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Town of Casco Nomination Papers
Nomination papers are available at the Casco Town Office beginning Monday, March 4, 2024 for the following positions:
- One (1) member of the Casco Selectboard for a three (3) year term.
- One (1) member of the Open Space Commission for a two (2) year term to fill a vacancy.
- One (1) member of the Open Space Commission for a one (1) year term to fill a vacancy.
- One (1) member of the MSAD #61 Board of Directors for a three (3) year term.
The filing deadline is the close of business hours (5:00pm) on Thursday, April 11, 2024.
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Semi-Open Primary
Effective January 1, 2024, Maine is transitioning from a closed primary system to a Semi-Open Primary. This change means that unenrolled voters will now be able to participate in the Presidential Primary. If you are an Unenrolled voter, meaning you are registered to vote but are not enrolled in a political party, you will be able to choose any party ballot available.
The Maine Secretary of State's Office has provided the following information for voters regarding Maine's first Semi-Open Primary:
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REGISTERING TO VOTE
The State of Maine allows residents to register to vote anytime, including the day of the election. Residents of Casco may register to vote at the Town Clerk's Office, or at the Crooked River Elementary School on the day of the election. Proof of residency and proof of identity is required.
Maine Voter Registration Application: Fillable PDF Word
Instructions for completing the Maine Voter Registration Application
After completing and signing the voter registration application, voters are encouraged to deliver directly to the Municipal Clerk or Registrar of Voters in the municipality where they live, to avoid delays in processing.
Click here for additional voter registration information.
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Special Town Meeting Unofficial Results
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Property Revaluation Update
Primary revaluation inspections have been completed for the Town of Casco. Authorized Vision revaluation inspectors will now be performing callback inspections for those properties where inspectors were previously unable to contact property owners.
Residents and property owners on the callback list will be receiving a callback notification letter in the mail. Waterfront property inspection callbacks have been deferred to a later date to accommodate seasonal residencies. Commercial and industrial property owners will also be receiving a survey/questionnaire in the mail.
A Selectboard meeting will be held in April (date to be determined) and attended by Cumberland County Assessing to provide updates and answer any questions regarding the revaluation process.
Revised valuations are tentatively scheduled to be mailed to property owners the week of May 22, 2024. A public hearing will be scheduled after distribution of the updated valuations to address property owner questions or concerns.
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Bulky Waste & Transfer Station | |
The Casco-Naples Bulky Waste & Transfer Station will be switching to Summer Hours as of Wednesday, March 13, 2024. Summer hours will remain in effect through November 6, 2024. | |
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2022 ITEMS THAT WERE RECYCLED OR REPURPOSED
AT THE BULKY WASTE & TRANSFER STATION
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Municipal Solid Waste: 1,055 tons
Mixed Recyclables: 90.25 tons
Metal: 337.77 tons
Cardboard: 84 tons
Copper & Aluminum: 11.87 tons
Leaves: 81 tons made into compost
Tires: 1, 796 ground up to be used as road beds
Car Batteries: 3,780 lbs.
Electronic Waste: 21.94 tons
Fluorescent Lights: 850 lbs.
Clean Wood: 72.65 tons ground and shipped to Quebec to make OSB plywood
Asphalt Shingles: 20.50 tons ground and used for road paving
Brush: 248 tons shipped to Old Castle in Poland to be used as mulch
Salvation Army Clothing Donations: 17.74 tons collected to be sold in retail stores.
Customer Recycling From Facility: 166 tons, including doors, windows, clothing, furniture, tools, wood, small appliances, dishes, light fixtures, bicycles, tires, etc.
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POSTED ROADS: The following roads are limited to heavy loads from Thursday, February 22, 2024, through Wednesday, May 1, 2024. Be advised that access to some roads not listed is limited as travel over posted roads is required. Please check road maps for information on travel routes.
For more information or questions, please contact Anthony Ward at 627-4515 ext. 1201. *Please press the star key and wait for prompt before entering extension.
