest update information:
Oxford County EMA
https://www.oxfordcountyema.org/home
https://www.oxfordcountyema.org/resources/coronavirus-resources
Worthley Pond Association News Letters:
Homestead Exemption Relief Payment Information:
Homestead Exemption Relief Payments
