Resolve, To Establish a Pilot Project To Assist Towns Interested in Multitown Cooperation and Governance
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1127
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: ANDREWS, BARSTOW, NASS, SCHNEIDER, MOULTON

Legislative Document 
No. 1127 
S.P.389 
In Senate, March 1, 2005 
Resolve, To Establish a Pilot Project To Assist Towns Interested in 
Multitown Cooperation and Governance 
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Senator ANDREWS of York. 
Cosponsored by Representative BARSTOW of Gorham and 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Senators: NASS of York, SCHNEIDER of Penobscot, Representative: MOULTON of York. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Sec. 1. Pilot project for multitown cooperation and governance. 
Resolved: 
That the Executive Department, State Planning Office 
shall 
establish 
a 
pilot 
project 
to 
assist 
municipalities 
interested in working together by developing municipal service 
districts as described in this resolve. 
1. 
The State Planning Office shall develop a competitive 
process to select 2 groups of municipalities to participate in 
the pilot project as municipal service districts. 
2. 
The State Planning Office shall convene 
an advisory 
board of state government and education officials and interested 
government and school officials from counties, municipalities and 
school administrative units. 
The advisory board shall establish 
guidelines for the pilot project that, at a minimum: 
A. 
Establish a minimum grouping in each municipal service 
district of 3 municipalities; 
B. 
Establish the structure of the school administrative 
unit that would serve each municipal service district; 
c. 
Specify 
the 
authority 
that 
each 
municipal 
service 
district will have, including, but not limited to: 
(1) 
Setting budgets and tax rates for the municipal 
service district; 
(2) 
Establishing a joint system 
and 
regulation 
consistent 
with 
management program; and 
of land use planning 
the 
State's 
growth 
(3) 
Administrating 
education 
from 
kindergarten 
to 
grade 12; 
D. 
Establish the technical and financial assistance that 
will be available to assist municipalities in developing a 
proposal 
for 
participation 
in 
the 
pilot 
project 
as 
a 
municipal 
service 
district 
including 
the 
incentives 
available 
to assist 
the participating municipalities 
in 
implementing the municipal service district; and 
E •. Establish the technical and financial assistance that 
will be available to assist those municipalities that are 
chosen to participate in the pilot project, including the 
study and design of the municipal service district and the 
timelines 
and 
legal 
commitments 
required 
of 
the 
participating municipalities. 
Page l-LR1180(1) 
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3. 
The following is the timeline for the development of 
proposals, 
selection of participants and establishment of the 
municipal service districts. 
A. 
By December 31, 
2005, the State Planning Office shall 
develop and issue the request for proposals. 
B. 
By December 31, 2006, all proposals must be submitted by 
municipalities wishing to participate in the pilot project. 
c. 
By June 30, 2007, the State Planning Office shall select 
groups to participate in the pilot project. 
D. 
By 
December 
municipal service 
by the legislative 
31, 
2008, 
the 
design 
of 
districts must be completed 
bodies of each participating 
the 
proposed 
and voted on 
municipali ty. 
4. 
In addition to any funds appropriated pursuant to this 
resolve, funding for grants and other financial assistance for 
the development of proposals 
and design of municipal service 
districts must be allocated from the 
Fund for 
the Efficient 
Delivery of Local and Regional Services established in the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, section 5681, subsection 3; and be 
it further 
Sec. 2. 
Appropriations and allocations. 
Resolved: 
That 
the 
following appropriations and allocations are made. 
STATE PLANNING OFFICE 
Municipal Service Districts Pilot Project 
Initiative: 
Provides 
funds 
for 
grants 
and 
direct 
financial 
assistance to municipalities developing proposals and selected to 
participate in a municipal service districts pilot project. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
SUMMARY 
2005-06 
$50,000 
$50,000 
2006-07 
$50,000 
$50,000 
This 
resolve 
requires 
the 
Executive 
Department, 
State 
Planning Office, 
working with state and local government 
and 
education officials, 
to develop 
a 
municipal 
service district 
pilot project. 
Following a competitive process to determine the 
participating municipalities, 
the State Planning Office would 
continue to provide technical assistance, 
as well 
as grants, 
incentives and direct financial assistance to the municipalities 
participating in the pilot project. 
A timeline is provided for 
the development and submission of proposals and the design and 
implementation of the municipal service districts. 
Funding is 
provided through the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Local and 
Regional Services and a separate appropriation.