LIVERMORE FALLS — At the selectmen meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 20, the new sewer billing system was explained. There was also discussion about the town revaluation having started and availability of absentee ballots for the presidential election.

“The sewer billing has changed from quarterly to annually, so one bill goes out a year with two due dates,” Tammy Gray, deputy clerk/sewer clerk, said. “Due dates for this year are Sept. 16th and Feb. 14th.”

A notice was included with the bill regarding the change in hours at the town office and the new sewer billing system, Gray noted. “We have also told them that they can pay any way that is the easiest for them whether it is weekly, biweekly, monthly or quarterly provided it is paid by the due date,” she said. “Anything still owed past the due date will collect interest.”

Numerous people have asked about how consumption is determined, that didn’t change, Gray stated. Monthly water readings for three consecutive months during the winter are obtained from the Livermore Falls Water District, she said. Which three months are used depends on the district’s cycle, she noted.

“We do that because there is no water consumption being used outside,” she stated. “No pools, washing cars, so it is just consumption that is going down into the sewer system. We already knew what we were going to bill you each quarter going ahead. That is how we are still doing it now.”

“If your water consumption was 10 units or 10 cubic feet, we already knew that for July 1 to June 30 we were going to be billing you 40 cubic feet for water,” Gray said. “That hasn’t changed.”

What has changed is the base fee, Gray noted. “It used to be $75 just to be hooked to sewer whether water was used or not — that was per quarter. Now the quarterly base fee is $80 per quarter for using 0-8 cubic feet in a quarter. That is how we came up with the base fee of $320 for one year with 32 cubic feet. Anything over that, then you get charged per cubic foot going forward.”

Gray said the charge is for the year. Customers can figure out what the monthly cost would be so they don’t have to pay it all at once next year, she noted.

Selectman Jim Long asked about the last sewer rate change, thought it was last changed five or six years ago.

The last increase was in 2018, Town Manager Carrie Castonguay said. “I was told it was a 10% increase at that time, was a board decision,” she noted. “The auditor’s recommendation was actually 30% so we have been behind for a number of years.”

In other business, Castonguay said revaluation field work started Aug. 20. Workers will have stickers on their cars, name tags and most will be wearing shirts with O’Donnell information on them, she said.

“We have a list of vehicles with license plates here at the office so we know who should and shouldn’t be out,” she noted. “If people see strangers in the neighborhood, please don’t be alarmed. They estimate it will take about five or six months. They will be around for a while.”

Last September the town manager was authorized to write a letter of intent to have John E. O’Donnell & Associates of New Gloucester do a revaluation of properties in town, the Sun Journal reported. “The revaluation will cost about $200,000, Paul Binette from the firm and the town’ assessing agent said,” it was reported. “The revaluation won’t occur for a few years because most firms are booked. O’Donnell has a two-year waiting period.”

In May 2023, the Sun Journal reported the town’s last revaluation was done about 1999.

On Thursday, Gray said revaluation information and the list about those doing the field work is on the town’s Facebook page.

Absentee ballots for the Nov. 5 presidential election are not available yet but can be requested, Town Clerk Doris Austin told Selectmen Aug. 20. They will be sent out when they come in, she said. “It is going to be busy,” she noted. “I am getting four or five requests a day already.”