2023.02.24--Falmouth Focus, Volume 5, Issue 4

Please note: This newsletter will be sent to subscribers of both The Falmouth Focus newsletter and Town News & Announcements. Please excuse cross postings. To change your subscription settings, visit E-Alerts. 

General Information

• Online and Remote Services
• A Guide to Participating in Virtual Town Council Meetings

Please note, currently the Table of Contents links feature is not supported by all email clients or browsers. Scroll down to read the newsletter.

• News & Issues​​​​​​ 
  • Browntail Moth Assessment
  • Nomination Papers
  • West Falmouth Sewer Update 
  • Boston Post Cane
  • Plastic Reduction Initiative
• Ongoing Initiatives
  • FY2024 Budget Process
  • Heating Assistance
• Events
  • Coffee with Councilors 
  • 2nd Underwood Park Improvement Forum
• Take Note
  • Posted Roads
  • Board & Committee Vacancies
• Town Council, Board & Committee Meetings
  • Town Council
  • Planning Board
  • Board of Zoning Appeals
  • Board of Assessment Review
• Stay Informed

Please note, currently the Table of Contents links feature is not supported by all email clients or browsers. Scroll down to read the newsletter.

Browntail Moth Assessment

The infestation of browntail moth continues throughout parts of Maine. Fortunately, in the past few years, Falmouth has seen a reduction in nests and levels of infestation. In 2020, the Town of Falmouth conducted a spraying program to target areas in the public right-of-way that were deemed to be high risk. While not fully eradicating browntail moth, the spraying program worked to preserve the health of the street trees and to minimize the public health effects of this infestation.

Annual assessments continue to provide data on the severity of the infestation in our community. The Town contracted with Davey Tree Experts for this year’s assessment. The purpose of this assessment is to scout for browntail moth nests along all public ways within 15 to 20 feet of public roads and Town-owned property and parks to identify high risk areas that should be treated for possible control in May of 2023. Threshold levels used are approximately 8 to 10 nests per tree, or areas where there are multiple trees with six or more nests along or in a public way. The intent of the assessment is not to identify every tree within the Town of Falmouth public ways with nests, but to identify high risk areas using the above-mentioned thresholds. Like in 2021 and 2022, the completed assessment for the 2023 season found NO areas that meet the ‘moderate’ criteria with much of the community having no nests at all. Based on this assessment the Town will not proceed with a Browntail Moth Control Program this year. Read the assessment here.

As these assessments are intended to identify high risk areas using the above-described thresholds, the findings from this assessment do not indicate that browntail moth has been eradicated in Falmouth. It is likely that there will be nests in some trees. Residents are advised to assess their own properties for nests during the winter months. The best means of preventing a browntail moth infestation on your property is to clip and destroy overwintering webs between October and mid-April. It is also best practice to treat trees before leaves have filled in, generally by the end of May or the first week in June. Residents with trees on their property that they want treated will need to hire a qualified contractor to do so. A list of licensed pesticide applicators willing to treat browntail moth is available here: https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/forest_health/documents/pesticide_applicators_bm_hwa_others.pdf

Residents are also advised that the poisonous hairs responsible for the rash that accompanies exposure to browntail moth can remain in the environment and toxic for up to three years after an infestation. Therefore, there is still a possibility of exposure this year. For more information on browntail moth, visit our project page at: https://www.falmouthme.org/home/pages/browntail-moth-0, call (207) 699-5329, or email jbaxter@falmouthme.org. 

Nomination Papers Available, Monday, March 6

The Municipal Election will be held on Tuesday, June 13, for the purpose of electing:

• Two (2) people to the Town Council for three (3) year terms.
• Three (3) people to the School Board for three (3) year terms.

Nomination papers are available from the Town Clerk’s Office beginning on Monday, March 6. Residents interested in running for either Town Council or the School Board must submit nomination papers with a minimum of 25 and a maximum of 100 signatures no later than 5:00pm on Friday, April 14.

West Falmouth Sewer Update

West Falmouth sewer improvements continue with the upgrade of the Falmouth Road Pump Station. This work will commence in early March. The Falmouth Road Pump Station is located at the Falmouth Road parking area and main entrance for the McCrann Preserve trail network. Trail access from Falmouth Road will be closed for the duration of the construction, beginning March 6 and running into the summer. Trail access from the Falmouth Schools campus entrance at 52 Woodville Road will remain open. 

