Dover-Foxcroft to join state program focused on community resilience, climate change

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Dover-Foxcroft Select Board gave the town and its climate committee approval Monday to join a state program that provides assistance and grants to communities working to address the effects of climate change.

Becoming a member of the Community Resilience Partnership is a major step for the town’s Climate Action Advisory Committee, which plans to apply for a round of grants worth up to $50,000 in March. If awarded the funds, the town would address two priorities identified in a recent community workshop: an in-depth study of those most vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change and the need for warming and cooling shelters.

“The Maine Climate Council has really put a lot of effort into ensuring equity, and we get graded on each section. … There may be individuals who are down a rural road who are actually very vulnerable,” said Lesley Fernow, a committee member. “We need to figure out ways to communicate in an emergency with all of the citizens in our community.”

The Climate Action Advisory Committee hopes to eventually collaborate with other towns, but they must also join the state program. Town managers from Dexter and Milo attended the virtual community workshop Jan. 19 and expressed interest, according to the committee’s report.

As part of the requirements to join the Community Resilience Partnership, the committee completed a self-evaluation that identified the town’s biggest risks, how they were or are being addressed and where there are gaps. Several weeks later, a community resilience workshop allowed residents to weigh in and rank their top priorities from a list of action items.

The Select Board designated Town Manager Jack Clukey as the town’s primary contact for the Community Resilience Partnership. He will coordinate planning, implementation and monitoring of energy and resilience projects, with support from the climate advisory committee.

The program, administered by Gov. Janet Mills’ Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, “assists communities to reduce carbon emissions, transition to clean energy, and become more resilient to climate change effects such as extreme weather, flooding, rising sea levels, public health impacts, and more,” according to a description on its website.

Select Board members also discussed the demolition and removal of structures at 72 Lincoln St., which they first authorized in December. Because the owner of the property is incarcerated, Peggy Gilbert was given permission to represent him and was supposed to schedule the demolition with a contractor.

It doesn’t appear that a contract is in place or has been signed, Clukey said. He hasn’t heard back from the contractor and hasn’t received specifics from Gilbert, he said.

“I feel that if we would like to see that building removed, that we should make the effort ourselves to start the process,” he said, adding the town should move quickly, while the ground is frozen.

Because the town would have a lien on the property, the board discussed scenarios that could play out in the future. For example, whether the owner would need permitting to place a trailer on the property. Members also talked about finding a contractor to demolish the structures.

The board did not take any action at the meeting.

Clukey provided information about the proposed 2022-2023 municipal budget. Municipal operations and capital expenditures are similar to the current year, he said.

Increases related to operations and maintenance are due to personnel-related expenses, the need to remain competitive with compensation and to encourage employee recruitment and retention, he said.

“The difference in the net to raise is just under $150,000, or 5.41 percent,” he said. “We’re seeing a lot of costs from year to year expected to go up. It’s just kind of what we’re seeing across the economy.”

The mill rate is projected to stay the same, at $21.50 per $1,000 in valuation, Clukey said.

The capital budget proposes $600,000 for roads and bridges and $200,000 to replace a plow truck and wheeler, according to Clukey’s report.