2020.07.03--Falmouth Focus, Volume 2, Issue 15

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. 

Updates on the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The Town of Falmouth has updated its COVID-19 information page which includes all updates and information sent out by Falmouth's Emergency Management Agency as well as additional updates from the Town. We strongly encourage residents to subscribe to our E-Alert e-mails in order to keep up-to-date. Subscribe to Town News & Announcements and/or Emergency Management at www.falmouthme.org/subscribe. Alerts regarding COVID-19 will be sent to both lists.

Town Services, Offices, & Facilities

• Town of Falmouth Facility Closures, Cancellation, and Status of Services
• Online and Remote Services
• A Guide to Participating in Virtual Town Council Meetings
• Transfer Station and Waste Disposal
• Falmouth Parks, Playgrounds, Trails & Trailhead Parking
• Falmouth Schools Updates

Falmouth Awarded Keep ME Healthy Grant

The Town of Falmouth has received a grant from the State of Maine in the amount of $90,995 as part of the Keep Maine Healthy Plan to support local COVID-19 public health, education, and prevention efforts. Governor Mills announced the grant awards at a press conference on June 26. The State granted $9 million in awards to 96 municipalities in Maine. Funding for the program comes from the federal CARES Act and will be distributed on a reimbursement basis as communities implement these programs.

“Towns and cities across Maine are on the frontlines of responding to COVID-19 and are well positioned to protect their residents and visitors alike,” said Governor Mills. “[A]s we reopen the vast majority of our economy, as more people interact, and as more visitors arrive from out-of-state, the likelihood of the virus spreading also increases. These awards are a deliberate effort to help mitigate that danger by helping municipalities implement measures that will protect the health of both residents and visitors alike.”

The grant will cover expenses in the following areas:

• Public education activities, such as printing and posting state or national COVID-19 prevention information and developing local educational activities that are consistent with CDC guidelines.
• Physical distancing and public health support, such as signage, barriers, personal protective equipment, hand sanitizer in public spaces, cleaning supplies and additional staff time for enhanced cleaning and management of public spaces and restroom facilities.
• Local business assistance, such as staff time for educating local businesses on best practices and following up on complaints.

The Town of Falmouth intends to use grant funds for the purchase of several hand sanitizing stations to be placed at public parks and Town Landing, along with hand sanitizer, additional public health and safety signage in public spaces, barricades to assist in social distancing or block off areas of concern, additional staff time for enhanced cleaning of public spaces, and the purchase of personal protective gear.  In addition, funds will support the distribution of important health and safety information to residents and businesses throughout the summer and fall.

Town Encourages Waste Reduction Through Recycling & Composting

At the May 11, 2020 Town Council meeting, the Council approved an order to increase the fee for yellow trash bags from $2.08 per 33 gallon bag to $2.95 per 33 gallon bag and from $1.46 per 20 gallon bag to $1.91 per 20 gallon bag, effective July 1, 2020. This fee increase offsets increases to the FY20-21 Municipal Budget and better aligns with actual waste disposal costs incurred by the Town.

The Town encourages residents to reduce waste through our free curbside recycling program and Food Waste Disposal Program. Both these options will reduce the use of yellow trash bags, thus reducing the cost of waste disposal for residents and the Town.

Falmouth offers free 'single-stream' curbside recycling. With ecomaine's single-sort processing facility, numerous types of recyclable materials go into the same bin. No separation of materials is necessary. These bins are collected curbside with regular trash pick-up. Falmouth provides a free recycling bin to new residents. Additional bins can be purchased from Public Works.

Through Falmouth’s Food Waste Disposal Program, food waste can be dropped off at two collection sites in town: the Transfer Station and Community Park. This waste is converted to compost. This program successfully diverted nearly 16 tons of food waste in 2019.

Home composting is another alternative for reducing household waste. Studies have shown that backyard composting can reduce the trash volume of a family of four by 15 to 25%. Backyard composters are also available for purchase from Falmouth Public Works. 

For more information or questions about these programs, please contact the Falmouth Public Works Department at 781-3919 or visit: https://www.falmouthme.org/trash-recycling-and-composting.

Election News and Information

The July 14, 2020 State Primary, Referendum, and Regular Municipal Election is just around the corner. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic residents have a lot of questions about voting at this time. We've prepared an election fact sheet with questions and answers to help you understand your options when it comes to exercising your right to vote.

The Clerk’s Office is now accepting requests for absentee ballots through the State of Maine Absentee Ballot Request Service at https://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/AbsenteeBallot/index.pl. Absentee ballots will be mailed out 30 days prior to Election Day.

Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap, Maine's chief elections official, has released an informative video talking with voters about the July 14 primary election and absentee voting. Watch the video here. Another video from the Secretary of State's Office on absentee voting can be found here. 

