Committee Dates and Times

Committee dates and times

**Selectmen’s meetings : 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month, at 6:30 PM at the Bradford Community Center.

**The Planning Board– 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6:00PM at the Bradford Community Center.

** Recreation Committee meets the 1st Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the Bradford Community Center.

**The Community Development Advisory Committee will meet the first Monday of each month at 6:30 PM.

**MSAD 64 School Board meetings are usually the 4th Monday of each month at 7PM at the CHS cafeteria. Subject to change.

**Penobscot Ridge Riders ATV Club meets the first Tuesday of the month at the office of RJ Heating at 6:00PM.

**Bradford Days Committee will be meeting on the 3rd Monday of the month at 6:30 PM at the Bradford Community Center.

**Bradford Snowblazers Snowmobile Club meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7PM at the Bradford Community Center.

Presort STD

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Bradford, ME

04410

Town of Bradford

March 2017 Newsletter

NEWS FROM THE TOWN OFFICE - 327-2121

It is time for the Annual Town Meeting, come out and voice your opinion Friday, March 10th to vote on 2 selectmen and 1 school board member from 10 am to 8 pm. Then on Saturday at 10 am to vote on the Annual Town budget along with multiple new articles for the Town.

There have been many different committees in Town working very hard to make Braford a safer and business friendly place to call home. Now it is your turn to ask questions voice your opinion and vote on what they are purposing for the Town. There is a new Mobile Home Safety Ordinance, the Planning Board has been diligently working on making sure the residents of Bradford are bring in safe housing into Town.

CDAC has created a Bradford Business Incentive Ordinance by developing this ordinance they are asking the citizens of Bradford to assume a position of supporting business. They are encouraging businesses to locate in Bradford as well as to aid in expansion of current businesses in Town.

The newly formed Future Planning Committee has two questions on the warrant; the first one is to see if the Town Shall enter into a Power Purchase Agreement with ReVision Energy, this would bring solar energy to the Town’s municipal electric meters. They are also asking the Towns’ permission to keep the Bradford Elementary School for one more year. By granting this period of time the Committee will have more time to explore different options for the building that could potentially bring in more income to the Town then by selling it today. The Town voted last March to take the building back but the Town has only had possession of the building since October 1st.

Bradford Heritage: Museum and Historical Society also have two articles on the warrant this year. They are looking for a new home to display all their artifacts. For many, many, years they have been using the John B. Curtis Public Library’s basement but it is now time for them to find their own space. This way the museum will be more accessible to the public. Come out and hear what the Historical Society has planned.

This is your time to express your opinion on what the Selectmen are purposing for the Town. Come out, get the facts and vote. You are the legislative body and you have the last say, the Selectmen and Town Manager are here to carry out your vote.

*It’s that time of year again if you have not registered your dogs in town the State mandatory 25 dollar late fee has been added to the registration cost. You will still want to get in to the Town Office as soon as possible. The ACO will be going out shortly and giving out 30 day summons notices. Then you will not only be adding a late fee to register man’s best friend, but there is also the possibility of court fees being added to the cost.

*Another deadline quickly approaching is the 2016 Lien Notices. If your 2016 taxes are not paid by March 19, 2017 then you will be receiving a lien notice. Besides paying the interest that has been accruing on your tax bill since September 1, 2016, there will also be an approximate $70 lien cost added to the bill. I am sure you would rather be spending that money on something else than a lien, so let’s get in to the Town Office and get that tax bill paid. If you have not yet paid your 2015 property tax you are heading into foreclosure. Those notices will be going out in September. Please come pay your taxes the Town does not want to foreclose on your home.

Spring is coming-

As spring is approaching, please be thinking spring clean-up, especially the trash that has been accumulating on your property over the winter. Please be considerate of your neighbors and take care of your trash appropriately. With the new ordinance that was put in to place last year there is a monetary penalty if you do not follow the ordinance.

*** MARCH 10th & 11th ANNUAL TOWN MEETING ***

–polls open at 10 am to 8 pm Friday for electing 2 Selectmen and 1 School Board Member

then it reconvenes at 10 am Saturday to act on the remaining articles

****** Town Reports are now available at the Town Office ******

please come by and pick one up

you can read it on line go to Bradfordmaine.org

under documents

Gymnastics Open Gym

Unstructured for all skill levels to have fun and practice

Friday 6 to 7:30 pm Come join in the FUN!!!!

Starting Mach 3rd

***************************************************************************

Looking for something different to do this spring on Thursday nights come and join the Bradford Rec. sponsored Square Dancing group. The floor is opened to the novice to the experienced dancer. Be on the lookout for their flyers later his month.

Words from Bradford Fire and Rescue

After the blizzard a few weeks ago, it’s hard to imagine that spring is just around the corner. With spring comes yard clean up and that usually involves burning brush. We would like to remind people that any open burning requires a burn permit, which may be obtained at the town office or by contacting Chief Kelley at 207-576-0001 or Deputy Chief Matthew Stevens at 207-356-2017. Even with a permit, you cannot burn items such as treated lumber, OSB, plywood, tires, trash, shingles or plastics. If you have any questions on what you may or may not burn, contact any member of the fire department.

We still have smoke detectors and batteries available for free if you don't have them. It is recommended that you have a smoke detector in each bedroom, outside the bedrooms, in the kitchen area and on each level of you home. It is also recommended that your smoke detectors be replaced every 10 years. Contact any member of the department if you need smoke detectors or batteries.

Bradford Fire and Rescue will be holding an auction at Bradford Days this year. If you have any items that you would like to donate, please contact a member of the department and we can arrange to pick up the items.

