Rome board gets more time to develop wind energy ordinance

ROME – The Planning Board received an extension to develop a wind energy facility ordinance for the town Tuesday night.

The board had previously asked for a moratorium to allow it time to develop the ordinance. The board needs more time to finish, said Chairman of the Selectboard Richard LaBelle, so it asked for another moratorium that would give it an extension of 180 days.

The town held a public hearing on the proposed extension. No residents attended the meeting for the public hearing and there were no comments on the issue.

The Selectboard unanimously approved the motion to extend the moratorium.

The Planning Board is developing the ordinance as a proactive measure and has no wind energy prospects at this time, LaBelle said.

In other business, property tax collector and Treasurer Tammy Lyons reported that the town had mixed up abatements and supplemental bills on properties belonging to the Bachelders and Cerratos. The Bachelders had given part of their property to their daughter, Sara Cerrato, who put a home on the land. The assessor correctly assessed the value of the property, but added some of her escrow onto the Bachelder’s account.

The Bachelders, Lyons said, have not paid taxes since 2014 and owe the town money. The Cerratos overpaid the town by more than $200 in 2015.

Lyons said she is reaching out to the Bachelders about what they owe and asked the town to let her give an abatement to the Cerratos.

LaBelle motioned to table the issue until the next meeting so the town can reach out to the Maine Municipal Association and make sure they are issuing the abatements or supplemental bills correctly, as they’ve missed the lien window.

“We’ve got to make sure that we’re buttoned up,” he said. LaBelle also said that the property owners have a “shared responsibility” and that the Cerratos should have questioned the town when the second supplemental bill first came.

The motion was approved.

Lyons also asked why the town didn’t post a list of sex offenders like other town offices do. LaBelle said the board should seek feedback from town employees and then discuss the idea at the next meeting, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 12 at the Town Office.