Frequently Asked Questions

The City's Charter & Code of Ordinances is published online through eCode360. 

General Assistance helps individuals and families meet their basic needs. To contact Westbrook's General Assistance & Social Services Office, call 207-854-0676. Phone calls are returned in the order in which they are received. Each person needs to complete an application for eligibility determination. Appointments are required. Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8am to 4pm, and on Fridays from 8am to 2pm. 

Excise tax is paid at the local municipal office where the owner of the  vehicle resides. When a vehicle needs to be registered, an excise tax is collected prior to the registration.

To get copies of an accident report, please visit the Maine Crash Reporting website or the Buy Crash - Lexis Nexis website to obtain a copy of a report.

To get copies of a Police report, please fill out the Police Department Records Request Form (DOC). The form is available in the lobby of the Public Safety Building or online available for download and printing, Police Department Records Request Form (DOC). The request forms can be dropped off at the Public Safety Building or mailed to the Westbrook Police Department, addressed to the Records Administrator. There are fees associated with purchasing a report - please see the request form for the amount. Payment is due before any reports can be released, and checks should be made out to the City of Westbrook. If you are requesting a copy of report that is in the court system, we cannot provide that to you. You will need to go through the discovery process with the District Attorney's Office.

Fireworks are prohibited in the City of Westbrook, except for on December 31, July 4 and July 5. Fireworks are allowed on December 31 and July 4 from 9 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. the following day (January 1 and July 5). Fireworks are allowed on July 5 from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. (If July 5 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the end time is 12:30 a.m. on July 6). To use fireworks on those three days, you must obtain a fireworks permit from the City. You can obtain these at the Public Safety Building for $10.

Walker Memorial Library cards are available at no charge to all Westbrook residents, taxpayers, students attending Westbrook schools, and employees of Westbrook businesses. Library cards are available to non-residents for a $25.00 annual fee.

To obtain a library card:

• Visit the Walker Memorial Library.
• Bring your picture I.D. and proof of mailing and residential addresses (utility bill, voter’s registration card, etc.). 
• If you are age 12 or younger, your parent or guardian must be present and provide identification.

Excise Tax is paid at the local town office where the owner of the vehicle resides. When a vehicle needs to be registered, an excise tax is collected prior to the registration.

The amount of tax is determined by two things:

• The age of the vehicle
• MSRP (manufactured suggested retail price)

Excise Tax is calculated by multiplying the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) by the mill rate as shown below. The rates drop back on January 1 of each year.

For example, a 3-year old car with an MSRP of $19,500 would pay $263.25.

The town that collects the excise tax can use it as revenue towards the annual town budget. Typically, the revenue is spent on local road maintenance, construction and repair.

Excise Tax was designed with equity in mind. In 1925, this tax was enacted as a Maine law. At that time, the State Legislature decided that the fairest tax assessment would be based on what the manufacturer suggested it sell for.

This law has remained in effect for over 75 years to ensure that everyone who drives the same vehicle pay the same amount of tax.

There are several resources for the MSRP that will provide the information on the retail price of a vehicle. New vehicles are required to have a window sticker that must be must be presented on first-time registrations.

Many towns have adopted software and can actually use the VIN number in order to get the MSRP of that vehicle.

To apply for General Assistance, call 207-591-7015 to schedule an appointment. Phone calls are returned in the order in which they are received. Each person needs to complete an application in order to determine eligibility. Appointments are required. Office hours are Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Signed lease / rental agreement, current bank statement, proof of household income & expenses, employment verification / paystubs, medical statement if unable to work, photo ID, passport & immigration papers if applicable, social security cards for all household members, correspondence from Social Security / DHHS

Each applicant is responsible for providing the General Assistance Administrator all information necessary to determine eligibility. This includes information verifying members of the household, documentation of all sources of income received in the household (salary, child support, workers compensation benefits, unemployment, SSI, SSDI, social security, TANF, tax returns, money received from family members, etc.). Additionally, applicants must provide documentation of their expenses for basic necessities (housing, heat, electricity, food, non-food, prescriptions, etc.) and work related expenses (childcare and transportation to work). The administrator will make a determination of eligibility based on the overall maximums allowed by the State and municipality. Clients will receive a decision sheet indicating eligibility or ineligibility. If a household member is available to work, a job search log will be provided and consideration for Workfare.