Beginning in April, pipe installation on Middle Road will resume with the replacement of pipe suspended under the Falmouth Spur bridge. This work will result in single lane bridge traffic for approximately 1 month. Site restoration and final paving will commence in the Spring, weather dependent. Thank you for your continued patience and support of this important project!

Learn more about the West Falmouth Sewer Project and subscribe for updates at: https://www.falmouthme.org/west-falmouth-sewer-project

Seeking Falmouth's Oldest Resident

The Town of Falmouth would like to recognize its oldest resident with the presentation of the Boston Post Cane. Recipients must be current residents of Falmouth. Additional requirements to receive the Boston Post Cane are as follows:

• Must be the oldest living person residing in Falmouth for a minimum of the most recent five-year period.
• Or must have resided in Falmouth for a minimum of the most recent two-year period and have been a legal resident of Falmouth for a total of not less than fifteen of the past forty years. 
• Must be able and willing to receive the honor in person or through a family member.

The tradition of the Boston Post Cane dates to 1909 when Edwin Grozier, publisher of the Boston Post newspaper, sent gold-headed ebony canes to towns throughout New England to be presented with the compliments of the Boston Post to the oldest male citizen of the town. The cane belonged to the town and not the recipient. Upon the recipient's, the cane would be passed to the next oldest resident. In 1930, eligibility for the cane was expanded to include women. The newspaper went out of business in 1957, but the tradition of the Boston Post Cane continues in many communities today. The 26th and most recent recipient of the cane, Myron Hager, was awarded the honor at the age of 102 in December 2019.  

Residents are encouraged to contact Linda Case at 207-699-5308 at Falmouth Town Hall or e-mail lcase@falmouthme.org with the names of potential candidates.

Falmouth Conservation Commission Plastics Reduction Initiative

We want your help! The Falmouth Conservation Commission is excited about one of its new efforts: the Plastics Reduction Initiative. There have been hundreds of studies pointing to the downside of plastics proliferation. These unintended impacts include:

• The degradation of plastic products into microplastics, which may cause environmental contamination;
• “Forever chemicals,” or PFAS, which may be associated with some plastics; and
• Roadside litter, which often includes plastics.

The plastics industry is one of the fastest growing businesses in the world, and the problem is only getting worse. We need to stop the existence of single-use, non-essential plastics and the resulting waste! The Falmouth Conservation Commission realizes it cannot make the necessary changes alone, so we are reaching out to all those who may have similar environmental interests and want to work with us. By collaborating, we can effect meaningful change through laws and ordinances within the State and region.

To kick off this effort, we encourage you to:

• Let us know you are interested in working with us to address plastics issues Click Here;
• Pass this article along to others who might be interested in taking a stand to reduce plastics in our environment;
• Support Falmouth in the upcoming roll-out of Maine’s new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law;
• Watch the National Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) webinar NRCM Webinar on March 22 from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. to learn about two bottle bills before the State legislature this spring; and
• Communicate to your State and local representatives that these bills are important to all of us.

This fall we plan to hold a forum for those interested in working together and will provide more information as it gets closer. We very much appreciate your help with our initiative.

FY2024 Budget Development Update

The Town of Falmouth will hold the following meetings regarding the FY24 Budget.

• March 1, 5:30PM in Large Conference Room - Budget Book Presentation of Town Budget to Finance Committee
• March 29, 5:30PM in Council Chambers - Joint Town and School Finance Committee Budget Presentation (Finance Committee)
• April 5, 7:00PM in Council Chambers - Public Hearing – FY24 Budget (Town Council)--Opportunity for public comment          
• April 24 7:00PM in Council Chambers - Council Vote to Approve (Town Council)      

Finance Committee Agendas can be found here. Town Council Agendas can be found here. Agendas are also sent via E-Alert. Subscribe to Finance Committee Alerts and/or Town Council Alerts at: www.falmouthme.org/subscribe

With the exception of the Public Hearing on April 5, public comment is not typically heard at these budget development meetings. Those who would like to offer input prior to the Public Hearing are encouraged to contact any Town Councilor or the Town Manager. Contact information can be found at https://www.falmouthme.org/town-council-town-manager. 

