Orrington seeks personal property tax scofflaws

ORRINGTON – Some of the people who have unpaid personal property taxes have owed the money to the town for nearly a decade. Selectmen on Monday decided to pursue collecting those funds.

“In total dollars, it’s probably in the neighborhood of $10,000 to $12,000,” Interim Town Manager Paul White said Tuesday. “I have approval for the board to approach those persons to start a collection or [establish a] payment plan to get those debts cleared.”

Some of the business owners who owe personal property taxes have closed up shop and left the area, so part of White’s job is to document those and attempt to contact them before the town writes off their unpaid bills, he said.

All in all, “we’re talking basically a handful of people” with outstanding personal property tax bills, White said.

During Monday’s meeting, selectmen also heard that the Orrington Fire Department will receive a new thermal imaging camera, thanks to a grant from the Galen Cole Family Foundation in Bangor and matching funds from the local firemen’s association.

“The firemen’s association, which is separate from the Fire Department, has $3,404 in a fund and opted to give that money up for this new camera,” Fire Chief Mike Spencer said Tuesday. “Because of the association doing that, we were awarded a second camera.”

The town also is contributing $1,625 toward the approximately $8,000 camera cost, he added.

Thermal imaging cameras allow firefighters to see human and animal body heat signatures through dense smoke. They range in price between $10,000 and $25,000.

The Cole foundation launched its Thermal Imaging Camera Program in 1997 and has helped more than 214 Maine fire departments acquire the high-tech devices.

The thermal imaging camera now used by the department has mechanical problems that reduce its efficiency, spurring Spencer to look for a replacement.

“The [local] association also purchased Christmas lights so we’d look good for the town,” the chief said.

At the end of the regular selectmen’s meeting, Spencer asked if the board could hold an executive session to discuss his stipend, which is $6,000 for the year.

Spencer, who agreed to the stipend several months ago when he took the position as chief, said he did not realize the amount of work it would take to change the then-volunteer department into a municipal department. He said he couldn’t discuss Monday’s private meeting with selectmen, but did say: “My head’s just above water. I’ve done everything they wanted me to, and all I’m asking [is] for a little bit of help here.”

Selectmen have told Spencer repeatedly over the last several months that he would have to live within his budget until a new budget is established for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.