2020.09.04--Falmouth Focus, Volume 2, Issue 19

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. While events in recent weeks have not required regular updates regarding COVID-19, the situation remains fluid and direct communications from the Town via E-Alerts is the best way for residents to stay informed. 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

Schools Open September 8

The Falmouth Police Department is reminding residents that Falmouth Schools officially reopen on September 8. There will be increased traffic and school buses on our roads along with kids awaiting pickup at driveway bus stops.The Schools’ reopening plan includes a combination of in-person and online learning to meet current safety guidelines. Older students will attend alternate days, while younger students will attend half days. As a result, we anticipate more pickups and drop-offs at the school campus as well as an additional mid-day rush.This will lead to more traffic at and around the school. Please allow extra time and be conscious that our kids will be waiting for buses, walking to and from school, and moving about the campus area. The corner of Falmouth and Woodville Roads will likely be congested between 7am and 8am on school days. Falmouth Police will be monitoring this area for safe and efficient traffic flow.

Paving Alert

Surface paving is tentatively scheduled to continue on Leighton Road during the week of September 7. This work is weather and schedule dependent. Paving operations may carry into nighttime hours. No detours or closures are expected at this time, however, traffic delays are anticipated. Travelers are advised to seek alternate routes. Questions may be directed to the Public Works office at 207-781-3919. 

Focus on Falmouth’s Wastewater Systems: It's time to talk about sewage.

By Bryanna Denis, PE, LSE, Wright-Pierce

Most residents rarely consider sewage or wastewater collection and treatment systems. Why should they? It is sewage after all and the pipes are hidden underground, so as long as your toilet flushes, everything is working… right?!?  There are, of course, a few instances when you will have to think about wastewater, for example:

• Paying your sewer bill if you are connected to the Town of Falmouth’s public sewer system or hiring a septic pumper if you have a private system.
• The inconvenience of sewer construction in front of your house, or on your route to work. After all, there are only two seasons in Maine – winter and construction season, right?
• When your toilet gets clogged from flushing things that shouldn’t be flushed… “Mom, I didn’t know I couldn’t flush my socks!”

The good news is that most of time, wastewater systems work very well. However, like other public infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and schools, these systems need work to continue to function properly and serve the public. The collective work of Town staff, Maine DEP, and consulting engineers protect public health and the environment from…us. Civilization, high standard of living, population density, industry, and many other things all produce plenty of waste. Our job is to plan, design, construct, regulate, operate, and maintain the infrastructure that collects, conveys, and treats wastewater. If we do our job, most people don’t think much about sewage.

In order to keep things working as they should, the Town of Falmouth is implementing a phased upgrade of the Town’s existing wastewater system. Guided by the West Falmouth Sewer Master Plan, finalized in 2017, this upgrade will ensure that sewage is adequately conveyed and treated now and in the future. In forthcoming issues of The Falmouth Focus, we will examine the history of Falmouth’s waste collection and treatment systems, the issues surrounding West Falmouth’s connectivity to the current system, and the plans to upgrade and improve the system for current and future needs. Watch this space for upcoming articles.

Bryanna Denis is a Professional Engineer and Project Manager for Wright-Pierce, an environmental engineering firm providing consulting services to the Town of Falmouth. 

FCP Fall Programs Registration Open

Falmouth Parks & Community Programs has issued its Fall Brochure and is accepting registrations for Fall programs. Program offerings have been scaled down and participant numbers are limited to meet state guidelines regarding group gatherings. CDC health and safety recommendations will be followed for all programming. Should the need arise, programs will be evaluated on a weekly basis for modification, postponement, or cancellation. Please remain flexible. A program brochure and registration form can be found at: www.falmouthme.org/parks-and-community-programs.

How to Register:

• Online: https://apm.activecommunities.com/falmouthcommunityprog/Home. Note: Online convenience fees are non-refundable.
• Mail: Fill out and mail a registration form to FCP Fall Registration, 190 Middle Rd., Falmouth, ME 04105. Forms can be found online at: https://www.falmouthme.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif11826/f/uploads/fall_brochure2020_final.pdf
• Phone: Call 699-5302 Tues.-Thurs, 9am-3pm with EFT, credit, or debit payments only.
• In person: At Mason-Motz Activity Center. Note: A limited number of people are allowed in the FCP office at one time. Residents are encouraged to utilize the remote registration options listed above. 

Public Forum Opportunity 

During the September 14 Town Council meeting the public is invited to provide feedback and ask questions regarding the proposed Communications Strategic Plan presented to the Town Council at its February 10 meeting. Erin Cadigan will deliver a second presentation at this meeting. The Council designated the creation of a strategic communications plan a top priority and would like an opportunity to hear public comment on the proposed plan prior to taking any action. Click here to find the plan and February 10 presentation.  

Neighborhood Clean-Up Week, September 19-26

Join the Town of Falmouth September 19-26 for Neighborhood Clean-up Week! Residents are invited to volunteer to clean up litter in neighborhoods and public areas throughout town. Participants will be provided yellow trash bags, masks, and gloves. Participants will be entered to win one of several prizes donated by local restaurants, including: Bueno Loco, The Barn at Smith Farm, Foreside House of Pizza, Leavitt & Sons Deli, Ricettas, and Beals Ice Cream. Coordination amongst neighbors is encouraged. To volunteer sign up here by September 11. 

