RANGELEY — The Board of Selectmen is heading into a busy season as members Monday outlined upcoming property revaluation dates and reviewed progress on the Scenic Byways project and other town matters.
The board said property revaluation notices will be mailed June 26, with review hearings scheduled for July 6 and July 13. Each session with the assessor is expected to run 15 to 20 minutes and may be held in person, by telephone or by email.
The commitment hearing is set for the end of July. The collected assessment data will be used for the 2026 tax season, which begins April 1.
As of Jan. 14, 2026, total property valuations were $1.37 billion for the town of Rangeley and $371.85 million for Rangeley Plantation.
Property owners who want to challenge their revaluation have 185 days from the commitment date to file for an abatement. The assessor’s office in Rangeley said abatements may be granted when an error or irregular assessment is found or when an owner “believes that the current value placed on their property is inaccurate, unfair or overvalued relative to market value.”
Property owners must provide evidence to the assessor that their property is overvalued, and they must first request a valuation review before filing a formal abatement. During that process, the burden is on the taxpayer to show the assessment is incorrect in relation to what is considered a just value.
A taxpayer who still disagrees with a new valuation after the town assessor’s review may file an appeal.
Appeals must be filed within 60 days of the assessor’s decision or the denial of an abatement application. Individuals may represent themselves or hire a lawyer.
Further information, including appeal forms, is available on the Maine Board of Property Tax Review website.
In other matters, the board approved an updated contract for town cleaning services at about $58,000 per year, with the agreement running through June 30, 2027.
The board also heard updates on other administrative matters, including a generative AI policy drafted by Town Manager Joe Roach and Assistant Town Manager Traci Lavoie.
A board member suggested that because the issue is constantly evolving, any policy should be reviewed and updated each year.
Sandy River Plantation has an existing AI policy that outlines when AI may and may not be used by “all municipal departments, employees, elected officials, contractors, volunteers, and third‑party vendors who utilize or implement AI technologies on behalf of Sandy River Plantation.”
If adopted in Rangeley, the policy would also require annual training for everyone who uses AI within town government.
A decision on whether to include the word “over” on the 250th anniversary celebration banners was tabled while the town waits to learn if the Rangeley Lakes Region Historical Society can use grant money to fund the banners.
Adding the word could increase costs and create potential licensing issues for the banner images, but it would also make the banners reusable for future celebrations.
There was debate over the new estimate for the Scenic Byways project, which came in at nearly twice the previous figure.
Roach recommended that he be allowed to execute the contract documents himself, rather than bring them back to the board, to keep the project moving forward.
A resident at Monday’s meeting suggested seeking a third‑party estimate in hopes of reducing costs. Because the project is locally administered, it will “require rigorous project tracking,” Roach said.
The next Board of Selectmen meeting is set for 5 p.m. Monday, March 16, at the Town Office. It will also be livestreamed.
Correction: This story was updated March 10 to remove inaccurate information about the Rangeley Police Department.