Living Lawns Education Campaign

The Falmouth Conservation Commission, in collaboration with Falmouth’s Energy and Sustainability Office and the Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District, have launched the Living Lawns education campaign to share healthy lawn care practices with residents. 

• Tip #11: Native plants provide more value to the natural world than you may realize. Native plants feed bird species either directly with fruits and seeds or indirectly by supporting the native insects birds can eat. Once established, native plants generally require little maintenance. Because native plants are adapted to local environmental conditions, they require far fewer resources, saving time, money, and perhaps the most valuable natural resource, water. When you’re thinking of adding more plants to your landscape, consider all the benefits of native plants. Maine Audubon and your local nurseries are great resources to help make your selection.

Learn more about living lawns at: https://www.falmouthme.org/environmental-initiatives/pages/living-lawns-education-campaign

Falmouth Food Pantry Summer Operations

The Falmouth Food Pantry summer operations continue. Volunteers will be in front of the Food Pantry building (271 Falmouth Road) on the following Fridays at 9:00am: July 3, July 17, August 7, and August 21. They will distribute until all the supplies have been given out or until 10:30am. 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.

Community Forum/Discussion about Policing in Falmouth, July 8, 7:00pm

Acts of violence, injustice, and police brutality against people of color are unacceptable in any community, including Falmouth. The recent death of George Floyd while in police custody has galvanized our community to look forward and inward.

In recent weeks, Falmouth citizens have begun asking important questions about the Falmouth Police Department focusing on use of force, police officer training, and officer accountability. The Falmouth Police Department has committed to thoroughly reviewing its policies and procedures with transparency and community input. Relevant Department policies have been posted on the Town’s website (here), to enhance transparency and provide important information for the public. 

The Town of Falmouth will host a community discussion of these matters on Wednesday, July 8 at 7:00 PM virtually via Zoom. The public is invited to join the Town Council, Town Manager, and the Falmouth Police Department to discuss Falmouth Police Department training, internal policies, and current challenges. The link to join the meeting and phone instructions will be posted in advance of the discussion. A link to the event listing can be found here.

The discussion on July 8 will be an opportunity for the Police Department to describe current Department policies and for the public to ask questions and offer input about those policies and other general expectations of Falmouth Police Department law enforcement personnel. We also anticipate that the conversation could expand to other areas of public policy and services provided by the Town of Falmouth.

This will be the format of the July 8^th Forum/Discussion:

1. Opening remarks by the Town Council Chair

2. Presentation from the Falmouth Police Department that will focus on the following topics.

Please note that the presentation will not be a “pitch” that the Town is doing everything perfectly or that no change is necessary. Rather, the Department will factually describe policies that are in place and share recent data about their application.

• Fundamental services offered by the Falmouth Police Department
• Policies that are in place that address officer training, racial bias, use of force, accountability, and general expectations of Falmouth Police Department law enforcement personnel
• Plans to review, amend, and adjust polices/training to prepare for accreditation and to ensure policies/training serve the needs of our community
• Review of data associated with arrests, use of force, and other points of public contact by the Falmouth Police Department. This part of the presentation will address how data collection and analysis could improve in the future to help us understand current practices and how to continue a path of growth that meets the needs of all people that live, work, and visit in our community.

3. Public input, questions, and general discussion.

4. Next steps – We will talk about next steps that will be developed partly based on the discussion. There will be additional opportunities for public input at future forum/discussions.

5. Closing remarks by the Town Council Chair.

Fourth of July Fireworks

With the health and safety of residents in mind this Fourth of July, Falmouth Public Safety Officers would like to remind residents that fireworks are prohibited in Falmouth at all times. Falmouth's Code of Ordinances addresses this issue in Chapter 2, Section 10-4. Use and sale of consumer fireworks prohibited, stating: 

(a) A person may not use, sell or offer for sale consumer fireworks, as defined in 8 M.R.S.A. §221-A, in the town.

(b) In addition to applicable penalties provided by 8 M.R.S.A. §223-A, violation of the provisions of this section is a civil violation punishable in accordance with Sec. 1-14. The Town Police Department may confiscate and dispose of any consumer fireworks that are in violation of this section.

(c) Pursuant to 8 M.R.S.A. §227-B, nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or regulate fireworks displays, as defined in 8 M.R.S.A. §221-A, or the issuance of permits for fireworks displays by the Maine Commissioner of Public Safety or a designee.

(Ord. of 11-14-2011)

Please enjoy the holiday and celebrate safely. 

July 4 Holiday Transfer Station & Trash Collection Info

The Transfer Station will be closed on Saturday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day. Curbside collection will NOT be impacted by the July 4 holiday. Trash and recycling collection will occur on Friday, July 3 as usual. Bins should be placed curbside by 7:00am to ensure pick up.

