Town of Raymond, Maine

LEGAL ADVERTISEMENT

TOWN OF RAYMOND

Raymond Maine 04071

PLANNING BOARD

Site Walk

Wednesday, June 9th, 2021

6:30 P.M.

You are hereby notified of the Raymond PLANNING BOARD Site Walk at the following location Wednesday, June 9th, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. regarding the information on the following application:

The site walk will commence at 6:30 p.m. on site.  We request that attendees wear masks and observe all COVID 19 precautions.

Copy of the submitted pre-application is available for review on the town website https://www.raymondmaine.org/boards-committees/planning-board/pb-agenda  after May 18th, 2021, OR at the Town Office (401 Webbs Mills Road) by appointment during regular business hours

Docks

Moorings

Personal Campsite

Pool Above Ground

Pool In Ground

Maine Forest Service to present wildfire prevention plan to the town of Raymond

Tuesday June 1, 2021 at the Public Safety Building

6:30pm - open to the public 

Maine’s Forest Rangers have a wildland fire prevention program to help communities reduce the risk of wildfire near their homes. Throughout Maine, an average of 500 wildfires are reported annually. In 2020, due to drought conditions, the number of wildfires increased to over 1154 fires that burned 1047 acres. Out of those fires, nearly ¾’s threaten, damage or destroy structures. Compared to other rural communities, Raymond is at a moderate to high risk for a wildfire due to limited access, the build-up of forest fuels and close proximity of structures.

During the fall of 2018 and in the spring of 2019, over fifty wildfire risk assessments were conducted randomly in the Wild Acres community and throughout Raymond. Only the exterior of the houses and the surrounding landscape were evaluated for fire risk. The results of these wildfire risk assessment have been summarized in a report called a “Community Wildfire Protection Plan.”

On Tuesday, June 1 at 6:30pm, several Forest Rangers will give a presentation on the CWPP at the Raymond Public Safety Building at 1443 Roosevelt Trail. The presentation should last about 30 – 40 minutes. Seats will be 6’ to 8’ feet apart and face coverings will be worn. Members of the Raymond Fire and Rescue Department have provided input to the CWPP and will also be in attendance. At the end, there will be a short discussion of the MFS free “Defensible Space Chipping Program.” Raymond now qualifies for the program, which provide one day of brush chipping for homeowners who have cut brush near their structures.

OPEN BURNING:

Burning permits may be issued for after 5 PM burning depending on the fire danger classification. The exception is day burning may be allowed if it is actively raining. It is the time of year which allows for rapidly changing conditions and fire spread due the the fuels being dead, winds intensify with radiational heating and cooling, and humidity is lower in the day hours allowing for fires to escape. After 5 PM winds typically die down and humidity rises making it safer to burn with a lower risk of spread.

This ends when we arrive at green up typically the end of May.

FY 2021-2022 Proposed Budget

The Town of Raymond is seeking a volunteer to be a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA).

The ZBA hears appeals of decisions by Raymond's Code Enforcement Officer regarding Raymond's Land Use and Shoreland Ordinances. To volunteer on this board you must be at least 18 years of age and reside in Raymond

Meetings are held as needed at 7:00 pm the last Tuesday of the month via ZOOM (for the duration of the health emergency) and are streamed live and broadcast for public attendance.  Every ZBA meeting is also a public meeting, :i.e.  the public will be given the opportunity to express their concerns and comment on the merits of the application.

Site walks are held on Saturday morning, 9 days before the meeting.

Meetings typically last about an hour and only meet on an as-needed basis. No experience is necessary, just an interest in the well-being of the community.

For an application click HERE or call 655-4742 ext 161 and speak to Mary for more information.

The Town of Raymond is seeking a volunteer to be a member of the Planning Board.

If you are interested in guiding the orderly development of the Town of Raymond, as well as ensuring the environmental protection of our 5 ponds, 2 lakes, and shoreland then this is the opportunity for you!  The Planning Board enforces the Land Use Ordinance and has a hand annually in developing future ordinances and changing existing ordinances.

To volunteer on this board you must be at least 18 years of age and reside in Raymond.  If you care about your town and want to have a hand in its protection, then this is the place for you.   Background in municipal planning, development, real estate, building, etc., each have something to add to the Planning Board as well.

