An Act To Amend the Charter of the Harrison Water District

Emergency preamble. Whereas,  acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and

Whereas,  there exists a vacancy in the Harrison Water District board of trustees; and

Whereas,   the vacancy is due to an unexpired term; and

Whereas,  it is imperative that the vacancy be filled as soon as possible; and

Whereas,  in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,

Sec. 1. P&SL 1969, c. 91, §1, first ¶  is amended to read:

Sec. 1. Territorial limits; corporate name; purpose The inhabitants of and the territory within that part of the Town of Harrison in the County of Cumberland and that part of the Town of Bridgton, more commonly referred to as North Bridgton, in the County of Cumberland, as is hereafter described as follows constitute a body politic and corporate under the name of “the Harrison Water District” for the purpose of supplying the district and the inhabitants of the district with pure water for domestic, commercial, sanitary, industrial, agricultural and municipal purposes: Beginning at a point on the shore of Long Lake in the Town of Bridgton, which point is due east of the Maine State Highway Commission Station 165 + 00 on the Bridgton Road (State Road No. 117) State Road No. 117, which station is also 750 feet south, more or less, of the junction of the Bridgton Road State Road No. 117 and Main Street in the Town Village of North Bridgton , ; thence in a westerly direction to said the Maine State Highway Commission Station 165 + 00 on the Bridgton Road State Road No. 117; thence in a northerly direction to a point on the Chadbourne Hill Road which point is 2,000 feet, more or less, westerly of the intersection of the Chadbourne Hill Road and Main Street in Bridgton; thence in a northerly direction to a point on the Waterford Road (State Road No. 36) , State Road No. 37, where the town line separating the Town of Bridgton and the Town of Harrison first crosses the Waterford Road (State Road No. 36) , State Road No. 37; thence in an easterly direction to a point on the Norway Road (State Road No. 117) , State Road No. 117, which point is 3,600 feet, more or less, northerly of the junction of the Norway Road and the Dawes Hill Road; thence in a southerly direction to a point on the Deertrees Road which point is 1,800 feet, more or less, northerly of the junction of the Deertrees Road and the Dawes Hill Road; thence in a southerly direction to a point on the Dawes Hill Road which point is 1,200 feet, more or less, northerly of the junction of Dawes Hill Road and Deertrees Road; thence in a southerly and westerly direction to a point on the Edes Falls Road, which point is 600 feet, more or less, southerly of the junction of Edes Falls Road and School Street; thence in a westerly and southerly direction to a point on Front Street, also known as the Naples Road (State Road No. 35) , State Road No. 35, which point is 2,600 feet, more or less, southerly of the junction of Front Street and School Street; thence westerly 400 feet, more or less, to a point on the shore of Long Lake; thence following the shore of Long Lake in a northerly, westerly , and southerly direction to the point of beginning ; shall be and hereby are constituted a body politic and corporate under the name of the “Harrison Water District” for the purpose of supplying the said district and the inhabitants of said district with pure water for domestic, commercial, sanitary, industrial, agricultural and municipal purposes.

Sec. 2. P&SL 1969, c. 91, §7  is amended by repealing and replacing the next to the last paragraph to read:

Meeting of trustees. Each year after the election of a trustee, or trustees, the trustees shall hold a meeting to elect officers as provided in this Act. They shall organize by the election of a president and clerk, adopt a corporate seal and, when necessary, may choose a treasurer and all other necessary officers and agents for the proper conduct and management of the affairs of the district. They may also establish bylaws as are necessary for their own convenience and the proper management of the affairs of the district. When the term of office of a trustee expires, the trustee’s successor is elected by a plurality vote by the inhabitants of the district and upon nomination made as provided in this Act for the election of trustees at a special election called and held on the third Monday of March. Trustees are elected for 3-year terms. If a trustee resigns or the term of office of a trustee is terminated before the trustee’s term has expired, the successor is appointed for the unexpired term by a plurality vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees. The trustee elected serves the full unexpired term. When a trustee ceases to be a resident of the district, the trustee vacates the office of trustee and the vacancy must be filled as described in this paragraph. All trustees are eligible for reelection, but a person holding the office of municipal officer or road commissioner in the Town of Harrison or the Town of Bridgton is not eligible for nomination or election as a trustee. The trustees may procure an office and incur such expenses as may be necessary. Each trustee is entitled, for the trustee’s services in whatever capacity, to compensation as determined by the board, but the compensation may not exceed $600 per year.

Sec. 3. P&SL 1969, c. 91, §14  is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

Sec. 14. Rates. The rates established pursuant to this section must be sufficient to provide revenue for the purposes of this Act and for all other purposes of the corporation. The rates must be established in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 6105 to provide for the purposes set forth in that section.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.

summary

The bill clarifies the territorial limits of the Harrison Water District by changing references to reflect the correct names or route numbers of roads. The bill also changes how a vacancy on the board of trustees that leaves an unexpired term is filled from having to hold a special election to having the board of trustees appoint a person. The bill also amends the amount a trustee is entitled to receive for serving as trustee from $200 to $600 a year. This bill also amends the charter of the Harrison Water District by changing the way the district sets its rates.