The City will grant assistance to eligible applicants for basic necessities according to the maximum levels for specific types of assistance. Basic necessities include shelter, rent, utilities (electricity, heat), food, personal care and household supplies and prescription medication.

If interested in subsidized affordable housing, please contact Westbrook Housing at 207-854-9779. You may need to place your name on their list and also for Section 8 housing. We have a list of landlords in the waiting area of the Community Center office that work with the General Assistance program in the City of Westbrook. The list is not all inclusive and you may want to check with additional landlords, Craigslist and Maine Housing Search.

Each applicant and any member of the household who is capable of working may be required to perform work for the municipality as a condition of receiving assistance. As part of the municipal work program, the municipality can require recipients to participate in training, education or rehabilitative programs that will assist recipients in securing employment.

At the time an applicant receives a decision on their application, the administrator will inform the applicant of future responsibilities for consideration of future eligibility. Once applying for General Assistance, all clients regardless of whether or not they received any benefits are responsible for showing that they have done all they can to prevent needing general assistance again. This includes providing documentation (receipts) of all their spending over the past thirty days, all income received in past thirty days, and have utilized all potential resources the manager referred them to.

General Assistance is a program that encourages clients to do all they can to self-sustain and prevent needing future assistance. An applicant may be found ineligible to receive general assistance if they: misspend their income on items that are not considered basic necessities (this will count as money that is still available to the household and will affect the amount of eligibility); if a client forfeits a benefit, this benefit will not be replaced; if a client quits a job without cause or is fired from a job, they are disqualified from receiving assistance for a 120 day period; for failing to perform or complete a workfare assignment; for willfully making a false representational about their eligibility; for not providing or permitting the administrator to gather the necessary verification and documentation as required; as well as others.

Generally, General Assistance is determined for a temporary period only. If an applicant needs to apply for General Assistance again, responsibility falls on the client to make sure requirements are met. An applicant may apply once every thirty days, unless deemed ineligible.

If you disagree with the decision, applicants should discuss the matter with the Administrator. All applicants have the right to request a Fair Hearing which would provide the applicant with a Board not involved in the decision to decide whether you are eligible for assistance. If you would like to request a Fair Hearing, you must make the request in writing within five working days of the decision.

This program is administered in accordance with the standard of eligibility as provided in 22 M.R.SA., Chapter 1161.

Basic Needs

• Food
• Medical Care
• Non-food
• Shelter/rent
• Utilities

Not Basic Needs (Not All Inclusive)

• Cable Television, Internet, Phone
• Car Payments, Loan Payments, Credit Card Debt
• Cigarettes, Tobacco, Alcohol
  
• Court Restitution and Late Fees
• Key Deposits, Furniture Storage
• Legal Fees
• Pet Care Costs
  
• Phone Bill/Cell Bill
• Trips, Vacation, Travel Expenses

Any work performed for pay, including painting and remodeling, that results in the disturbance of painted surfaces in pre-1978 homes and child-occupied facilities. Examples include: 

• Removal or modification of painted components such as doors
• Repairing a painted surface or preparing it for repainting by sanding, scraping, burning, or other action that may generate paint dust
• Removal of walls, ceilings, and other structures
• Re-plastering
• Re-plumbing
• Weatherization work that disturbs painted surfaces
• Window replacement

Target Housing

Housing constructed prior to 1978, except housing for the elderly or persons with disabilities (unless a child under age 6 years resides in or is expected to reside in such housing) and 0-bedroom dwellings.

