This office retains all records of Town maps in the Municipal Building where property assessment information is available to general public, including:

1. Tax maps 

a. Click here to open Tax Map page
b. Or stop in to the Town Office to view or purchase a set

2.Commitment Books as of April 1, 2005

a. Click here to download the current Commitment Book 
b. Or stop in to the Town Office to view or purchase it

3. Transfer Tax forms indicating sales information

4. Deeds 

5. Septic Designs

These records may be examined anytime during normal business hours, and copies are available for the following fees:

• Regular copies 8 ½ x 11 - $0.25/page

• Copies of 11 x 17 - $1.00/page

• Maps - $1.00/page

• Full Book Maps - $20.00

• Full Commitment Book - $100.00 

Due to the high volume of inquiries, information available by telephone is limited to basic assessment data. If you require more than Map and Lot, Location, Owner, Assessment, or Book and Page-please visit our Town Office.

 

 General Tax Information: 

Tax rate: $12.20 per thousand dollars of valuation for Fiscal year 2007.
Due Dates: October 2, 2006 and April 2, 2007 
Interest rate: 6.75% 
Fiscal year: July 1 to June 30 
Assessment Date: April 1, 2006 
Commitment Date: Typically the first week of August
Assessment ratio: 100%
Public counter: The Assessor's Office is located in the Town office. The office maintains a public counter  at which assessment information is available, including tax maps, valuation listings according to name and according to map/lot, sales lists, property cards. These may be examined during regular office hours and copies are available for a reasonable fee. 

Abatement Applications

Directions

After a tax bill has been issued the process of a taxpayer requesting a reduction in the tax on property is to request an abatement. This is a written request for a reduction in the valuation of property on which the tax of the property was calculated. The request should be specific and should state the particular reduction in valuation that is requested and the reasons why it is requested.

• Download Application For Abatement Of Property Taxes Form (PDF)
  

Generally speaking, requests for abatement take a couple of forms. One type of request is that the valuation of the property is in excess of the market value of the property. In this type of request, the applicant might support the request for an abatement of taxes based upon what recent sales of similar properties in the area have been or based upon a recent appraisal, submitted with the abatement request, of the property. Such a request might be based upon corrected information, such as the corrected size of the structure or the surveyed size of the land parcel, or information that might not have been readily available, such as recorded restrictions on how the land parcel can be utilized.

A second type of request is based upon a comparison of the assessed valuation of your property with the assessed valuation of similar property in town. If the taxpayer can demonstrate that their property is valued excessively compared to the assessed value of similar property in the community, this can provide the basis of an abatement.

Abatement requests need to be made within 185 days of the date of commitment of taxes.

Abatement requests must be filed with the Board of Assessors at the address above.

The Assessors have 60 days after the receipt of a written request to make a decision on the request. The taxpayer can appeal the decision of the Assessors if the abatement request is denied or if an abatement in an amount smaller than requested is granted. Such an appeal in Damariscotta is filed with the Lincoln County Commissioners.

If you are of the opinion that your tax valuation is too high and should be reduced, you must make a written request for an abatement. It is the process outlined by Maine law and it provides you with an appeal procedure if your request is denied.

Additional information on property tax abatement and appeal procedures is available in Property Tax Bulletin Number 10. This document is also available from Maine Revenue Services property tax division at 207-287-2011.

Massasoit Engine Company is a Paid/Volunteer Department made up of 35 professional volunteers.

Our training skills vary from the basic Firefighter Level to Firefighter 1 Level, as well as Hazardous Material Operations Level. This allows us to provide the best protection to our residents and our community that it deserves.

We operate out of 1 station located at 27 Massasoit Drive with the following equipment:

• 2003 ONE 100’ LADDER TRUCK
• 2003 PIERCE "CLASS A" PUMPER
• 1978 AMERICAN LaFRANCE "CLASS A" PUMPER
• 1978 FORD RESCUE VEHICLE
• 1985 GMC FRONT END PUMPER "BRUSH VEHICLE"
• 1986 INTERNATIONAL TANKER
• 1985 FORD CROWN VICTORIA "CHIEFS CAR"

Anyone interested in becoming a member of the Massasoit Engine Company may contact Chief Genthner at the fire station at 207-563-8286 or stop by on a Tuesday night and get a tour of our station.

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General Assistance

21 School Street
Damariscotta, ME 04543
PH: (207) 563-5168 FAX: (207) 563-6862 
Greg Zinser, General Assistance Administrator 

The Damariscotta General Assistance Program provides short-term assistance for basic needs of eligible applicants who cannot provide for themselves and their families. 

General Assistance provides "a specific amount and type of aid for defined needs during a limited period of time and is not intended to be a continuing 'grant-in-aid' or 'categorical' welfare program"(§4301(5)) 

Whoever knowingly and willfully makes any false representation of a material fact to the overseer of any municipality, or to the department or it's agents for the purpose of causing that or any other person to be granted assistance by the municipality or by the State is ineligible for assistance for a period of 120 days and is guilty of a Class E crime, which carries a penalty of up to $1,000 fine and one year in jail. (22 M.S.R.A §4315) 

General Assistance has developed into a program to try to make recipients more accountable, and encourages self-reliance. A person applying for this assistance is required to utilize all available resources (i.e. TANF, food stamps, Medicaid, fuel assistance, subsidized daycare, etc.). 

With overall maximum levels of assistance being quite low, it is critical to network with local and area resources to access all available assistance. 

