By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

NAPLES — If Jim Hawley was to predict revenue Naples will take in for 2020 when developing next year’s municipal budget, he might as well throw a dart at a dartboard for help.

“I don’t have a lot of comfort making those predictions,” he told the Naples Selectboard at their April 20 virtual meeting.

Admittedly, the town manager expects reserve accounts will “take a hit” as the town looks to avoid cuts that would affect operation of the town. “We’ll have to play catch up,” he added.

Selectboard Chairman Jim Gratello expects officials will put together a “tight, slim budget.” The Budget Committee is expected to meet virtually soon. 

Leery about where finances are headed due to the pandemic, the Selectboard debated whether to take reserve funds to fix a fire truck that has been out of commission for about two years. 

Prior attempts to get the work done were unsuccessful because the town was unable to find a company in state. A New Gloucester firm, however, emerged recently and proposed a price ($15,432.69) that the town could cover with reserve funds.

Gratello wondered whether the company could extend the offer out another six weeks, which would give the town more time to see how their finances will shake out and what other needs might need to be considered.

“I say I am comfortable today, but two months from now, I’m not going to feel as comfortable,” Hawley said. “Our tax collection numbers are less than 1% behind this time last year. Taxes are still coming in on track, but it doesn’t mean it will continue.”

Gratello expects to see tax collection to slow over the next 60 days as some find it difficult to pay their taxes in wake of closures and lost jobs due to Covid-19. 

While Selectboard members Jim Turpin, Caleb Humphrey and Kevin Rogers supported fixing the truck, Gratello and Robert Caron II voted against. 

As of April 16, Naples’ expenditures were at 71.83% for the fiscal year, which trails April 1 of last year which was at 75%. Hawley says a spending freeze brought on by virus circumstances is responsive. Meanwhile, on the revenue side, Naples has collected 96%. The town has collected $7.8 million out of $10 million.

“We’re in pretty good shape right now,” Hawley said.

Also on the numbers front, Hawley explored what route the Selectboard wanted to take in terms of a revaluation, since the last one was almost 10 years ago. The expected cost is about $250,000.

John O’Donnell Associates serves as the town’s assessor, and Hawley asked the Selectboard whether to hire O’Donnell or put the project out to bid? The Selectboard chose to seek bids.

In other meeting notes:

What is the plan? Resident Bob Nyberg phoned in during public participation with a simple, but very uncertain question, what is the plan to reopen Naples?

Town Manager Jim Hawley noted that Naples, like other towns, is adhering to Governor Janet Mills’ lead regarding the stay-at-home order, which expires April 30.

“We’re usually getting direction based on how the governor reacts,” Hawley said.

Board Chairman Jim Gratello pointed out the town will continue to move by holding scheduled meetings via Zoom, including upcoming Budget Committee meetings.

“The town manager is doing an excellent job staffing the office,” Gratello said. “We’ll listen to the governor and adhere to what is suggested.”

Gratello pointed out that one Naples event fills the Causeway — the annual Blues Fest in June — has been postponed. While the town awaits guidelines to when the stay-at-home order is lifted, Gratello added that Naples could impose stricter measures “if it makes sense.” 

Unable to delay tax day. Although the Selectboard understands the financial hardships that Covid-19 has caused costing many their jobs or shutdown of businesses deemed non-essential, the town was unable to push back property tax due day — April 20.

Since the town is not governed by charter, officials lack authority to change the due date.

“Our hands are tied by the law,” Hawley said.

If the town had a charter, language could be included within the document allowing the Selectboard greater flexibility.

Selectboard member Jim Turpin asked if the process to change to a charter was expensive? While serving in nearby Mechanic Falls, Hawley went through a charter amendment, which required the formation of a committee that included three elected individuals, three appointees and a municipal officer. The process took less than a year, Hawley said. 

Poland also has a charter.

Naples would start from scratch, so Hawley expects work would take about a year.

“The nice thing about charters is there are a number of templates out there. We can go through them and pick out the things we like and don’t like. It would be a rather easy process,” Hawley said.

A charter is a “bible for the community,” the manager noted, adding that it “sets in stone rules.”

Discussion then shifted to Harrison’s decision to give referendum voting on warrant articles, rather than hold a town meeting, a try this year. A public hearing will be held to go over the articles and hear questions/comment from voters. Harrison decided to give this format a try after seeing continuous decline in the number of voters attending town meeting.

“There’s no pressure,” said Gratello noting how some folks might be intimidated in a town meeting setting because everyone present sees whether you vote up or down on an article. The town warrant referendum is by secret ballot on a scheduled date (Harrison moved its vote to July 14 to correspond with the state ballot), and voters can also submit absentee ballots.

Hawley saw greater public participation when Mechanic Falls shifted from a meeting to secret ballot vote on town warrant articles. Town meeting attendance shrank to about 2%. When the town went to a charter and established referendum voting, numbers went from 30 to over 300, not too bad out of a possible 1,000 voters.

Naples averages 190 to 200 people at town meeting; there are about 2,000 registered voters. 

The Selectboard moved the election date to July 14, but will hold the annual town meeting on Thursday, June 25 at 6 p.m. Location could be the Lake Region High School gym, thus allowing enough personal space between attendees. Officials planned to contact the school district about using that space.

Way to honor LRHS seniors. Naples town officials want to jump on the bandwagon to properly congratulate the Lake Region Class of 2020, whose graduation pomp and circumstance remains cloudy due to Covid-19. 

Selectboard members support a banner that will stretch across the Causeway congratulating the Class of 2020. The board wants to see every graduate’s name on the banner. 

“Let’s really honor them,” Gratello said. “They are giving up quite a bit in their senior year. This is the least we can do.”

Intersection work set to begin at the intersection of Routes 35 and 302. The contractor scheduled to do work in Naples was able to move up the start date because another project was completed ahead of time due to good weather and decreased traffic caused by the Covid-19 shutdown.

Work includes the turn lane, sidewalk (asphalt) and new curbing. A traffic signal mast arm (that will extend across the intersection) is on back order, and will be installed sometime this fall. 

Street lamps will be installed up to Moose Landing, although the lamps will be slightly different than the ones on the Causeway.

“The existing ones are no longer in stock,” Hawley said. “Unless you’re standing close to each of them, you won’t notice the difference.”

Causeway restoration continues. Work on the pedestrian travel ways on the Causeway has been broken down into sections. The company doing the work (Knowles Industrial of Gorham) has installed netting along the lakeside railing to prevent chips from going into the lake as pressure washing is done and a new surface applied. 

Hawley noted that someone did file a complaint with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. DEP inspected the site and was “pleased” with Knowles’ set up.

When asked why the new surface was lighter in color, Hawley said a darker finish attracts more heat, which poses issues for pets and pedestrians. Work should be completed in a couple of weeks.

Rumor checked out. When Hawley heard a rumor that P&K Sand and Gravel had been sold, he placed a call to Bruce Plummer and Matt Plummer to get to the bottom of the matter since the town contracts with the Casco company for winter maintenance ($350,000).

What Hawley found out is that P&K will continue with the gravel and excavation side of the business, but had sold the cement portion. 

Town officials plan to meet with P&K representatives to review winter plowing.

Septic system still has more life. There is still some “life” the town office’s septic system. Minor repairs are needed involving a discharge pipe replacement and resetting of a distribution box.