Child-Occupied Facility

Day care, pre-school, kindergarten classroom, or other facility in a building constructed prior to 1978 that is visited regularly by the same child under age 6, on at least two different days within any week, provided that each day's visit lasts at least 3 hours and the combined weekly visits last at least 6 hours, and the combined annual visits last at least 60 hours.

Actions include:

1. Deliver information pamphlet to occupants before beginning work (already required)
   
2. Place a visible sign defining the work area and warning occupants not to enter it
   
3. Isolate/contain the work area so that no visible dust or debris leaves the work area
   
4. Contain, store, and transport renovation waste material safely to prevent release of and access to dust and debris
   
5. Avoid banned practices such as using high-temperature heat gun, torch, and uncontrolled use of machines such as power sander and plane
   
6. After completing work, clean the work area until no visible dust, debris or residue remains
   
7. After cleaning, conduct post-cleaning verification or dust clearance sampling
   
8. After all interior work area passes cleaning verification or dust clearance sampling and all exterior work area passes the visual inspection, remove the warning sign

As of April 22, 2010, all renovation work in target housing must be conducted by certified firms, certified renovators, and workers who have had on the job training regarding job-specific work practices. States may adopt the rules with different timeframes.

An individual renovator must complete a renovator training course accredited by Enviromental Protection Agency (EPA) or a state program and obtain a renovator certification from EPA or a state program.

A renovation firm must be certified and employ at least one trained, certified renovator, who must provide uncertified workers with on-the-job training on job-specific work practices.

The Environmental Protection Agency will delegate the renovation program to any state or tribe that seeks authorization to administer it and demonstrates that its program will be at least as protective as the Environmental Protection Agency’s. States have the option to make the rule more protective than the Environmental Protection Agency. New Hampshire and 38 other states have accepted delegation of Environmental Protection Agency’s rules for lead abatement.

The following exemptions to the rule apply:

• Abatement: Activities conducted under abatement rules by certified abatement contractor.
• Minor Repair or Maintenance Activities: Activities that will, within a 30-day period, disturb less than 6 square feet per room for interior activities; or 20 square feet for exterior activities. Exemption does not apply to window replacement; demolition; or use of banned practices.
• No lead-based paint will be disturbed as determined by:
  • Proper use of Environmental Protection Agency-recognized test kit by certified renovator
  • Testing of paint by certified lead inspector or risk assessor
• Do-It-Yourself: Work performed by an owner an owner-occupied residence.

Additional limits include:

• Emergency Renovations Not Due to an Elevated Blood Level: May be exempt from information distribution, warning signs, containment, waste handling, training and certification requirements; cleaning requirements, cleaning verification, and recordkeeping still required.
  
• Emergency Renovations in Response to Elevated Blood Lead in Resident Child: Interim controls are exempt only from advance information distribution requirements.

A building permit issued shall become invalid if the authorized work is not commenced within six (6) months after the issuance of the permit, or if the authorized work is suspended or abandoned for a period of six (6) months after the time of commencing the work. A building permit is good for one year from the date of issuance. 

The building official is authorized to grant, in writing, one or more extensions of time, for periods not more than 180 days each. The extension shall be requested in writing and justifiable cause demonstrated.

Floor Space Requirements

Every sleeping room used for sleeping purposes shall contain a minimum of seventy (70) square feet of floor area and at least fifty (50) square feet of floor area per person with all measurements based on the total habitable room area; provided that the occupancy of any dwelling unit having more than one (1) habitable room shall not exceed an average of one and one-half (1 1/2) persons per habitable room, and provided further that for the purposes of this section, a child under ten (10) years of age shall be deemed to be one-half (1/2) person.

Every dwelling unit shall contain at least one hundred (100) square feet of floor area per occupant.

It depends on the specific roof construction. A stamped drawing/letter from a Maine Certified Engineer ensuring the roof structure can support the additional weight load will be required when obtaining the permit. 