Meetings are held at 7:00 pm the second Wednesday of the month via ZOOM (for the duration of the health emergency) and are streamed live and broadcast for public attendance.

For an application click HERE or call 655-4742 ext 161 and speak to Mary for more information.

Spectrum Northeast, LLC, locally known as Spectrum, will be making changes to the channel lineup for customers in the Cumberland channel lineup. On or around July 29, 2020, Public Access channels 1301 will be dual illuminated on channel 2, channel 1302 will be dual illuminated on channel 3 and Community Access channel 1303 will be dual illuminated on channel 5.

Additionally, on or around July 29, 2020, WPXT 2 MyTV will be relocated from channel 3 to channel 7.

To view a current Spectrum channel lineup visit www.spectrum.com/channels.

From Maine.gov/ConnectMe website:

Mission Broadband has offered a quick survey to collect data on some of the impacts of this current COVID-19 is having on all aspects of our broadband network. They put together a survey to try to capture the end users perspective that might help guide efforts to improve broadband across the state.The survey focuses on a few key items during this crisis, the influx of at home usages from families staying at home. It’s designed to highlight the gaps in coverage, inadequate coverage and social-economic factors. 

To take the survey please follow the link here: https://www.maine.gov/connectme/home

The Town of Raymond staff, along with some dedicated volunteers, will be using  a phone tree list and making phones calls to check in on our families that might need help during this national health emergency due to the Coronavirus or COVID-19.

If you know of some elderly residents or a resident that might benefit from assistance - encourage them to call to get added to the phone tree.

Residents of Raymond who want to be added to the phone tree or need help securing food or medications can call the Town Hall at 655-4742 ext. 124 or Cathy Gosselin, Town of Raymond Health Officer at 756-2374 or cathy.gosselin@raymondmaine.org, or email Covid19@raymondmaine.org. 

Click HERE for report.

The Town of Raymond has been working with Standish, Windham, and Gray to explore the possibility of bringing broadband internet service to this region.

Information relating to these efforts:

• Introduction
• Technology Plan Summary
• Map
• Windham Eagle Article - August 24, 2018

If you have any feedback or questions please contact:

• Don Willard, Raymond Town Manager via email or 207-655-4742 x131
• Thomas Bartell, Windham Economie Development Executive Director via email or 207-892-1936

Become a Foster Grandparent or Senior Companion!

The Opportunity Alliance has meaningful volunteer opportunities available for adults 55 and older in Southern Maine. Foster Grandparents are placed in schools and child development centers to support school readiness and academic achievement of children. Senior Companions make independence a reality for isolated elders by visiting clients in their homes and providing transportation assistance for doctor’s appointments and/or grocery shopping.

Volunteers who commit to a minimum of 15 hours/week and meet generous income guidelines, receive a tax-free stipend, mileage and meal reimbursement. All volunteers receive ongoing training, recognition, and supervision.

We are also accepting referrals for individuals interested in having a Senior Companion provide socialization and local transportation.

To learn more about becoming a volunteer or client, please call 207-773-0202 or toll-free at 1-800-698-4959.

Any residents that are having trouble this time of year with the effects of the extreme cold, whether it be frozen/burst pipes, reduced or no access to heating fuel are encouraged to use 211 Maine as a resource. 211 is a free, confidential information and referral service that connects people of all ages across Maine to local services and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

You can call, text, email or search their website.

They are available to discuss options, programs and services that can help with heating and utility assistance. Along with financial assistance, health care, mental health, domestic violence and addiction treatment. 

Approved at Town Meeting, the Town of Raymond is planning to extend the current sidewalk on Route 302 along Main Street to the intersection of Route 121 (Meadow Road).

For more information click HERE.

The Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce has put together a program highlighting the Lakes Region area.  To view the segment about Raymond you can click HERE.  The show will begin airing this month on some local networks and run through to June. To view the entire show you can click HERE which covers other towns in the area in additon to Raymond. 

Just a reminder to all citizens to make sure your mailbox and/or house has proper identification so that emergency services can locate your home in the event of an emergency. 

The Public Safety Building located at 1443 Roosevelt Trail offers FREE mailbox numbers to those who need them.

Remember: They Can't Help You, If They Can't Find You.