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Posted roads are closed (unless solidly frozen)* to all vehicles or combination of vehicles except:
a. Any vehicles or combination of vehicles registered for gross weight of 23,000 pounds or less.
b. Any vehicle or combination of vehicles registered for a gross weight in excess of 23,000 pounds and traveling without a load other than tools or equipment necessary for the proper operation of the vehicle. This exemption does NOT apply to special mobile equipment.
c. State or municipal highway maintenance vehicles or authorized vehicles under the direction of a public jurisdiction engaged in emergency maintenance of public highways or appurtenances thereto.
d. Passenger cars, pickup trucks, emergency vehicles, school buses, fuel delivery trucks, and vehicles with three axles or less under the direction of a public utility and engaged in plant maintenance or repair.
e. Any vehicle operating with a valid special permit or exemption certificate to travel over posted roads issued by the Department of Transportation, County or Municipality.
*The highway is considered “solidly frozen” only when the air temperature is 32º F or below and no water is showing in the cracks of the road. BOTH conditions must be met.
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The Community Center Gymnasium will be CLOSED to the public from March 4th - March 23rd for floor maintenance and repairs. | |
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Thank you to all who joined Casco Recreation
and the Open Space Commission at the
"Snow Moon" Community Snowshoe to Owl Pond!
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Spring Registrations
To register for upcoming youth programs, please visit our online registration page or contact Beth Latsey, Recreation Director at blatsey@cascomaine.org.
FMI or to register for adult programs, please contact Beth Latsey for program dates/times and registration details.
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Tax Collector & Treasurer | |
Important Notices for Property Owners & Taxpayers | |
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FY 2024 Real Estate & Personal Property Taxes
Due Date for 2nd half: March 6, 2024
Late Fees will accrue on outstanding balances on March 20, 2024.
Tax payments can be submitted at the Town Office, or through the online property tax payment service. Please note: Maine PayPort is a third-party payment processor and there is a fee for use of this service. The fee is a minimum of $1.00 or 2.5% of the total payment, whichever is greater.
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FMI regarding the status of property tax accounts please contact Pamela Griffin, Tax Collector, at (207) 627-4515, ext. 1207 or at pgriffin@cascomaine.org. | |
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Property Tax Stabilization for Senior Citizens Update
LD 290, The “Property Tax Stabilization for Senior Citizens” program, enacted in August 2022, was repealed by the Maine Legislature on July 6, 2023, with an effective date of October 11, 2023. This program allowed Maine seniors 65 and older, who owned a permanent residence for at least 10 years and were receiving (or eligible for) a homestead exemption, to freeze taxes at the previous year’s level regardless of income.
The repeal of this program means there will be no reapplication process or future enrollments. Although the program has been repealed, the first-year applications were still administered. Those enrolled did not see an increase in their property taxes on their FY 2024 tax bill, as taxes were stabilized at the FY 2023 amounts. This program has been discontinued.
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Two Tax Relief Programs Being Expanded
To help lower-income seniors avoid higher property taxes and remain in their homes, two existing State programs are being expanded:
1. The Property Tax Fairness Credit, which currently allows eligible Mainers to take a $1,500 credit, has increased to $2,000; it also changes limits on the program in a way that allows the benefits to remain constant for a Mainer whose spouse passes away. Please note: This program is not administered by the Town of Casco. To claim the credit, you must file Form 1040ME and Schedule PTFC/STFC for the tax year during which the property tax or rent was paid. For more info, please visit: Property Tax Fairness Credit Summary.
2. The State Property Tax Deferral Program, which provides a lifeline loan program that covers the annual property tax bills of Maine seniors who are age 65 and older who cannot afford to pay them on their own, has also been expanded. The expansion doubles the income limit on this program to $80,000 and raises asset limits. Taxes must be paid back when the home is sold or becomes part of an estate.
Please note: This program is not administered by the Town of Casco; questions on this State managed program can be referred to Maine Revenue Services, Property Tax Division, at 207-624-5600 or prop.tax@maine.gov. For more info, please visit: State Property Tax Deferral Program.