Requirements are:

• In residential use, the maximum riser height is 7 3/4 inches and the minimum tread depth is 10 inches. Tread depth is measured horizontally between the vertical planes of the foremost projection of adjacent treads and at a right angle to the reads leading edge.
• In other uses, maximum riser height is 7 3/4 inches and minimum tread depth is 10 inches.
• There shall not be a variation exceeding 3/16 inches in the depth of adjacent treads or in height of adjacent risers. The tolerance between the largest and the smallest riser or the largest and smallest tread shall not exceed 3/8 inches in any flight of stairs.
• The minimum headroom in all parts of a stairway shall not be less than 6 feet 8 inches measured vertically from the tread nosing or from the floor surface of the landing or platform.
• For winders, spiral, circular, and other types of stairs - call for requirements.
• Stairway width and landing width for one and two family dwellings shall not be less than 3 feet.

A guardrail is required when:

• Porches, balconies, or raised floor surfaces, open sides of stairs located more than 30 inches above the floor or grade.
• In one and two-family dwelling, guardrails shall not be less than 36 inches in height for porches, balconies, or raised floor surfaces, and open sides of stairs 34 inches minimum measured vertically from the nosing of the treads. If guardrails are also going to be used as handrails, see handrail section.
• In most other uses, guardrails should be at least 42 inches in height measured vertically above the leading edge of the tread or adjacent walking surface.
• Open guards shall have balusters or other construction such that a sphere with a diameter of 4 inches cannot pass through any opening.

Exception

The triangular openings formed by the riser, tread at the bottom rail at the open side of a stairway shall be of a maximum size such that a sphere 6 inches in diameter cannot pass through the opening.

Continuously graspable handrails are required on stairs with four or more risers and mounted between 34 and 38 inches of the stair slope and not less than 1 1/2 inches from the wall. One-and-two family dwellings require one graspable handrail while Commercial and multi-family buildings require handrails on both sides. Many exterior plastic composite handrails meet these requirements.

Foundation systems should be four (4) feet minimum below grade to protect from frost.

The City of Westbrook follows the State adopted 2015 International Energy and Conservation Code; you can find the insulation code requirements in the building permit application for reference purposes; but please defer to the Code Enforcement Officer for specific requirements to your project.

Ground snow load 60 (up to elevation 500)
Wind Speed 120 mph (54 m/s)

Every sleeping room shall have at least one (1) operable window or exterior door approved for emergency egress or rescue. The units must be operable from the inside to a full clear opening without the use of separate tools. Where a window is provided as a means of egress or rescue, they shall have a sill height of not more than 44 inches above the floor.

All egress or rescue windows from sleeping rooms must have a minimum net clear opening of 5.7 square feet. The minimum net clear opening height dimension shall be 24 inches. The minimum net clear opening width dimension shall be 20 inches.

To calculate the square footage of the opening, multiply the width of the opening in inches by the height of the opening in inches and dividing by 144. This measurement should be 5.7 minimum.

To get copies of an accident report, please visit www.crashdocs.org or the Maine Crash Reporting website to obtain a copy of a report.  You will need your last name, report number, and the date of the accident to access your report.  It does take a couple of days for reports to get uploaded to the sites.  Please do not contact us for a report unless it has been over a week since your accident and the report has not been uploaded yet.  

To get copies of a Police report, please fill out the WPD Records Request Form.  The form is also available in the lobby of the Public Safety Building.  The request forms can be dropped off at the Public Safety Building or mailed to the Westbrook Police Department, addressed to the Records Administrator. There are fees associated with purchasing a report - please see the request form for the amount. Payment is due before any reports can be released, and checks should be made out to the City of Westbrook. If you are requesting a copy of report that is in the court system, we cannot provide that to you. You will need to go through the discovery process with the District Attorney’s Office.