Please note: This update on the FY24 budget development does not include information regarding the proposed School Budget. For more information about the School Budget process, visit: https://www.falmouthschools.org/about/budget

For more information on the FY24 budget and the budget development process, read the article in the last issue of the Falmouth Focus HERE.  You may also visit the Finance Department's budget webpage at: https://www.falmouthme.org/finance/pages/fy-23-24-budget

Heating Assistance Funds Available to Qualified Falmouth Residents

The Town of Falmouth has joined the “Keep Cumberland County Warm” project, established by the Cumberland County Government to allocate $1.35 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for homeowners who are struggling to pay for heat this winter. Nineteen additional communities in Cumberland County have signed up to participate in the program so far. Cumberland County has committed $50,000 to each participating community, including Falmouth, to distribute to residents who qualify.

The heating aid program is designed to support residents whose earnings are above the limit to qualify for General Assistance aid or the Federal Low Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP) but are still below 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Limit and are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of heat. In Cumberland County, a household of four would qualify for aid if their household income is below $82,710. 

Falmouth residents who meet established Low & Moderate Income Guidelines (see link below) may apply for heating assistance by completing an application (link below). This program is not retroactive and applies only to bills for service or delivery AFTER an application has been approved. Multiple heat sources qualify. For qualified and approved applicants, the Town of Falmouth will pay invoices directly received from an oil, propane, electricity, or wood supplier. Heating assistance funds will be available through April 15, 2023. 

Applications are confidential. Questions may be directed to Katie Wilcox, at 207-553-5820 or Katie.Wilcox@opportunityalliance.org

Program Guidelines

Application

Coffee With Councilors

The Town Council would like to invite all residents to join two Councilors at a time for an informal Zoom gathering. These meetings will be scheduled for one hour each with no set agenda. It is a chance for an informal dialogue on whatever is on residents' minds. We will vary the days and times to try to be accessible to all. We hope to see you there!

The next Coffee with Councilors will be held on Friday, March 17, from 8:00am-9:00am with Councilors Kuhn and DeLima. Click the link below to join the webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87156057854
Or One tap mobile : 
    US: +16465588656,,87156057854#  or +16469313860,,87156057854# 
Or Telephone:
    Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
        US: +1 646 558 8656  or +1 646 931 3860  or +1 301 715 8592  or +1 305 224 1968  or +1 309 205 3325  or +1 312 626 6799  or +1 360 209 5623  or +1 386 347 5053  or +1 507 473 4847  or +1 564 217 2000  or +1 669 444 9171  or +1 669 900 9128  or +1 689 278 1000  or +1 719 359 4580  or +1 253 205 0468  or +1 253 215 8782  or +1 346 248 7799 
Webinar ID: 871 5605 7854
    International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbFNuaMJm

Additional dates have been scheduled for: 

• Thursday, April 13, 12pm-1pm with Councilor Johnson and TBD

Links will be provided in advance of the meetings in this newsletter and on the events calendar at www.falmouthme.org.

2nd Underwood Park Improvements Public Forum

Join us Tuesday, March 21, from 6:00-7:30pm at Lunt Auditorium (74 Lunt Road) for a second public forum regarding enhancements to Underwood Park and the adjacent "Marion Brown" property at 260 Foreside Road. Aceto Landscape Architects has developed conceptual plans based upon the feedback received from the first public forum, held on January 10, and email comments from interested parties. Representatives from Aceto will present the concept plans for attendee feedback. For more information, visit https://www.falmouthme.org/parks-and-community-programs/pages/underwood-park-improvement-project or contact Maggie Fleming at 207-699-5329 or mfleming@falmouthme.org.

Heavy Loads Limited

The Town of Falmouth seasonally determines if weight restrictions should be imposed on roadways to prevent damage due to freezing and thawing. Posted roads may be impacted by vehicles of excessive weight (over 23,000 pounds). The following roads will be posted beginning Friday, February 17 and ending April 8: Foreside Rd. (Depot Rd. to Johnson Rd.), Mast Rd., and Field Rd. The road posting removal date is subject to change based on weather conditions.

Board & Committee Vacancies

The Appointments Committee is seeking volunteers to fill vacancies on a number of Town boards and committees. If you are interested in getting involved, please consider the following openings:

• Ad-Hoc Climate Action Planning Committee (1)
• Board of Sewer Appeals (2)
• Board of Zoning Appeals (1 alternate)
• Community Wellness Committee (5)
• Conservation Commission (2)
• Parks and Community Programs Advisory Committee (PACPAC) (1)
• Land Management and Acquisition Committee (LMAC) (1)
• Recycling and Energy Advisory Committee (REAC) (2)

Follow the links above for more information on each committees' role and function. For a board and committee application, click here.