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Selectboard Meetings
Tuesday, March 5, 2024, 6:00pm
Joint Budget Workshop with Selectboard & Finance Committee
Monday, March 11, 2024, 5:30pm
Tuesday, March 12, 2024, 5:30pm
Monday, March 18, 2024, 5:30pm
Tuesday, March 19, 2024, 5:30pm
*Monday, March 25, 2024, 5:30pm
*Tuesday, March 26, 2024, 5:30pm
*Meetings will only be held on the 25th & 26th if additional time is needed.
Planning Board Meetings
Monday, March 11, 2024, 6:30pm
Zoning Board of Appeals Meetings
Monday, March 18, 2024, 6:00pm
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Bulky Waste & Transfer Station Council Meetings
Future Meeting Dates TBD
Open Space Commission Meetings
Monday, March 18, 2024, 6:00pm
Please note: Meetings dates & times are subject to change. Please check website to confirm meeting information.
Missed a meeting? Along with agendas and minutes, audio recordings of Selectboard and Planning Board meetings can now be streamed directly from the Town website.
Video recordings of Selectboard meetings can also be accessed from the Lake Region TV archives.
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Town Office Closures
Tuesday, March 5, 2024 • Election Day
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Lake Region Middle School
Book Launch Party
Invitation from Opportunity Alliance
This past fall, a class of Lake Region Middle School students participated in a storytelling residency with The Telling Room in partnership with The Opportunity Alliance.
Over the course of 12 weeks students worked with The Telling Room teaching artists to craft their personal narratives reflecting on resiliency and sense of place. These stories have recently been published and we are excited to celebrate our newest authors of Lake Region Middle School and their book, Into the Depths: Tears of the Seals with you!
Please RSVP by March 10th to reserve your seat for this wonderful celebration. Limited copies of the book will be for sale at the event. FMI regarding this project or to RSVP, please contact Susan Guthro at susan.guthro@opportunityalliance.org.
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ecoMaine
Upcycling Challenge
Designed for Kindergarten through 12th grade, the Upcycle Challenge invites students to take items that would otherwise be thrown away and create something new.
Participants will have the opportunity to win
a $250 award in their respective age groups!
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Casco Public Library
Programs for Adults
Mahjong
Tuesdays from 2:00-4:00pm
Come play and meet new friends. All levels of experience welcome!
Makers Meetup
Thursdays 2:00-4:00pm
Bring a project and meet other creative people in the community.
Drop in for a little while or stay until we close! All ages & abilities welcome!
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Programs for Kids
Multiage Storytime
Tuesdays, 10:30-11:30am
Weekly Homeschool Hour
Join other homeschooling families for a variety of activities including Lego Club!
FMI or to see the full calendar of library events and programs please visit the Casco Public Library.
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Town Newsletter
Subscribe to the Town of Casco newsletter and have the latest Town news & updates delivered straight to your inbox. Newsletters are distributed via email and are archived on our website for easy access.
Meetings & Department Notifications
Stay informed and up-to-date on Town meetings and departmental announcements by signing up for email notifications for Selectboard, Planning Board, and Open Space Commission meetings, as well as website announcements from selected departments. Simply visit our sign-up page and select the notifications you are interested in receiving.
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Please note: Due to recent phone system upgrade, the Town of Casco department extensions have recently changed. The majority of Town Departments can now be reached by calling the main line at (207) 627-4515 and pressing the star key followed by the Department extension. Please remember to press the star key * and wait for the prompt before entering department extensions. | |
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Main Phone Number
(207) 627-4515
Dial 0 for the Main Office
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| Department | Extensions | | Town Manager | 1201 | | Code Enforcement Officer | 1203 | | Assistant Code Enforcement Officer | 1216 | | Fire Chief | 1301 | | Public Works | 1206 | | Recreation Director | 1400 | | Town Clerk | 1205 | | Treasurer/Tax Collector | 1207 | | |
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In Case of Emergency: Dial 911
Non-Emergency Dispatch & Animal Control: (207) 893-2810
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