SANFORD – Jobs for the unemployed are the greatest benefit to be derived from a resort casino, but there are social costs and other drawbacks, according to the chairwoman of a town task force that explored potential impacts.

“We believe they can be easily overcome,” Teri Grover said. “The key is to be prepared ahead of time.”

The nine-member Sanford Citizens Casino Advisory Task Force presented its report to the Sanford Town Council on Tuesday night. The report was the result of a five-month investigation into how a casino would affect Sanford.

The review looked at issues such as tax relief, traffic, social issues, housing, labor, economic development, infrastructure, the environment, and public safety and health. The task force traveled to the Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos in Connecticut as part of the report.

Grover said the group felt that any negative effects of a casino could be mitigated.

“There are many benefits and many [negative] impacts too,” she said. “But what impacts there are can be overcome with preparation and good negotiation.”

Selectman Gordon Paul called the citizen-generated report a watershed moment for the town.

“It’s very important because it was done by us. We live here,” he said. “This was done by the residents of our community.”

Mainers will vote in a Nov. 4 statewide referendum whether to allow the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy Indian tribes to build a casino in Maine.

If voters approve, the tribes have said they will build a $650 million casino and resort in southern Maine. They have identified Sanford as a likely spot and purchased an option on more than 350 acres in town.

The citizen panel had been directed to limit its research to Sanford and Springvale, but Grover said more studies should be done on the effects on surrounding communities.

The report noted that if Sanford assesses the casino at the proposed building cost of $650 million, the town would realize $9.8 million in property taxes but lose $5.1 million in state school subsidies. If the casino were assessed at $350 million, the town would lose $2.7 million in state education aid but realize $5.2 million in casino property taxes.

Task force member Joel Patterson, an accountant, said the figures are not adjusted for impacts on public safety, public works and general government and health services.

Included in the findings is a report from tribal attorney Mark Chaveree showing wage estimates for a casino work force expected to total 4,750.They range from a low of $7 to $10 per hour for casino floor staff, dishwashers and parking attendants, to a high of $175,000 to $200,000 annually for the general manager.

The casino is expected to draw 7.6 million visits per year, an average of nearly 21,000 daily. About 6.6 million would come from out of state and 372,000 would be from York County.