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Voters in towns across Washington County are being called to special town meetings this week to talk about whether they want to prepay their portion of the $8 million debt the county owes for 2025 to Machias Savings Bank for a tax anticipation note, or TAN, that comes due Dec. 31.

Each town has been asked to consider prepaying its share this year. If it does not, the portion will be added to its 2026 tax bill.

The state’s 2025 valuation for Washington County is $5.66 billion, and each town’s payoff amount is based on a percentage of that figure. Towns with higher valuations — including Addison, Calais, Eastport, Milbridge, Jonesport, Lubec, Machiasport, Steuben and Whiting — will pay a larger share of the debt.

Baileyville faces the highest percentage, at 7.2 percent, and its payoff amount is the largest, at $572,742. Because Baileyville has a larger population than many Washington County municipalities, however, its per capita cost is $439 — less than some other communities.

Milbridge, where the TAN payoff plus interest is $432,066, will not prepay.

Bennington and Deblois have also decided against prepaying.

These three towns are shouldering the highest per capita cost for Washington County’s current debt:

* Bennington: $1,577 per person (population 62)

* Deblois: $850 per person (population 76)

* Milbridge: $719 per person (population 610)

Calais officials have also balked at paying their portion, which is $381,451, but as a city with 3,110 residents, the per capita cost is just $123, the third lowest in the county.

In Jonesport, facing a $375,088 payoff, town officials recommend borrowing from the surplus account and repaying it with 1 percent interest over five years — a plan they say would cost far less than borrowing from a bank.

The recommendation is scheduled to go before voters at a special town meeting this week.  

Read our story on what other towns are doing — or not doing — as they near the Dec. 24 decision deadline.

For each municipality’s payoff amount, see our alphabetical database, which breaks down the tax anticipation note payoff, municipal valuations, percentage of valuation assessed per town, population and per capita cost.  

Keep reading this newsletter for more local news from Washington County.

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Time is running out for Washington County towns to come up with prepayment plans: Washington County Manager Renée Gray says ‘it’s time to put the pitchforks away’ and work together to dig out from the county’s $8 million debt. Read this story by Judith Meyer

Machias’ historic Centre Street Congregational Church seeks public input on steeple restoration, future use: A newly formed Building Preservation Committee is weighing funding options for church and steeple restoration while exploring a nonprofit future as a community center. Read this story by Evan Houk

Meeting to seek input from public library directors has been canceled: The Maine State Library staff canceled Tuesday’s meeting as the system awaits legal guidance on proposed revised standards for the state’s public libraries. Read this story by Judith Meyer

While The Maine Monitor does not place its content behind paywalls, some newsrooms we link to in this newsletter may. 

Federal appeals court upholds state's right to track location of lobstermen in federal waters. | Maine Public

It’s getting harder to live in rural Maine. | The Maine Monitor and Bangor Daily News

The federal ‘Big Brother Bill’ could impact Maine hunters and anglers in federal lands touching the international boundary — primarily adjacent portions of Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge. | Bangor Daily News

Visitors flooded Acadia in October despite limited staff and closed amenities. | Bar Harbor Story

Half-price annual Acadia National Park passes go on sale December 1. | Bar Harbor Story

James Clark, a political newcomer from Washington County, has officially joined Maine's 2nd Congressional District race. | Maine Public

A rule proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency would strip federal protections from seasonal and intermittent wetlands, including streams and waterbodies in Maine. | Maine Public

50 years on, Maine's black bear study is still essential tool for population management.  Maine Public

The Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport is launching a major restoration of Big Jim, the 40-foot-tall fisherman statue that has stood as a coastal landmark since 1959. | Ellsworth American

Amid budget crisis, Washington County commissioners to hold December 1 workshop to discuss closing the Calais district attorney’s office, and a proposal to sell county land and the current RCC Building. | Washington County website

Jonesport to hold special meeting December 3 to weigh paying $375,088.26 from surplus to assist Washington County with a TAN payment. | Town of Jonesport website

Have feedback, a correction or know of something we should look into? Send it to our newsroom. You can reach Monitor Local editor Judy Meyer directly via email: judy@themainemonitor.org.

The Maine Monitor is a publication of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, an independent and nonpartisan nonprofit news organization that produces investigative journalism. We believe news is a public good and keep our news free to access. We have no paywall and do not charge for our newsletters. If you value the reporting we do for Maine, please consider making a donation! We cannot do this reporting without your support.

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