An Act To Provide Funds To Encourage Regional Planning and Reorganization
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0328
Committee Amendment CA_A_H150 (House)
Amends: 30-A MRSA §6201, 30-A MRSA §6205, 30-A MRSA §6206, 30-A MRSA §6207, 30-A MRSA §6208, 30-A MRSA §6209

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " ~ " to H.P. 242, L.D. 328, Bill, "An Act To 
Provide Funds To Encourage Regional Planning and Reorganization" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Encourage Regional Planning and Reorganization' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §6201, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 266, §2, is 
amended to read: 
1. Commissioner. 
11Commissioner
means the Commissioner of Administrative and 
Finanoial Servioes Economic and Community Development. 
Sec. 2. 30-A MRSA §6201, sub-§1-A is enacted to read: 
1-A. Capital grant. "Capital grant" means a grant award from the fund pursuant to 
section 6208 to cover eligible costs for a capital grant as specified in subsection 5, 
paragraph C. 
Sec. 3. 30-A MRSA §6201, sub-§§2, 3 and 5, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 266, 
§2, are amended to read: 
2. Cooperative services grant. "Cooperative services grant" means a grant award 
from the fund pursuant to section 6208 to cover eligible costs of a qualifying projeet for a 
cooperative services grant as specified in subsection 5, paragraph B. 
3. 
Department. 
11Department
means the Department of Administrative and 
Financial Services Economic and Community Development. 
5, Eligible costs. "Eligible costs" means the actual and direct expenses incurred in 
implementing a cooperative services grant, a capital grant or a planning grant awarded 
under section 6208, including expenses incurred in connection with the following 
activities for cooperative services grants, capital grants and planning grants. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
R. at S. 
COMMITIEE AMENDMENT" A» to H.P. 242, L.D. 328 
A. Eligible costs for a planning grant include the expense of: 
(1) Studies to examine alternative methods of achieving collaboration, including 
those adopted by other municipalities; 
(2) Cost-benefit studies; and 
(3) Facilitation of community meetings and public outreach and education. 
B. Eligible costs for a cooperative services grant includes include the expense of: 
(1) Execution and implementation of an interlocal agreement under chapter 115, 
a tax base sharing arrangement or another regional government mechanism for 
achieving collaboration; 
(2) Joint strategic planning or comprehensive or capital investment planning; 
(3) Public outreach and education; 
( 4) Collaboration or consolidation of offices or services; 
(5) 
Professional services, such as those provided by attorneys, consultants, 
facilitators and architects; and 
(6) Administrative services and costs, such as photocopying, printing, telephone 
service and travel costs. 
C. Eligible costs for a capital grant include the expense of: 
(1) Site, facility, infrastructure or utility system acquisition; 
(2) Repair, rehabilitation or renovation of existing facillties; 
(3) New construction or expansion of existing facilities; and 
(4) Purchase of major equipment or systems. 
Administrative and other costs of ongoing operations that would otherwise be budgeted 
by a municipality, county or regional government subdivision are not eligible costs. 
Sec. 4. 30-A MRSA §6205, first and last 11, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 266, §2, 
are amended to read: 
In accordance with the request for proposals issued by the department under section 
6209, an eligible applicant may apply for a planning grant, a capital grant or a 
cooperative services grant from the fund. In order to be eligible for a planning grant....J!: 
capital grant or a cooperative services grant, an eligible applicant must demonstrate in its 
application that the project for which it seeks a grant will be unde1taken in cooperation 
with one or more municipalities, counties or regional government subdivisions. 
In applying for a cooperative services grant or a capital grant, an eligible applicant 
must specify the type of qualifying project for which assistance is sought and how the 
project will reduce demand for property tax revenues. 
Sec. 5. 
30-A MRSA §6206, as amended by PL 2007, c. 662, §5, is fmther 
amended by adding after the first paragraph a new paragraph to read: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
R. ot s. 
COMMITIEE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 242, L.D. 328 
The department may require an eligible applicant to provide matching funds for a 
capital grant if suggested by the review panel during consultation required under section 
6208, subsection 1. 
