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April 24 Update: Trails Update, FCP Summer Programming, Food Pantry Pick Up, Property Taxes, Business Resources, Public Meetings

Posted on: April 27, 2020 - 8:45am
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The following information was included in the April 24 issue of The Falmouth Focus.

Click this link, for more information about Governor Mills' April 23 Press Conference

Falmouth Trails Update

The Town of Falmouth will open trails to the public beginning on Saturday, April 25.  NOTE: Trailhead parking will remain closed. Parking near trail heads on the street is also prohibited. In order to maintain trail integrity and minimize damage, trail conditions and access may change as necessary due to upcoming wet weather events.

The Town encourages residents to stay active and seek outdoor exercise in their own neighborhoods. However, with public safety as our primary concern, the following guidelines have been put in place with regard to the trails:

  1. Trailhead parking will remain closed. Parking near trail heads on the street is also prohibited. Trail head parking areas are small and do not allow for appropriate social distancing. In issuing her “Stay Healthy at Home” order, Governor Mills encouraged Mainers to seek exercise in places close to their home, rather than travel elsewhere by car. Trails should be accessed by foot or bike only. Rather than drive to a trailhead, residents should visit trails within walking or biking distance of their homes. Falmouth PD will be monitoring trail head parking areas.
  2. Practice social distancing: Stay at least six feet away from other people who do not live in your household. Step aside when passing other people on the trail. Groups of 10 or more are prohibited. We encourage visitors to wear masks. On loop trails, travel clockwise to limit passing others on the trail.
  3. Dogs should be leashed at all times. Pet waste and other trash must be carried out.

Be prepared and stay safe with the following tips:

  • If you are sick or may have been exposed to Covid-19, stay at home.
  • Have a Plan B. If the trail is crowded and social distancing cannot effectively be practiced, seek an alternate activity or return at another time when fewer people are there.
  • With the continued rainy forecast, be mindful of wet soggy spots. If you cannot walk or bike through wet areas, turn around and find another place to exercise. Stepping or riding off the trail will cause damage to spring vegetation, disrupt wildlife, and encourage widening of trails.
  • Don’t engage in risky behavior. Trails are still muddy and slick in areas. Stick to easier trails to avoid injuries which might add stress on first responders and medical resources. Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return.
  • Remember: Ticks are out. Take all precautions to avoid them.
  • Consider shortening your visit to limit crowding and also allow others to enjoy the trails.
  • Don’t touch signs, benches, kiosks, etc.

 

Falmouth Community Programs Summer Programming

The Town of Falmouth and Parks & Community Programs staff are hopeful that the Governor’s “Stay Healthy at Home Mandate” will help to flatten the curve and bring an end to the spread of the COVID-19 virus. With that hope in mind, we have assembled our Summer Program Brochure. The printed copy of the brochure will NOT be available or mailed out before the middle of May. You can review the pdf version by clicking here or going to the Parks & Community Programs page on the Town website: https://www.falmouthme.org/parks-and-community-programs.

Registration for programs opened on April 23. While we are cautiously optimistic that summer programming will be up and running, we also need to be mindful that this may not happen as soon as we hope or as we have outlined in this brochure. Should the need arise, programs will be evaluated on a weekly basis for modification, postponement, or cancellation. Please remain hopeful and flexible.

All camp field trips are currently to be determined and will be planned according to Federal and State CDC protocols and guidelines. For Senior Camp, it is our hope to run the Adventure Week as planned (August 3-7) but adjustments may need to be made to adhere to state and federal guidelines. We have streamlined the selection process for Day Camp & Senior Camp as well as added two additional weeks in August we are calling Gap Camp. We hope this will help parents with coverage later in the summer before school starts.

How can I register?

  • Online: You can register online anytime of day using our online registration site. Please note: On-line convenience fees are NON-Refundable.
  • By mail: Fill out the registration form and mail to FCP Summer Registration, 190 Middle Rd., Falmouth, ME 04105.
  • By phone: Generally we do not accept phone registrations but given current circumstances, phone registrations will be accepted on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9am-3pm with EFT, credit card, or debit card payments only.

Currently, we are limited to 2 people working in the office during the day, Monday-Thursday, so you may have to leave a message. We will check messages regularly and get back to you.

 

An Update on Property Taxes

As noted in our last newsletter, property tax bills have been mailed out. The deadline for property tax payments is May 7. Town officials explored several avenues for extending payment deadlines. Currently, there is no statutory authority to move the date taxes are due or the date when interest accrues, even for emergency circumstances. Despite actions taken by other municipalities, neither the emergency bill recently enacted by the Legislature, nor the Governor’s emergency declaration or orders have made any changes to the laws governing property taxes, due dates, interest accrual, or tax lien procedures. The Town of Falmouth and other communities, through the Maine Municipal Association, have petitioned the Governor for a legal remedy but, as of yet, have not been notified of any action taken on this issue. The Council approved an order to authorize the Town Manager to extend the property tax payment due date to June 30, 2020 if the Governor issues an executive order to enable such action. We will continue to provide regular updates on this issue via our website (www.falmouthme.org), social media pages, and E-Alerts. We strongly encourage you to subscribe to our Town News and Announcements e-mail E-Alerts at www.falmouthme.org/subscribe to keep up-to-date. 

