A Special Town Meeting will be held at Dirigo High School on Thursday, October 19, 2017 beginning at 6:00 PM.  Residents are encouraged to attend this meeting for more information on the Wind Energy Ordinance & the Police Department ballot questions.

To view the Special Town Meeting Warrant, click on the links below:

Special Town Meeting Warrant 10 19 17 001

Special Town Meeting Warrant 10 19 17 002

Special Town Meeting Warrant 10 19 17 003

Absentee ballots are available now thru November 2, 2017.  You can pick your ballot up at the Town Office during regular business hours.  November 2, 2017 is the last day you will be able to get an absentee ballot prior to voting on November 7, 2017.

The following are Estimated Tax Impacts if an Eight (8) Turbine Wind Project were to be built in the Town of Dixfield.  The information was provided to the Town of Dixfield by the Maine Revenue Services. There has been no official confirmation of how many turbines, if any, will be erected in the Town of Dixfield.

 Scenario 1 : 100% of new value taxed

Wind Project Est Tax Implications Maine Revenue Services 9 7 17 001 VERSION 1

Scenario 2: Plaining the Tax Rate

Wind Project Est Tax Implications Maine Revenue Services 9 7 17 002 VERSION 2

Scenario 3: 50% TIF

Wind Project Est Tax Implications Maine Revenue Services 9 7 17 003 VERSION 3

Scenario 4: 100% TIF

Wind Project Est Tax Implications Maine Revenue Services 9 7 17 004 VERSION 4

Shall the Town of Dixfield Police Department be permanently disbanded effective December 31, 2017?

Yes________               No________

Explanation:   A “YES” vote means the Town of Dixfield would close the Police Department permanently effective December 31, 2017 and will no longer raise and appropriate money annually through taxation to operate a municipal police department: currently budgeted is $383,480 in total expenditures. The Town would rely on the Maine State Police and the Oxford County Sheriff’s Department to respond to calls for service at no additional cost to the town.

A “NO” vote means the Police Department would remain open, operational and will continue to request funding from taxation on an annual basis.

Shall an Ordinance entitled WIND ENERGY ORDINANCE FOR THE TOWN OF DIXFIELD dated November 7, 2017 be enacted and the prior WIND ENERGY FACILITY ORDINANCE FOR THE TOWN OF DIXFIELD dated June 12, 2012 be repealed?

Explanation: The proposed WIND ENERGY ORDINANCE FOR THE TOWN OF DIXFIELD dated November 7, 2017 is an edited version of the current WIND ENERGY ORDINANCE FOR THE TOWN OF DIXFIELD dated June 12, 2012, and is intended to improve, strengthen and clarify language, remove unenforceable zoning language, add oversight authority of operations, complaints, enforcement and decommissioning by the Board of Selectmen, including a Code of Conduct and Ethics, add authority for review of, including the approval or denial of, all applications by the Planning Board, and add a defined Complaint Process. The Audible Sound limits remain unchanged at 42 dBa at night and 55 dBa during the day; however, the day time and night time are redefined as 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., respectively.

To review the Wind Energy Ordinance click on the link: Dixfield WEF Ordinance for 11 07 2017 (003)

The Northern Forest Center in partnership with Axiom Technologies of Machias and Community Concepts Finance Corporation has been awarded a grant for broadband internet planning.  This grant supports the work needed for developing plans to expand the availability of broadband services in underserved areas, and targets the Maine region, which includes towns and townships in the River Valley, Bethel area and Oxford Hills.  First steps to this process include surveying residents and businesses to find out about their current internet services, and needs.   To participate and complete the quick online survey click on the link below:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mainewestcommunitysurvey   for residents/community survey

For Businesses/workforce survey click here http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mainewestbuinesssurvey