Public Forum – Route 88 and its intersections with Depot Road and Johnson/Town Landing Road

Forum 2 on the Route 88 intersections project (Johnson Road/Town Landing Road/Depot Road intersections) will be held on Wednesday, September 23, at 7:00pm via Zoom. This meeting has been rescheduled from last March. The evening will include a brief recap of the results from Forum 1 (held in December 2019) and allow an opportunity for feedback on various specific proposed improvement “packages.” Project information can be found here: https://www.falmouthme.org/long-range-planningeconomic-development/pages/route-88-intersection-study.  FMI, please contact Maggie Fleming, mfleming@falmouthme.org, 699-5329.

Senior Property Tax Assistance Program 

The Town of Falmouth’s Senior Property Tax Relief Program is now accepting applications from qualified residents for property tax assistance. The program, now in its third year, is open to current Falmouth residents age 62 or older with annual income under $40,000. Both property owners and renters are eligible to apply. Refunds will be determined based on the number of valid applications received. Recipients will be refunded a proportional share of the available program funds based on income level. The total amount budgeted for this program in fiscal year 2021 is $50,000. Refunds for eligible applicants will be paid on or before November 17, 2020.

A complete list of application materials, as well as additional information and an eligibility worksheet, can be found at: https://www.falmouthme.org/finance/pages/senior-property-tax-assistance.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, residents can mail in the application and backup documents to Town of Falmouth, Finance Department, 271 Falmouth Road, Falmouth, Maine 04105. You may also call Pete McHugh at (207) 699-5311 to make an appointment to submit your application. Appointments may be held by phone or via a socially distanced, in-person meeting at Town Hall. Residents are encouraged to apply early. In order to ensure social distancing, appointment times are limited, so call early to secure a meeting date. The deadline for applications is October 8, 2020.

Please contact Pete McHugh, Finance Director, at pmchugh@falmouthme.org or 699-5311 for more information.

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 #15: Summer is the season to get those growing weeds removed before they bloom and disperse seed for next year. Chemical herbicides can persist in the soil, make their way into ground water, and may potentially affect beneficial soil life, as well as the humans and other animals that are exposed to them. So rather than broadcasting your entire lawn, pinpoint weeds and treat them on a smaller scale by digging them out. Then, cover bare spots with soil or compost and over seed with the right grass variety. Also, learn to have a higher tolerance for some weeds, such as clover and dandelions, for the benefits they can provide. 
• Tip #16: Your lawn loves clover and dandelions! A nitrogen-fixing plant, clover brings nutrients to your soil and requires no fertilization. When mixed with other grasses, clover can reduce or eliminate the need for regular fertilizing. Clover is drought tolerant and, once established, grows despite lack of water. Dandelions are also good for nature’s beneficial insects and pollinators. They have taproots that accumulate nutrients deep down in the soil and bring them to the surface, which help the other plants in your yard.

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

MaineDOT has announced a full overnight closure of the Presumpscot Falls Bridge on Allen Avenue from 9:00pm on Thursday, September 10 to accommodate placement of the concrete bridge deck. It will reopen Friday, September 11 at 6:00am. Detour signs will be posted. 

Absentee Ballot Requests

The Clerk’s Office is now accepting requests for absentee ballots for the November 3 General Election. NOTE: Absentee ballots will not be mailed out until they are received, which is 30 days prior to the election. Any registered voter may cast an absentee ballot instead of voting in person at a voting place on Election Day.

There are four ways to request an absentee ballot:

• By Phone: Call and request your own ballot, which will be mailed to the address you provide. Call the Voter Registrar in Falmouth at: 699-5320 or 699-5308.
• Electronically: Request your own ballot electronically using the Secretary of State’s online absentee ballot request service at: http://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/AbsenteeBallot/index.pl   
• By Mail: Print the Absentee Ballot Request Form at: https://www.falmouthme.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif11826/f/uploads/11.03.20_absentee_ballot_request_form.pdf.  Mail or drop off the form at Falmouth Town Hall.
• In Person: Request a ballot at Falmouth Town Hall.

For more information on the upcoming election check out our November 3 Election Fact Sheet.

Town Council Virtual Meeting, September 14, 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, September 14 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. 

At the Most Recent Town Council Meeting…

The Town Council held a meeting on August 24 at 7:00pm via zoom.

The Council approved the minutes of the July 20 Town Council Annual Caucus, the July 20 Town Council Meeting, and the August 10 Town Council Special Meeting.

The Council approved food service license renewals for Circle K, The Moose, Nouria Energy Retail, and the Portland Country Club Pool and Clubhouse. 

The Council approved an order to certify the July 14, 2020 Election results

The Council passed a resolution to elect to participate in the MMA Workers' Compensation Safety Incentive Program . 

The Council entered Executive Session pursuant to the Laws of Maine to discuss real estate rights, pursuant to 1 M.R.S.A. § 405 (6) (C). The Council did not return from Executive Session. 

Board of Zoning Appeals

The Board of Zoning Appeals acted on the following applications at its August 25, 2020 meeting:

• 20 Just A Mere Road – Design Concepts – Request for Conditional Use Approval to construct a dormer. (Approved)
• 14 Hammond Road – Laurie B Winslow - Request for Conditional Use Approval to construct a garage addition. (Approved)
• 97 Foreside Road – Sarah C. Young - Request for Conditional Use Approval to construct a garage addition. (Approved)
• 331 Foreside Road – Brian Corcoran & Melissa Smith - Request for Conditional Use Approval for first and second floor expansions. (Tabled)

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