Vehicle Registration Deadline Approaching

Vehicle registrations, including temporary registrations, new registrations, and renewals, which were extended due to the pandemic, must be renewed by July 11. On May 26, the Governor signed Executive Order 53-A, which requires a person who can register their vehicle normally through their municipality or a Bureau of Motor Vehicle Office to do so immediately.  Secretary of State Dunlap’s office issued a July 11 deadline for registration compliance.  Residents can register their vehicle at Falmouth Town Hall (M-Th. 8:00am-4:00pm) or (in many cases) through the State’s online Rapid Renewal service at: https://www1.maine.gov/online/bmv/rapid-renewal/.  For more information on how to register your vehicle, visit: https://www.falmouthme.org/tax-collection-vehicle-registration/pages/vehiclerecreational-registration-faq

Presumpscot Bridge Rehabilitation Project

MaineDOT’s Presumpscot Bridge rehabilitation project is underway on the Allen Avenue Extension resulting in temporary one lane closures during daytime work hours. A signal light has been installed to control traffic flow during the lane closures. 

The Falls Park parking area will also be closed during the project. MaineDOT will be using the area for construction staging but will allow for pedestrians to access the Portland Trails Presumpscot Falls Park Trail. Visitors and hikers should park in the Walton Park parking lot. A temporary crosswalk will be available to provide safe access to the trail head.

Falmouth Boards and Committees Resume Work

Meetings of Falmouth Boards and Committees, which were suspended at the outbreak of the pandemic, have now resumed. For a list of Boards and Committees, click here. Scheduled board and committee meetings can be found on our events calendar located on the home page of our website. 

Several Town of Falmouth boards and committees have vacancies to be filled. If you are interested in getting involved, please consider the following openings:

• Board of Zoning Appeals (2)
• Economic Improvement Committee (4)
• Parks and Community Programs Advisory Committee (2)--This Committee is particularly interested in representation from Falmouth’s senior community.
• Wellness Committee (5)
• Planning Board (2)

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

Town Council Virtual Meeting, July 20, 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 meeting will be held on Monday, July 20 at 7:00pm using Zoom. 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 will be posted here in advance of the meeting. Check out our Guide to Participating in Virtual Public Meetings. If you have questions, please call (207) 699-5329. 

Board of Zoning Appeals

The Board of Zoning Appeals acted on the following applications at its June 23, 2020 meeting:

• 368 Blackstrap Road – Conditional Use Review for a home occupation. (Approved) 
• 44 Lowell Farm Road – Conditional Use Review for a tear down and rebuild of an existing dwelling. (Approved)
• 22 Edgewater Road – Conditional Use Review under Section 19-77 for renovations to an existing home and the extension of a deck. (Approved)
• 35 Johnson Road – Conditional Use Review for an addition to an existing home. (Approved)

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

Planning Board, July 7, 6:30pm

On Tuesday, July 7, 2020, at 6:30 pm, the Falmouth Planning Board will conduct a virtual meeting using emergency legislation, Sec. G-1 MRSA §403-A, that allows cities and towns to conduct meetings online. The Planning Board is expected to hear the following applications at this meeting:

• Tuscan Way – Subdivision Amendment for drainage improvements and change to building design. 
• 144 Gray Road – Site Plan Re-Approval for parking improvements at Harmon’s Lunch.
• 11 Aspen Way – Private Way Amendment to create two new house lots.
• 75 Gray Road – Approval for replacement signage and new signage.
• 251 US Route 1 – Site Plan Approval for a 23,948 s.f. restaurant/office building at the Falmouth Shopping Center.

Follow this link to see the agenda. The webinar information will be posted the day of the meeting. Visit our information page here on how to participate in virtual public meetings.  To participate in the “public comment” portion of the meeting, please make sure your Zoom application is up-to-date. Otherwise, you will need to call into the meeting to participate.

Please e-mail Lisa Sangillo at lsangillo@falmouthme.org with questions or if you need assistance participating via zoom. Ms. Sangillo will not be available to assist during the 30 minutes prior to the start of the meeting as she will be participating in the meeting.

View past meetings online here.

At the Most Recent Town Council Meeting...

The Town Council held a meeting on June 22 via Zoom.

• The Council approved the minutes of the April 13, April 27, April 29, May 11, and May 27 Town Council meetings.
• The Council approved the renewal of a permanent food service establishment license for Dockside Grill.
• The Council approved an order to appoint election workers for the 2020 elections.
• The Council approved a resolution for the Town of Falmouth to support the 2020-2030 Highland Lake Watershed-Based Management Plan.
• The Council approved an order to authorize the Town Manager to execute a Memorandum of Agreement between the Town of Falmouth and the Maine Association of Police.
• The Council discussed COVID-19 updates and issues.
• The Council entered Executive Session to discuss the real estate rights and the Town Manager's annual performance review. The Council did not return from Executive Session.

View past council meetings online here.

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. 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. Over 70% of respondents to our Communications Methods Survey found E-Alerts to be an effective means of getting info about Town activities. 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.