To request the return of property that was seized by a police officer, you need to fill out a Property Request Form - this form is also available in the lobby of the Public Safety Building. The completed forms can be dropped off at the Public Safety Building or mailed to the Westbrook Police Department, addressed to the Evidence Technician. Please make sure that your contact information is filled out completely so we can contact you if we have any questions. You should be aware that if your property is part of a criminal case we may not be able to release it without approval from the District Attorney or until the court process has ended.

To apply for a Concealed Firearms permit, you need to turn in a completed application to the Westbrook Police Department. The application is available in the lobby of the Public Safety Building or you can download the document online, Concealed Firearms Permit Application Packet . Completed applications should be dropped off at the Public Safety Building or mailed to the Westbrook Police Department, addressed to the Records Administrator. Along with the applications, you must include the appropriate fee ($35 for new applicants, $20 for renewals and $2 for change of address). Checks should be made out to the City of Westbrook.

You can leave an anonymous tip by calling 207-591-8117. This number is not for reporting emergencies or other incidents requiring a timely police response. For emergencies please dial 911, and for non-emergencies please dial 207-854-0644, ext. 0.

To make a complaint against any employee of the Westbrook Police Department, or any aspect of police operations, you can fill out the Citizen Complaint Form (DOC). This form is available in the lobby of the Public Safety Building. You may mail your complaint to the Chief of Police:

570 Main Street
Westbrook, ME 04092

You can also bring the form to the Public Safety Building. You are also welcome to speak with a Police Supervisor, either at the Public Safety Building or by phone. If you have any questions about filling out the complaint forms any Police Supervisor or Administrator will be able to assist you.

Please visit the Becoming a Westbrook Police Officer page to learn more about our application process.

Yes. Fingerprinting is available on Mondays between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. No appointment is necessary. If you are a Westbrook resident or the company needing fingerprints is from Westbrook, we will fingerprint you for no cost. For non-Westbrook residents and companies the cost is $10. You must provide the fingerprint card. Please be aware that due to priority calls you may have to wait a while to get fingerprinted, or you may be asked to come back the next week if officers are going to be unavailable.

Fireworks are prohibited in the City of Westbrook, except for on December 31, July 4 and July 5. Fireworks are allowed on December 31 and July 4 from 9 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. the following day (January 1 and July 5). Fireworks are allowed on July 5 from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. (If July 5 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the end time is 12:30 a.m. on July 6). To use fireworks on those three days, you must obtain a fireworks permit from the City. You can obtain these at the Public Safety Building for $10.

If you feel that your civil rights have been violated, you may contact the police department at anytime to make a report.  We have several officers that are specially trained to investigate civil rights violations.  They are: Detective Sergeant Timothy Gardner, Detective Jeffrey Stackpole, Detective Brady Coulombe, Investigator Douglas Maher, and Officer Kerry Wolongevicz.

Chimney fires happen when products of incomplete combustion (soot) build up in a chimney for a fireplace or wood stove. The build-up is called creosote. Creosote is usually black or dark brown and is readily combustible. When creosote burns in a chimney it can be explosive. Often you will see flames shooting out of the top of the chimney. Creosote can also burn slowly with no exterior visible flame and put out tremendous heat. Either form of chimney fire can spread to structural members of the house through loose mortar or by the warping of metal chimneys or just from the extreme heat radiating from the fire in a metal chimney.

Maintenance is the key. You can’t completely prevent creosote since it is a natural result of combustion. That is why it is critical that your chimney be professionally cleaned at least once a year with normal use. There are certain things that people unwittingly do that actually accelerate creosote accumulation. Some people try to make the fire last longer by cutting off most of the air supply. This does make the fire slow down but it also increases creosote which is what smoke becomes as it deposits soot on the walls of the chimney. Some people also burn firewood that is "green" (high moisture content). Water, when vaporized, expands 1,700 times in size and acts as a cooling agent. Burning green wood cools the fire and the smoke allowing creosote to build up faster. Remember these key points:

