Thursday, April 25, 2024
Over the last month, the Maine Farmland Trust (MFT) has conducted weekly webinars aimed at disseminating the contents of the new municipal guide targeted at cultivating Maine’s agricultural future. More information about the webinar series, as well as recordings from the four previous sessions are available here on MFT’s website.
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
The deadline to serve on MMA’s Executive Committee has been extended to Thursday, April 25 at 5 p.m. Although letters of recommendation are part of the process, understanding that time is a commodity in short supply, interested municipal officials need only submit the application by Thursday (4/25) and all other supporting documents at a later date. As a reminder, eligible candidates include town or city managers, chief administrative officials, and elected municipal...
Friday, March 29, 2024
Maine Revenue Services is seeking assistance in getting the word out on the Maine Tax Portal, which allows taxpayers to file and pay taxes on-line, as well as to check on refunds. Municipal officials are encouraged to share the attached flyers with community members.
MRS Bulletin Board Flyer
MRS Flyer for Community Tax Organizations
Thursday, March 28, 2024
MALEM is offering two $500 higher education scholarships to students enrolled in an emergency management related degree program. Students can either be a Maine resident attending an in-state or out-of-state degree program OR an out-of-state student attending a Maine-based degree program. The application deadline is April 1, 2024. For more information on this opportunity, please click here.
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
In December 2023, the Maine Municipal Association (MMA) signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) expanding education and training opportunities to municipal officials across Maine. This collaboration provides thousands of municipal officers, officials, employees, volunteers, and affiliate group members from MMA’s 484 member communities access to all UMA course offerings at a 20% discount on tuition and mandatory fees.
Brenda McAleer,...
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
The Maine Governor's Energy Office and Maine Department of Economic and Community Development have established the Maine Community Energy Redevelopment Program, which is designed to foster economic development across Maine by unlocking community energy assets to create family-sustaining jobs while reducing carbon emissions, in line with State economic development and energy priorities. The program will provide communities with high-quality technical support, including...
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Maine Audubon will be holding 3 introductory Stream Smart workshops this spring at the following dates and locations:
April 3rd at the Forestry Department at UMaine Ft. Kent
April 23rd at the Greenville Public Safety Building
May 8th at the NRCS office in Presque Isle
These workshops will be helpful to all professionals who are responsible for road-stream crossings-including contractors, road commissioners, public works departments, conservation commissions, engineers, planners,...
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
The federal Clean Water Act requires that periodically, but at least once every three years, states hold public hearings for the purpose of reviewing water quality standards and, as appropriate, modifying and developing standards. Maine statute contains similar language in 38 M.R.S. § 464.3.B. This process, known as the Triennial Review, requires consultation with the public and interested state and federal agencies. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection is now...
Friday, March 15, 2024
The Maine Retirement Investment Trust (MERIT) would like to remind municipal officials that local governments are exempted from complying with the requirement that employers with 15 or more employees register with MERIT or certify that they have a qualified workplace retirement plan by April 30th and employers with 5-14 employees register with MERIT or certify that they have a qualified workplace retirement plan by June 30, 2024. Municipalities do not need to take any action regarding...
Friday, March 15, 2024
MMA Legal Services has recently issued two new supplements to the 2016 revised edition of its Guide to Municipal Liens. On March 14, 2024, Supplement No. 4 was issued to update the Manual's discussion of bankruptcy law and its impact on the municipal lien process (contained in chapter 6 of the Manual) and also updated forms in related appendices.
In addition, the Manual was updated in October, 2023 with Supplement No. 3, which revised chapter 3 of the Manual and related...