Join KVCOG & MMA at a Forum on Strengthening Local and State Government Collaboration in Maine

We are pleased to invite you to an important forum focused on strengthening the relationship between local and state government in Maine. This event will bring together municipal and county officials and candidates for the Maine State Legislature to discuss critical issues, share challenges, and explore opportunities for collaboration. Maine Municipal Association (MMA), Kenebec Valley Council of Governments (KVCOG) and Somerset County are hosting an event in the region to explore topics important to local government and communities.

This is also an opportunity for you to learn about available services and regional initiatives, share your challenges and help inform potential solutions with potential Legislators.

We believe these forums are an important first step as we reach out to legislative candidates to talk about common interests, priorities, challenges, and the future of the state/municipal partnership.

Somerset County

Event Details: Date: Thursday, October 24, 2024

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Location: Somerset County Jail Training Facility 131 E Madison Road, Madison

Kennebec County

Event Details: Date: Monday, October 28, 2024

Time: 5:00 p.m.

Location: Maine Municipal Association, 60 Community Drive, Augusta

Topics of Exploration:

• What services are on offer for municipal government from MMA, & KVCOG?
• What are the real challenges facing the communities in this region, and what tools should be considered to assist counties, towns, and cities?
• How can candidates for State government better assist their local government partners and understand state level needs to better support local government tasks?
• How can local government help share their stories to improve legislation?

This forum is a valuable opportunity for candidates and newly elected officials to deepen their understanding of local government, engage in meaningful discussions, and contribute to shaping the future of our communities. As a local government servant, your voice can help bridge the gap between local and state government, ensuring that we work together for the betterment of all Maine residents.

Please RSVP to Rebecca Graham, MMA Senior Legislative Advocate at or 207-624-0101. You can also sign up directly at  https://www.memun.org/Forms/Forum-for-Local-Government

Successful Household Hazardous Waste Day in Winslow

This past weekend, KVCOG hosted a successful Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day in Winslow – a big THANK YOU to them for hosting this event! We were thrilled to see so many community members participate and responsibly dispose of their hazardous waste. A unit of hazardous material is defined as 5 gallons, 20lbs, or a combination of the two. Together, we collected and safely disposed of 600 hazardous units, helping to keep our environment clean and safe.

A big thank you to everyone who came out and supported this important initiative. Your commitment to sustainability and proper waste management makes a huge difference. If you’re interested in planning a community household hazardous waste collection event that helps protect our environment, please contact:

Olivia Kunesh
Environmental Coordinator
207-453-4258, Ext 219

KVCOG AWARDED $500,000 IN ASSESSMENT FUNDING THROUGH EPA BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM

Click here to see the announcement and fact sheet about the award. 

 IMPORTANT LD 2003 INFORMATION 

Although our entire team has been diligently working with our municipalities to bring them into compliance with the LD 2003 ruling, we cover 62 towns in our region and have been unable to get to everyone under the deadline set by the State.  This is a very unusual circumstance we (and our partnering COG’s around the state) find ourselves in, since this ruling required revisions to ordinances/regulations in nearly every town, all with the same deadline.  The State did not take into consideration that many rural municipalities do not have staff to perform this update and would rely on their Regional COG or other Planning Agency.  Thus, creating the backlog. 

As we get closer to the State-imposed deadline for adopting provisions for compliance with LD 2003 (P.L. 2021, ch. 672), we realize that many communities will not have their ordinance updated in time for adoption at their respective town meetings. We are doing our best to get to these updates; unfortunately, the State has not allotted much time between providing ruling and the implementation deadline.

It is imperative to understand there will not be any penalization for those who do not get their ordinances amended in time for town meeting, and thus meet the State deadline.

If your community does not meet the deadline for LD 2003, the following will take place:

1. LD 2003 will supersede the municipal ordinance, but only in aspects that pertain to LD 2003; all other parts of the municipal ordinance will remain as written, viable, and enforceable.
2. In places where LD 2003 supersedes the municipal ordinance, that only means that the municipality cannot further regulate the existing legislation. For example, if the ordinance is not updated before the deadline, that means the municipality cannot require the owner of the property to live in either the Accessory Dwelling Unit or the primary dwelling unit on the property. Please keep in mind this is just an example of an optional regulatory layer the municipality can choose to add into their ordinance. This is nothing more than an example!

An example of what will be mandatory regardless of a timely ordinance update, is the requirement to allow an Accessory Dwelling Unit on any lot where a single-family dwelling unit is the primary structure.

We realize hosting a special town meeting to adopt ordinance revisions is rather pricey. The State currently has a funding available which may defray the cost of this. Funding is through the initial Municipal Payment Program. Information on that funding can be found using the following link:

KVCOG appreciates every opportunity to work with your community and we appreciate your continued support. We strives to provide the most comprehensive services, at reasonable prices and in a timely manner. Please understand that we are doing everything we can to meet the needs of all the communities in our region.

For any questions about this or any other related ordinance/land-use related questions,
please reach out to Jessica Cobb, Community Planner at

• Information about LD 2003 can be found here. 
• Click here to email KVCOG staff with questions about LD 2003. Municipalities may also email KVCOG and request that their community be added to KVCOG’s list of towns to work with in updating and amending relevant ordinances to comply with LD 2003. 
• LD 2003 Guidance Document issued by DECD

Check out this article on Tax Revaluation on centralmaine.com

 Q&A: What is a property tax revaluation and how does it work?

It's time to plan your visit to the Kennebec Valley! Thanks to the Kennebec Valley Explorer/Visit Kennebec Valley for producing this amazing video. See more of this content and plan your trip to the Kennebec Valley on their website.

Kennebec Valley Council of Governments (KVCOG) is a private, non-profit organization established in 1967. KVCOG is a membership organization and is owned and operated for the benefit of its members.  The Council of Governments is enabled by state statue. The office is located in Fairfield, Maine and serves Kennebec, Somerset and western Waldo Counties.

KVCOG provides a coordinated approach for planning and economic development at the local and regional level.  KVCOG has been a leader in economic development, environmental, land use and transportation planning with a wide array of professional talent among staff for the past 50 years.

The Kennebec Valley region is connected by the Kennebec River. It covers 62 municipalities, several unorganized territories and 5,251 square miles with a population of approximately 182,000.  It includes the state capital of Augusta as well as other cities including Waterville, Gardiner and Hallowell and many rural towns. Municipal population ranges from 42 to 18,972.