Town maps and property information now online

By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer

DOVER-FOXCROFT — To enable for easier access for those interested, the town of Dover-Foxcroft now has an online mapping program up and running through www.dover-foxcroft.org and the assessing and tax information link.

“This is something we talked about doing during the budget,” Town Manager Jack Clukey said during a Dec. 21 selectmen’s meeting. He said Code Enforcement Officer Connie Sands worked hard to get a program — CAI Query Manager Online — that fell within the funding allocated, and “We have got something we need to get the word out about.”

Sands gave a demonstration for town officials with her laptop screen projected on the wall. “You can find different properties, you can find by the owner, address or parcel,” she said.

Using the last name of Conroy, Sands typed in the surname as several Conroys popped up as results. “Each one of those pics shows where there’s a Conroy,” she said. She then clicked on one result, showing a map of the parcel which can be seen via an aerial view and then zoomed in or out on. Sands said the identity button shows adjacent properties.

She explained a property card feature contains information such as valuation and a sketch of the land as well as information on the parcel structures. Sands showed that parcels can also be checked to see where the land falls within the different land use zones and the shoreland zoning.

“It’s an amazing tool, well worth every penny from what we had to what we have here,” she said, as anyone with Internet access can look the information up instead of needing to come to the Morton Avenue Municipal Building. Sands said the online mapping product should also save some time for town office employees.

“One thing to keep in mind is we have all our information off the deeds we have,” Clukey said. He said if some information online varies from what property owners have then, “We just fix it on the strength of someone’s deed that they bring in.”

In other business, Clukey reported on a number of different items. “Everybody’s aware, I believe, that we have a tenant in Pine Crest,” he said about the town building that was the former site of Creative Apparel. Clukey said for the next 24 months the facility is being leased to Puritan Medical Products, primarily to be used for storage.

The town manager reported that some erosion is taking place at the Brams Mill Dam. “It’s not getting visibly worse, but it’s one of those things that over time probably will,” he said.

Clukey said the town has been in touch with the state dam inspector and steps are being taken to fix the erosion, with the town likely needing to make some repairs next fall.

At the recent annual meeting of the Municipal Review Committee (MRC), Clukey said the focus was on plans for waste disposal post-2018 when the MRC is looking to utilize a view facility in Hampden operated by Fiberight. In the first half of 2016 MRC member towns are scheduled to vote on whether to join the future waste disposal arrangement.

When asked, Clukey said, “We ideally need to take action between now and May 1. The process for joining will be a legislative process, so we will need a town vote.”

Select Vice Chair Cindy Freeman Cyr wondered if such a decision could be made on the same date as the annual town meeting on the last Saturday in April. “I think we could, either before or after that annual town meeting where we are affirming the warrant,” Clukey responded.

He said voting to join the MRC plans with Fiberight ensures these member communities of the lower rates for using the facility.

Clukey said he had “three very nice things to say about the last couple of weeks.” The first is the town was selected by the Eastern Maine Development Corporation as its Community of the Year, being recognized as such the week before.

He said the Mill Project was selected by Maine Preservation as one of 16 projects across the state to win a 2015 Honor Award. He said the historic preservation of the site helped earn the honor, something that is not always able to be accomplished when renovating such projects.

Resident Ralph “Eddie” Lewis was presented with the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council’s Warren “Pete” Myrick Community Service Award the week before. Clukey said Lewis “is a community volunteer in really every way possible.”

Freeman Cyr said earlier in the day she attended a meeting at Central Hall with the Maine Community Foundation and some of those involved in renovating the building. “I think it’s another example of the great partnerships we have in this community,” she said. “It makes me grateful for the volunteers we have working in our community.”