Sec. 6. 30-A MRSA §6207, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 266, §2, is 
amended to read: 
2. Cooperative services grants; capital grants. In evaluating and ranking each 
application for a cooperative services grant or a capital grant, the review panel established 
under section 6208 shall consider the aggregate reduction in the demand for property tax 
revenue in the geographical region covered by the municipalities, counties and regional 
government subdivisions cooperating in the qualifying project, the chance of success of 
the project and the ability to replicate the efficiency achieved by the project in other 
regions; and other related factors in accordance with a request for proposals issued by the 
department under section 6209. 
Sec. 7. 30-A MRSA §6208, sub-§1, 1C, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 266, §2, is 
amended to read: 
C. A representative of the Department of Economic and Community Development 
Administrative and Financial Services, appointed by the Governor; 
Sec. 8. 
30-A MRSA §6208, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 266, §2, is 
amended to read: 
2. Review panel duties. The review panel established in subsection 1 shall: 
A. Determine whether each eligible applicant for a cooperative services grantJ 
capital grant or .!! planning grant meets the eligibility criteria under section 6205 and 
provide written notice to that applicant of its eligibility determination; and 
B. In accordance with the request for proposals issued under section 6209, review 
and rank proposals from applicants eligible for cooperative services grants, capital 
grants and planning grants under section 6205 against the funding criteria defined in 
section 6207 and award cooperative services grants, capital grants or planning grants 
to proposals that best meet the funding criteria in section 6207 subject to availability 
of funding. 
Prior to issuing the request for proposals as provided in section 6209, the department 
shall consult with the review panel, which may suggest criteria for consideration by the 
department. 
Sec. 9. 30-A MRSA §6209, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 266, §2, is amended to 
read: 
§6209. Request for proposals 
No later than November 1st of each year, the department shall issue a request for 
proposals in accordance with the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, 
Bureau of General Services Rules, Chapter 110 that includes the schedules for 
submission and action on applications for grants under this chapter; procedures for 
scoring and ranking those applications; and procedures and information requirements 
related to application submissions. The department shall provide reasonable notice to all 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
A. elf s. 
I 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A "to H.P. 242, L.D. 328 
eligible applicants about the availability of the fund and the solicitation of grant 
proposals. 
Sec. 10. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, DEPARTMENT OF 
Fund for Efficient Delivery of Local and Regional Services - Administration Z047 
Initiative: Provides one-time funding to encourage regional planning and reorganization 
for towns and municipalities to decrease the duplication of services. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
SUMMARY 
2017-18 
$5,000,000 
$5,000,000 
2018-19 
$5,000,000 
$5,000,000 
The bill provides $25,000,000 in fiscal year 2017-18 and $0 in fiscal year 2018-19 to 
the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Local and Regional Services. This amendment 
strikes the bill and instead shifts responsibility for the administration of the fund from the 
Department of Administrative and Financial Services to the Department of Economic and 
Community Development and changes the funding to $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2017-18 
and fiscal year 2018-19 only. The amendment also adds capital grants as a 3rd type of 
grant available from the fund; current law provides for planning grants and cooperative 
services grants. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 05/08/17 feac 
LD328 
LR 1758(02) 
An Act To Provide Funds To Encourage Regional Planning and Reorganization 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment iA11 (H-/Sb) 
Committee: State and Local Government 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2017-18 
FY 2018-19 
Projections 
FY 2019-20 
Projections 
FY 2020-21 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
$5,000,000 
$5,000,000 
$0 
$0 
Appropriations/ Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
$5,000,000 
$5,000,000 
$0 
This bill includes one-time General Fund appropriations to the Fund for Efficient Delivery of Local and Regional 
Services - Administration within the Department of Economic and Community Development to encourage regional 
planning and reorganization for towns and municipalities to decrease the duplication of services. Pmsuant to 30-A 
M.R.S.A, Chapter 231, §6204, the department may use the fund to cover its administrative costs, so no additional 
General Fund support is required. The additional costs to the Department of Administrative and Financial Services 
are expected to be minor. 
LRl 758(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1 
$0