Brownville will participate in value added service program

By Stuart Hedstrom 
Staff Writer

    BROWNVILLE — The town of Brownville will be participating in a value added service (VAS) inventory program for its water and sewer departments with Team EJP (Everett J. Prescott, Inc.) of Gardiner for one year, after the selectmen gave their approval to the agreement during a May 15 meeting.

    Public Works Operations Director Kevin Black said the town of Old Town and other communities across the state have similar agreements in place with Team EJP. “The catch is we are locked into buying from them for a year,” he said, as Town Manager Matthew Pineo also said he favored Brownville’s participation in the VAS program.
     “They use our whole inventory for their inventory buying system,” Black said. “I think it’s good for Brownville.” He explained by referencing the floods of nearly one year prior, as under the agreement Team EJP would have provided emergency service on some of the lines in town. “We have to pay for their service cost, but it’s going to be at a reduced rate. We get a little less cost, and they guarantee their service.”
    “The inventory stays in Brownville but they have access to it,” Black said. “They just stock it for us, we own it.”
    Pineo said, “We are getting rid of our dead inventory, we will have a credit for $6,740.” Black added that he has cooper piping that cannot be used, but Team EJP will buy the material as part of the $6,740.
    In other business, Pineo told the board about some meetings he has attended in the state capital concerning a new tax code for Maine residents. “Matthew’s spent a lot of time in Augusta with hearings and dealings,” Select Chair Walter Cook said.
    Pineo said under the proposed tax code Brownville’s mil rate, which is set by the selectmen in July, would increase from $17.30 to $17.82 for every $1,000 in assessed property, but the majority of town residents would end up having their total taxes reduced. “The mil rate goes up $.52 but you end up paying less for your property,” he said. “It’s going to save money for the people in the community, and most likely it’s going to stay in the community.”
    The town manager said a single person could look at getting back $300 while a couple could get $1,000 back depending on what they file for their income. “If you are taking care of someone you could end up getting that refund,” Pineo said.
    He said the proposed tax code has increases in sales taxes and taxes on lodging, meals and rental cars, but there may be refunds for sales taxes paid depending on Maine residents’ income levels. Pineo said the town could see a $20,000 reduction in its budget with income tax savings.
    “Basically I cannot find anyone in District 27 who does not (see savings),” Pineo said about the region of the state Brownville falls under. “Overall with this reform code we have run the numbers and cannot find where this does not put more money in people’s pockets. Any money in people’s pockets is good money.” Pineo added that residents having more money could lead to fewer foreclosures in town.
    Under the proposal, those who own property but do not reside in Maine towns will not see the financial benefits as the changes to the tax code are intended to benefit the state’s year-round citizens. Pineo said about a fourth of properties in Brownville are owned by non-residents, but none of these have a value above $250,000 which would end up having higher assessments under the plan.
    “It’s a couple of months down the road before we know, at best,” Cook said about any enactment of the new tax code.
    Pineo also said bids for harvesting one of the town’s woodlots have gone out and Town Forester Doug Reed is scheduled to walk interested contractors through the site on May 28. The selectmen could award the bid at their June meeting with the harvesting to begin soon after.