• Have your chimney professionally cleaned at least once a year (more often with heavy use)
• Burn only seasoned dry wood
• Keep your fires active and hot to keep the products of combustion moving up the chimney. Remember that the longer smoke is in the chimney the more likely it will build creosote on the walls of the chimney
• Never burn trash, plastic or paper in your stove or fireplace since this can ignite creosote in your chimney

Signs that a chimney fire is happening or that is has happened include:

• The roar of a fire in the chimney (often heard in the wall of an upper floor from fireplace or stove or on a lower floor)
• Warping of metal anywhere in or on the chimney
• Creosote flakes and debris found on the ground, roof, or gutters
• Discolored or warped rain cap (at top of chimney)
• Scorching or burns in the roofing material from burning debris falling on the roof
• Visible cracks in the masonry of the chimney
• Smoke escaping through cracks in the chimney
• Smoke in the attic or visible soot build-up in the attic

Get everyone out of the house and call 911.

A property tax bill is a bill based on the total assessed value of your property (land and or buildings less any exemptions). Your total assessed value is then multiplied by the tax rate which creates your tax bill. Per the State of Maine Constitution, all real estate and personal property located within the State of Maine is subject to taxation unless specifically exempted by a state statute. 

Every year, all tax bills are mailed to the last known owner of record as of April 1st.

In general, Westbrook's tax bill due dates are due each August, November, February, and May. For FY 2024-2025, taxes are due as follows: 

• 1st quarterly payment due September 5, 2024
• 2nd quarterly payment due November 15, 2024
• 3rd quarterly payment due February 18, 2025
• 4th quarterly payment due May 15, 2025

The following are just some of the many services funded through your yearly tax bill: 

• Schools/Education 
• Police, Fire & Rescue 
• Road Repair 
• Public Works 
• Parks & Recreation 
• City Hall Services 
• Library
• County Services

According to the Maine Constitution and State Law, property is assessed as of only one day a year; that day is April 1st. 

The April 1st assessment date is used for three reasons: 

1. Sets Owner of record. 
2. Sets Property Valuation Date. 
3. Sets Taxable Status for all properties.

Assessments are based on fair market value by the following three methods: 

1. Comparison of sales prices of similar properties within your neighborhood (less foreclosures). 
2. Property replacement value minus depreciation. 
3. Income potential for income producing properties.

The Assessor is required to:

1. Assess property at no less than 70% and no more than 110% of fair market value. 
2. Assess all property fairly & equitably (ensure similar properties are treated the same way). 

The property tax rate (also known as a mil rate) is the amount per $1,000 dollars of property value which is used to calculate your tax bill. 

Example: If the tax rate is $17.83 divided by $1,000 and your property's value is $200,000, then your tax bill would be $3,566. (17.83 / $1,000 X $200,000 = $3,566)

The property tax rate is calculated every year by taking the Tax Levy (combined total of municipal, school & county budgeted expenses, minus all revenues) and dividing it by the Taxable Valuation (all the City's taxable real estate and personal property combined). 

Tax Levy /  Taxable Valuation = Tax Rate

The tax levy is the combined total of the municipal, school, and county tax needs for a community, minus all revenues. 

1The municipal and school budgets are approved and controlled by your elected City Council members. The school budget needs an additional layer of approval through the School Budget Validation Referendum process, where voters can determine whether to approve or reject the school budget. 

The county budget is prepared by the county budget committee and controlled by the Cumberland County Commissioners. Each municipality within Cumberland County is allocated a percentage of the total county budget. 

Once all budgets are passed, they are certified to the local Assessor to be used in calculating the yearly tax rate.

The Assessor is expected to: 

1. Assess property at no less than 70% and no more than 110% of fair market value. 
2. Assess all property fairly & equitably (ensure similar properties are treated the same way). 
3. Assess the owner of record as of April 1st of each year. If you sold property after April 1st, please forward the tax bill to the new owner if you should get it. We will make every effort to send the tax bill to the new owner. If you purchased the property after April 1st, we will make every effort to send you the tax bill for each quarter.

