By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — The dust had barely settled from the election season craziness when the staff at Naples town hall started preparing for the possibility of work-from-home quarantine.

It’s a possibility, Naples Town Manager John Hawley said. 

The increase of daily positive Covid-19 tests in Maine could mean some changes for municipalities. For the past few weeks, new positive cases have been on the rise, with daily increases, ranging from 47 people on Nov. 1, to 177 people on Monday and 195 people on Tuesday. The total number of active cases reached 1,725, according to the Maine CDC webpage. 

“If the number continues to increase, I do anticipate another shutdown to some degree; and the town staff are preparing to work remotely again when that becomes necessary,” Hawley said.

Already, Governor Janet Mills most recent mandate has meant that people must continue to wear masks despite a six-foot separation.

“Last week, the governor issued an executive order that repealed the bars and tap rooms ability to reopen, citing the rapid increase in contaminations,” Hawley said.  “The order also reiterated and expanded the mask order to include stricter indoor standards and to include outdoor public spaces. There is now no social distance-approved area. Masks have to be worn 100% of the time when you are on public property, even outdoors.” 

Chairman Jim Grattelo commented that the City of Portland closed the city clerk’s office for cleaning on Monday and Tuesday.  

Hawley has been trying to get the town reimbursed for expenses related to COVID.

“I have started the process to claim pandemic expenses for reimbursement from the FEMA-declareddisaster. Since the start of the pandemic, we had had roughly $23,000 in additional expenses. Those expenses include personal protective equipment and supplies for our emergency staff as well as frontline employees; disinfectant and cleaning equipment and supplies for all of the town buildings and outdoor public spaces, office modifications to separate staff and citizens, computer upgrades for the delivery of municipalservice remotely,” Hawley said. “Unfortunately, FEMA will only reimburse expenses that are directly related to fire, EMS and police. Currently, those expenses are only about one-third of our overall expenses.” 

“So far, there have been no relief programs that will directly reimburse municipalities for the non-emergency related costs. We are pushing state officials to pass legislation to help municipalities,” he said, adding it’s a moot point since legislators haven’t been meeting this or last session.

“Fortunately for us, about $19,000 of those expenses was towards the beginning of the pandemic and fell in last years’ fiscal year. Our Unanticipated Expense line was able to cover them all, and the budget was under expended,” Hawley said. “I will continue to look for reimbursement funding to get money back. But, at this point, it will not likely come from the State of Maine and it will have to come from the federal level.” 

Meanwhile, in Casco, residents have been asking when they might have access to the Casco Community Center gymnasium for recreational activities.

The gym won’t be open to the public for the foreseeable future, according to Casco Interim Town Manager Don Gerrish.   

“Parks and Recreation Director Beth Latsey has numerous requests about when the community center might be open. We have talked about how that could open according to CDC requirements,” Gerrish said on Tuesday. “With the growing number of cases we are seeing, it won’t open anytime in the future.” 

Additionally, Casco selectmen’s meeting may make a return to the Zoom format.

After a conference call with area town managers, Gerrish said a likely scenario is the board will no longer meet in person. 

“We may go back to Zoom meetings in December because of what’s going on. Because of what’s going on, we think it is prudent just to wait,” he said.