Residents of the Town who are having difficulty meeting basic needs such as housing, utilities (electricity and heating fuel), and food may apply for assistance at the Town Office during normal business hours. 

The Town must issue a written decision regarding eligibility to all applicants within 24 hours of receiving an application. Additionally, financial assistance is awarded for help with dental care and in other areas where a person’s health, appearance or a child’s learning ability is compromised. Also, assistance is granted for emergency situations such as housing, heating products and other expenses. This money is generated through the Philbrook Trust Fund held by the Town. Applications for this fund are available through the Town Office, and residents are eligible based on need. 

The Department of Human Services has a toll free telephone number to call with questions regarding General Assistance - 1-800-442-6003.

February 8, 2007: The Town of Damariscotta wishes to announce the new General Assistance Workfare Program. This program will amend how the Town currently handles general assistance recipients. The Town Officials and Municipal Officers will require able-bodied general assistance recipients to work or volunteer for the Municipality or a designated organization as a condition of receiving general assistance either currently or in the future. All able-bodied general assistance recipients must comply with all work requirements assigned including, but not limited to, looking for work in good faith, registering for work, accepting all suitable job offers, maintaining employment, and participating in training, educational, or rehabilitation programs that will assist in securing employment.
This program is pursuant to the ‘workfare first’ policy of 22M.R.S.A§4316-A(2)(D).

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Highway

The Highway Department is responsible for...

• Construction, maintenance, and repair all Town roads 

• Approximately 9,240 feet of sidewalk 

• The maintenance of three cemeteries 

• The plowing and sanding of 23 miles of road during the winter months as well as the municipal parking lot

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Planning & Development

The Planning & Development Department is responsible for administering and enforcing the Town's land use Ordinances as well as federal and state regulations that govern land use. 

The department also ensures compliance with these rules and regulations by reviewing plans prior to construction and conducting inspections of the projects. 

The Planning & Development Department issues all permits associated with projects, including building, plumbing, and land use permits.

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Police

Our Vision

Damariscotta's Police  Department is a community oriented, pro-active police department sharing a mutual trust and respect, both with our community and our peers, that will make a difference for our future.

Our Mission

Is to provide quality progressive police services to our community by working in partnership with the community, by promoting a safe environment while raising the quality of life for al through police and citizen interaction and by focusing on respect, integrity, fairness, and professionalism.

Our Values

Integrity: The foundation of our Agency is defined by its employees’ honesty, moral standards, compassion, ethical conduct and sincerity.

Respect: We must display and demonstrate consideration toward all, thus fostering a lasting respect from those we serve. "Treat others as you would like to be treated."

Teamwork: By supporting one another in common goals and working together for efficient resolution, we will better serve the community.

Partnership: Understanding that the police alone cannot solve community problems and crime, we encourage a trusting relationship between the police and citizens. We encourage and support the assistance and contributions of all community members

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Town Clerk

The Town Clerk's office: 

• Issues Marriage Licenses

• Issues Hunting and Fishing Licenses, 

• Issues Certified Copies of Birth Certificates, Death Certificates and Marriage Licenses

• Provides election results and regulations, 

• Issues dog licenses

• Provides voter information, and more! 

This office is responsible for recording all vitals (births, marriages, and deaths) and issues all certificates of births, marriages, and deaths if the event occurs within the Town of Damariscotta or if the person or persons were residents of Damariscotta at the time of the event. 

Maintenance and preservation of such records is a vital part of the Clerk's office responsibilities. Certified copies of these records are available and issued to the public upon request. Any corrections, additions, and/or deletions required are made to these records by the Town Clerk's office in accordance with the State Of Maine's Office of Vital Records.

Certified copies of the records are available for purchase. The State of Maine sets the fees of $10.00 for the first copy and $5.00 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. 

The Clerk's office is also responsible for holding and supervising elections.  This is not a task that can be done without the generous help of the dedicated Damariscotta residents. I would like to thank all of the Election Clerks who volunteer their time year after year, often assisting with two or three elections per year.  Without their help the elections would not go as smoothly as they do.  Once the polls close at 8:00 p.m., the counting of all ballots cast begins.  This is also a position in which I must depend greatly on the residents of Damariscotta. 

Because this job begins at 8:00 p.m. and continues to the early morning hours, it is a position that is extremely difficult to fill. I often depend on the same residents to help out with the counting, and thankfully they continue to assist with this job. Thank you to all of those who lend a hand with the elections. Without you it would be impossible! If anyone is interested in working the elections, please contact Cheryl Pinkham at 563-5168. 

In addition, the Clerk's office sells hunting and fishing licenses to Maine residents and non-residents; issues dog licenses.  Snowmobiles, ATV's, boats, and automobiles are registered at the Town Clerk's office. Due to the length of time it takes to process new vehicle registrations, we are unable to process these within a half an hour of closing times.

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Town Manager

On behalf of the Town of Damariscotta's Municipal Government, welcome to our website. Under constant development, we hope that it will provide information to keep citizens and visitors informed on what is happening in Damariscotta. 

Our goal is to provide quality and responsive public service in a timely manner, and this site is an additional way in which you can communicate with us concerning Town services, discover information about Damariscotta, review Damariscotta's Ordinances and learn about issues being addressed by the Board of Selectmen, Planning Board and other boards and committees. 

We hope that residents and visitors alike find this site comprehensive and helpful, and we would be pleased to hear from you about ways in which it can be of more assistance to you. 

Please take some time to explore this site and forward any questions or requests to the Town Clerk. This site will be updated frequently to provide you with as much information as possible. 

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Water & Sewer Services