The State of Maine provides property tax relief programs as follows: 

1. Revenue Sharing (sent to the City to help lower the tax levy) 
2. Property Tax Fairness Credit, filed with State Income Tax 
3. Homestead Exemption 
4. Veterans Exemption

The City of Westbrook provides a Senior Tax Assistance Program, processed through the Finance Department.

From time to time, confusion exists as to who actually should receive a property tax bill. State of Maine law clearly states that each property must be assessed to the last known owner of record as of April 1st of each year. 

Per city policy, we do not mail tax bills to banks, mortgage companies or any other third party. Our Tax Collector does produce electronic reports for mortgage holders who ask for billing information, but they do not get your bill. If your taxes are paid by a mortgage company or other third party, you are responsible for forwarding the tax bill to them.

Sales Prior to April 1st. If the sale of a property occurs before April 1st, there should be no confusion as to the owner of record. The City of Westbrook will receive notice from the Registry of Deeds that the property has been sold and will receive the Transfer Tax form from the State usually within 60 days of closing. Once we have receipt of these notices, we will assess the new owner of the property. The owner of record will get their own tax bill for the ensuing year.

Sales After April 1st. This is when things may get confusing. If you owned your home as of April 1st, we assess you for the entire tax bill. The assessment of these taxes in your name creates a liability. Therefore, it is very common (at the closing of a property sale) for the April 1st owner to request the new owner prorate and pay the tax bill based on the city's fiscal year, since the new owner receives the benefit of home ownership balance of the fiscal year. This proration of taxes has been going on for years and in most cases works fine. A word of caution to the seller: the agreement of proration of taxes is a civil contract and will not shift your liability to the new owner. The new owner's liability starts April 1st of the following year. If the current taxes are not paid, the Tax Collector must file a lien in the old owner's (seller's) name because they were the owner of record as of April 1st. Our Tax Collector will make every effort possible to notify both parties as to any past due taxes prior to the formal lien process. It would be precautionary to make sure the new owner pays the taxes he or she agreed to in the civil contract. Remember - it is you, the seller, whose good credit is on the line!

Tax Year. The tax year is easy to understand as it is really one day, April 1st of each year. Maine law refers to this day as the tax year, but many other states call it the "tax date". This date (April 1st) is used for three primary reasons:

1. Sets the ownership of record date. 
2. Sets the valuation date.
3. Sets the taxable status of property and if any exemptions apply. 

Fiscal Year. Westbrook’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30. 

These dates are important for many reasons, but what is most concerning to a property owner is: "How much is my tax bill and how is it calculated?" The tax rate for Westbrook is set in July. The tax rate is the dollar amount per thousand of valuation. You can calculate your tax bill by multiplying the total taxable value of your property by the current tax rate. This is your tax liability for the fiscal year July 1 to June 30.

Personal property includes but is not limited to the following categories: 

• Machinery & Equipment: Presses, tools, machining equipment, garage equipment, heavy duty shelving and other machinery or manufacturing equipment, telephone equipment, vending machines, televisions, amusement apparatuses, typewriters, calculators, fax machines, copiers and other office items of this type, cargo trailers and any self propelled machinery that is not subject to excise tax. 
• Computer Equipment: CPUs, monitors, servers, network wiring, printers and other computer equipment. 
• Furniture & Fixtures: Business office furnishings such as desks, chairs, bookcases, file cabinets, tables, and sofas. This category also includes fixtures specific to a business that may be attached to the real estate, but is generally removed when the business relocates. 
• Signs: Any business advertisement sign.

• Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• Tuesday, Thursday: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
• Saturday: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• Curbside service is available Monday through Saturday, weather permitting. Please pick up your items no later than 15 minutes prior to closing.

You can renew your item online by logging into your library account. You can also call us at 207-854-0630. Please have your library card number ready.

If we don’t have the item you are looking for, you can go to https://minerva.maine.edu/ to request it from another library.