 

Falmouth Business Update

As Falmouth’s businesses feel the impacts of COVID-19, please do not hesitate to reach out to Theo Holtwijk, Director of Long Range Planning and Economic Development, 699-5340, tholtwijk@falmouthme.org, for assistance, support and/or questions. If you have not already, it is important for you to be in communication with your landlord and bank. Below is information to assist the business community with COVID-19 questions. Please note that some of the financial programs below are currently closed, but it is expected that additional funds are forthcoming.

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (SBA)

FINANCE AUTHORITY OF MAINE (FAME)

MAINE HOUSING

STATE OF MAINE GOVERNMENT

  • Economy Re-opening Suggestions: The Administration works to re-open the economy and continues to strive to have a transparent process. Using this comment form, you can share your thoughts on potential goals and initiatives or on issues we should address in the planning process: https://appengine.egov.com/apps/me/decd-suggestions
  • Maine Department of Economic & Community Development (Weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST) 1-800-872-3838 in Maine/1-800-541-5872 from outside of Maine or by email at business.answers@maine.gov

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

MAINE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER

HELLO ALICE

 

Falmouth Food Pantry To Offer Food Pick-Up 

The Falmouth Food Pantry will once again distribute food for current food pantry clients and those in need of help. They will be in front of the Falmouth Elementary School on Tuesdays, April 28, May 12, and May 19, a little before 9:30am and will distribute until all the supplies have been given out or until 11:00am.

If you have a food emergency, please call the Falmouth Food Pantry emergency line 632-2687 (primary) or 781-2996 (secondary). Leave your name and phone number. The Food Pantry is not accepting food donations at this time nor, given current operations, are they seeking additional volunteers. 

The best way to support the Falmouth Food Pantry is through monetary donations. Donations should be made payable to the Falmouth Food Pantry and mailed to: 279 Middle Road, Falmouth, ME 04105. Donations can also be made online via PayPal at: 

Additionally, Rivalries restaurant in Falmouth is collecting donations of grocery store gift cards on behalf of the Food Pantry. Safe drop off is available between 11:30am and 8:00pm at 2 Hat Trick Drive. Call 747-4020 upon arrival for instructions. 

 

Upcoming Public Meetings

Town Council Virtual Meeting, April 27, 7:00pm

The Falmouth Town Council will conduct a virtual meeting using emergency legislation, Sec. G-1 MRSA §403-A, that allows cities and towns to conduct meetings online. The Town will use “Zoom” to conduct this meeting. This application will allow attendees to connect via computer or phone. A meeting link and phone instructions will be provided in advance of the meeting via the Town website homepage and E-Alerts that will allow you to join the meeting via computer or phone, as well as, a phone number to dial in. An agenda can be found here. Check out our Guide to Participating in Virtual Public Meetings.  If you have questions, please call (207) 699-5329. 

Board of Zoning Appeals, April 28, 6:30pm
 

On Tuesday, April 28, 2020, at 6:30 pm, the Falmouth Board of Zoning Appeals will conduct a virtual meeting using emergency legislation, Sec. G-1 MRSA §403-A, that allows cities and towns to conduct meetings online. The BZA will use “Zoom” to conduct this meeting. The link to join the meeting via computer and phone instructions will be posted the day of the meeting. Visit our new information page here on how to participate in virtual public meetings. Follow this Link to see the Agenda. 

Please e-mail Lisa Sangillo at lsangillo@falmouthme.org with questions or if you need assistance participating via zoom. Ms. Sangillo will be unavailable to assist during the 30 minutes prior to the start of the meeting as she will be participating in the meeting.

Public Hearing on the FY20-21 Budget, April 29, 7:00pm

At the April 13 Town Council meeting, the Council voted to schedule a public hearing regarding the FY2020-2021 budget for both Town and schools to take place on Wednesday, April 29 at 7:00pm via Zoom. The public is encouraged to provide input on the budget during this public hearing. Items under consideration include significant staffing increases for Falmouth Fire-EMS. In order to minimize the impact that this will have on property taxes, the budget includes significant reductions in capital projects/purchases along with not filling some vacant positions and the elimination of originally proposed staffing in other departments. The Council will consider increasing mooring fees at Town Landing and raising the price of Town trash bags to better align with actual waste disposal costs. The public hearing is an opportunity for residents to weigh in on the proposed budget and accompanying fee increases. The proposed budget can be found online at: https://www.falmouthme.org/finance/pages/fy-20-21-budget. The meeting agenda can be found here. A link to attend the Zoom meeting will be forthcoming via our website and E-Alerts. Check out our Guide to Participating in Virtual Public Meetings.

Special Town Council Virtual Meeting, April 30, 7:00pm

A special virtual meeting of the Falmouth Town Council will be held Thursday, April 30, 2020 at 7:00 pm using emergency legislation, Sec. G-1 MRSA §403-A, that allows cities and towns to conduct meetings online. At this meeting, the Council will consider an order to adopt the fiscal year 2020-2021 General Fund budget and associated budget orders. An agenda can be found here.  The Town will use “Zoom” to conduct this meeting. The link to join the meeting via computer and phone instructions will be posted in advance of the meeting. Check out our Guide to Participating in Virtual Public Meetings.
 

Planning Board, Tuesday, May 5, 6:30pm

The Planning Board will conduct a virtual meeting on Tuesday, May 5 at 6:30pm via Zoom, using emergency legislation, Sec. G-1 MRSA §403-A, that allows cities and towns to conduct meetings online. The agenda will be posted in advance of the meeting. The link to join the meeting via computer and phone instructions will be posted the day of the meeting. Visit our new information page here on how to participate in virtual public meetings.