Town Council Meeting, Monday, February 27, 2023, 7:00pm

The Town Council will meet on Monday, February 27 at 7:00pm. The meeting will be held in person at Town Hall in the Town Council Chambers as authorized by Section 28, Policy Eight of the Town Council Rules and 1 MRSA §403-B. Members of the public may participate in the meeting by either attending the meeting in person or via Zoom. The agenda and Zoom link can be found here. The Zoom application will allow attendees to connect remotely via computer or phone. The public may also watch (no participation option) the meeting on Channel 2 or on the Town website streaming channel. Check out our Guide to Participating in Virtual Public Meetings. If you have questions, please call (207) 699-5335. 

At the Most Recent Town Council Meetings…

The Town Council held a workshop meeting at 5:00pm on February 13 to discuss LD2003. An agenda can be found here. 

At the 7:00pm Town Council Meeting on February 13 the Council considered the following items. An agenda and video can be found here. 

• The Council approved the contract for Land Management Services.
• The Council approved a Long-Range Planning Advisory Committee (LPAC) Resolution.
• The Council entered Executive Session pursuant to the Laws of Maine to discuss Union contracts, pursuant to 1 M.R.S.A. § 405 (6) (D).

Planning Board 

At the March 7 Planning Board meeting, the board will consider the following items. An agenda will be posted here in advance of the meeting.

•   5 Applewood Drive – Ridgewood Condominium Association – Request for Subdivision Amendment to incorporate certain easements granted to the Town of Falmouth.  Map/lot: R04-026; Zoned OSRD, RCZO.
•   101 Woods Road – Qualtek Wireless – Request for Personal Wireless Facility Approval to add Dish Network equipment to an existing tower.  Map/lot R01-006-T; Zoned MUC.
•   196 US Route 1 - Morong Falmouth Porsche – Request for Site Plan Amendment to construct a rear entrance off Clearwater Drive.  Map/lot U51-001-B; Zoned VC1, VC2.
•   108 Winn Road – Justin M. Fletcher Inc – Request for Preliminary Approval for a 4-Lot major conservation subdivision.  Map/lot R06-006-A; Zoned F, RCZO.
•   0 Shoreline Drive – Atlantic Environmental LLC – Request for Shoreland Zone Permit Approval for a Proposed Dock.  Map/lot U02-034-A; Zoned RA, RCZO, SZ-LR, WVOD.
•   330 US Route One – Verdad Real Estate & Construction Services – Request for Site Plan Approval for three (3) 30,000sf 1 story self-storage unit buildings.  Map/lot U53-001; Zoned BP.

Please note: Planning Board agendas for upcoming meetings may not always be complete at the time of this newsletter's publication. Within the agendas, when possible, links will be provided to direct users to any additional information available on projects at the time of publication, including building elevations, plans, and images when available. Information on Planning Board projects and activities, including agendas and minutes, can be found at: https://www.falmouthme.org/planning-board. For additional information or questions, contact Lisa Sangillo at 207-699-5303 or lsangillo@falmouthme.org

Board of Zoning Appeals 

At the February 28 meeting of the Board of Zoning Appeals, the board will consider the following items. An agenda can be found here.  

• 4 Gray Road – Neal M. Gerber – Request for Conditional Use Approval under Section 19-77 to add an accessory dwelling unit above the existing garage. Map/lot U48-029; Zoned MUC, RT100CO.

For more information please visit: https://www.falmouthme.org/board-of-zoning-appeals

Board of Assessment Review

Stay Informed with the Town of Falmouth Website and E-Alerts

There are many Town committees and boards that meet on a regular basis. The events calendar on the Town of Falmouth website homepage lists upcoming board, committee, and Town Council meetings. We send E-Alerts when Town Council, Planning Board, and Board of Zoning Appeals meeting agendas and minutes are posted to the website. Subscribe via E-Alerts to those that most interest you. Agendas and Minutes for these meetings are also posted online and can be accessed from the home page. Town Council, Planning Board, and School Board meetings are live-streamed on Falmouth Community TV Channel 1301 (Former Channel 2). Recordings of these meetings are also available for viewing online. Board of Zoning Appeals Meetings are not broadcast live but can be viewed online within 24 hours after the meeting. E-Alerts allows you to subscribe to specific e-mail lists about Town-related issues that interest you. The Falmouth Focus, this bi-weekly newsletter, is another way to stay in the loop. Subscribe via E-Alerts. Please let us know what kind of information you would like to see included in your town newsletter.