Aug. 20 was a busy night for Heather Sinclair who attended two board meetings. At 5 p.m., she led the first school committee meeting of the new year at Edgecomb Eddy. Her second came an hour later with the selectboard at the town hall. Even though they were different meetings, both had a similar theme: 2024 tax bills.

In the school meeting, Sinclair led a discussion stemming from remarks made at the Aug. 6 selectmen’s meeting. Sinclair told her two school committee colleagues she was concerned about statements made by selectmen and residents about the school’s future. In response, the school committee drafted eight questions to selectmen. Sinclair left the school committee meeting early to present the questions in written form to selectmen who started their meeting at 6 p.m.

But there was no formal discussion about the school committee’s eight questions. Instead, Sinclair participated in the second part of residents’ addressing of concerns about their tax bills. A dozen property owners, mostly non-residents, discussed how the 36% mil rate increase impacted their household. The taxpayers who spoke were all older than 70. Some lived in Edgecomb a few weeks each year and some longer. Others like Nort Fowler, 80, live in Edgecomb year round. He served several years as the budget committee chairman and has resided in Edgecomb since 2004. 

His message was simple. “The bottom line here is the current budget is not sustainable, and you can make all kinds of whys and wherefores but people who actually have to pay the tax bills can’t,” he said. Fowler conceded residents are proud of the school’s reputation for excellence, but reported recent academic results have fallen. He used data from Maine Department of Education and National Center of Education Statistics to support his claim. “It’s often said how great a school we have, and we are lucky to have it,” he said. “But in a recent comparison to other Midcoast schools, the only town worse is Boothbay, and by only a couple points. We are not getting the rate of return other towns are getting for whatever reason. What I do know is I can’t continue to pay $20,000 per year in Edgecomb taxes,” he said.  

Fowler reported the top Midcoast school as Friendship, with Southport, Great Salt Bay and Georgetown performing better than Edgecomb Eddy. 

Eddie Stetson, 75, lives on River Road as a seasonal resident. His other home is in Little Compton, Rhode Island. Stetson described both communities as similar in being small coastal villages. He described the Rhode Island location as having a “high performing school.” He described his Maine and Rhode Island properties as similar, but the tax bills were not.  He reported his Edgecomb tax bill was over $8,400, and his Rhode Island tax bill was over $2,900. “I don’t get it,” he said. “I pay $5,483 more on a property valued at $244,000 less. I’m a retiree. This is going to push people out. I would like to keep the property in my family another 200 years for my three sons, but I’m not sure I can.”

Sinclair believes taxpayers are struggling with the inequities of the current tax system. It’s been 17 years since Edgecomb has done a town property revaluation which she believes has many residents paying inflated rates while other properties are severely undervalued. Selectmen are preparing for a revaluation to begin in 2025 and be completed in 2026.

Sinclair further explained to seasonal residents, Maine is one of a few states which funds education primarily through property taxes. “We have a situation where many homes have high valuations, but owners are cash-poor. Something needs to be done about the educational funding formula,” she said.

One resident then said they should get a hold of Stephanie Hawke or Holly Stover to do something about this. Sinclair replied, those conversations have been relayed to current and past legislators for years. After the meeting, Sinclair presented selectmen with the eight questions conceived at the earlier school committee meeting. The meeting ended with selectmen seeking volunteers to join a committee researching ways to lower municipal and educational spending. Selectmen will likely review the school committee’s questions at a future meeting. 

The school committee seeks answers to eight questions. No. 1: What steps does the selectboard take to promote public awareness of and attendance at school committee meetings? No. 2: What process will the selectboard have for informing the school committee of any school-related questions or discussions that occur at other Edgecomb meetings? No.3: What changes will the selectboard propose for the budget process? No. 4: What reports and/or recommendations does the selectboard typically receive from the budget committee? No. 5: Could the school committee receive copies of all such budget committee reports and/or be invited to all meetings in which such reports are given?

No. 6: Is the selectboard aware of the recent invitations from the AOS 98 board to selectmen to participate in regionalization discussions? No. 7: How can the school and selectboards work together to participate in future discussions of school reorganization? No. 8: Could the selectboard prepare information for the public regarding the effects the planned revaluation will have on mill rates?

“The newly seated Edgecomb School Committee looks forward to participating with selectboard and residents in any matters of concern. We invite public comment and attendance at meetings and encourage written communications to the school board and administration,” Sinclair wrote.

Selectmen meet next at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3 in the conference room.