Thank you for your continued support!!

Meet the Candidates’ for Selectmen

Tim Bubar

My name is Tim Bubar. I have lived in Bradford all my life. I have raised my family in town and am currently a successful business owner. I have been a selectman in the past and am now serving a five year term on the budget committee. I am committed to the town - I wish to keep the town moving in the right direction. I am interested in encouraging economic development within the town, in an effort to keep the mil rate and taxes low. I have a strong desire to see the town's money spent efficiently and wisely. I am always open to conversation regarding what you, the people, would like to see happen, and do my best to follow through and make it happen. I would consider it an honor if you would vote for me as your selectmen in the upcoming election.

Vance Corliss-

Dear Citizens of Bradford-

I am taking this opportunity to let you know that I am running for re-election for one of the Selectmen positions’ this Friday, March 10th. I have filled this position for the past six years and wish to continue serving the people of Bradford if you are willing to have me. It has always been my intent to work with the best interests for the Town and keeping the residents of Bradford in mind. The Board has addressed many different concerns these past six years and still has many more to address in the future as this years’ warrant shows. My primary goal in my decision making is to be fiscally responsible for any commitments that are made on behalf of the Town.

While growing up as a teenager in Bradford, it became my home. I am now raising my own family, with my wife Rebecca and three boys, hoping it will become their home in the future. I have a vested interest in doing as much as I can to help keep the Town of Bradford a safe, secure and comfortable place to live. Besides being your Selectman I have served on the Bradford Volunteer Fire – EMS Department and have been a School Board member. These experiences have taught me the value of having good friends and neighbors who are willing to help one another. In turn, it is my goal to do my part, to give back to the community as well as I can.

Probably one of the biggest issues that the Town and the Board of Selectmen need to work on is keeping an open dialog between each other and continually review the issues especially: road maintenance (winter & summer), the School Budget and how to keep the Town Budget in line while keeping the mil rate at a reasonable level but getting the work completed. It will always be a fine- line balancing act to accomplish what needs can be met with the cost of providing those resources to the residents at a reasonable rate.

As your Selectman, I will always work with the best interest of the Town of Bradford and its residents in mind. If any resident has any concerns, questions or comments please feel free to get in contact with me to be heard.

Thank you for your time and consideration. Vance Corliss

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Paul Doak

Hello. My name is Paul Doak and I’m running for Selectman. I have lived in Bradford for 11 years with my wife Jacqueline and our sons: Camron, Cohen, Caliber, and Coyote-Hunter. All my children go to school in this district. I am a member of the Bradford Fire Department and am very proud of that. I also coach baseball at CMS and have also coached town sports in the past. I’m not a politician. I’m a husband and father who want to help my town. I don’t want our taxes to go up. I know we need roads fixed and new equipment for the town. So I'm hoping my college education of Heavy Equipment Operation and my years of working in the construction field. With thatI can bring some valuable information to the town’s people. We have to work together. I will always be available to anyone that needs to contact me about any concerns here in town. I think it’s very important for a selectman to be there for the people who elect him. I would really appreciate your vote and promise to work hard for you as your new selectmen.

Errol Hanson

Hi,

I’m Errol Hanson I’m a lifelong resident of Bradford, my wife Beverly and I have raised

Our two sons here and now enjoy our grandchildren as much as possible.

I consider myself fiscally conservative and understand how important the town’s budget, roads and public services are to all residents.

I hope to see a good turnout for this years town meeting as we have several important decisions to make including but not limited to the purchase of a newer road grader, borrowing money for paving and prosposal of a lease agreement consisting of a greenhouse to be constructed by the town at the vacant elementary school. We also have a solar lease agreement at the current town hall that needs to be decided on. I am glad to be one of many candidates seeking a seat on the Board of Selectmen.

It is important who you vote for on Friday but it is more important what you vote for on Saturday.

Please get out to VOTE !

Bradford Elementary School - Informational Letter

Future Planning Committee Member

Since acquiring the school and land in October 2016, the Future Planning Committee has been meeting and discussing options related to the disposition of the property. There are

two options. 1. Sell it all or 2. Develop the property and building into a revenue source for the town to offset some of the inevitable tax increases facing our community.

Option 1. Sell it all. An appraisal was done on the entire parcel and it came in at $80 - $100,000.00. Selling the property for $100K would amount to the initial bump in revenue of $100K plus $2,090 per year in taxes, at the current tax rate, until the property is developed into something that increases its value. Once it is sold, the town has very little control over how it is developed. Folks who live in the area would surely welcome a "Good Neighbor". On Election Day in November 2016 a straw poll was conducted at the polls on how the Future Planning Committee should proceed. The two options were presented and the majority said we should proceed with Option 2. Since then the committee has met with a property management agent from Bangor who said we should be able to lease space or spaces in the 8800 square foot building in the range of $4.00 per sq ft. That would mean an income for the town of over $30,000.00 per year if all spaces are leased. Another avenue is being explored that would include the building and the field. This plan involves the development of a "Food Hub". With the help of grants from several state and federal agencies, the town would install a greenhouse using the latest in renewable energy sources, advanced technology and growing techniques that would realize year round production of vegetables, herbs, spices and fruits in the greenhouse and the field. The building would serve as a processing, packaging and storage facility. As part of the processing application a "Value Added" step would also be employed. In this step, some of the products grown would be further processed into products such as pickles, relish, dilly beans, jams and jellies, spice infused olive oils, canned vegetables, mixed salads and a host of other products. All of the products would be distributed to numerous markets and institutions throughout Maine and New England.