Announcements

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RSU Budget Election

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New Requests for Bids

Town Attorney Bid – Due June 23, 2025 – Bid Document here

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Town Annual Report – 2024

2024 Town Reports are available now at the Town Office and Library.

PDF Version here.

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TOWN MEETING WARRANT FOR THE 2025 YEAR

Document available here

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FRIENDSHIP/CUSHING FOOD PANTRY

A note to Cushing residents that supplemental food assistance is available at the Friendship/Cushing Food Pantry located in Friendship at 6 Kaler Lane off Route 97 behind the Friendship Highway Department near the town center. Cushing residents are welcome to stop by during hours of operation each Saturday from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
First time visitors are asked to fill out a one-page form to determine eligibility. Once completed you can select numerous on-the-shelf items. Volunteers will distribute food from the refrigerators and freezers based on family size. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and bread are also available.
For more information, contact the Friendship Town Office at (207) 832-7644.

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Public Notice

ABSENTEE BALLOTS AVAILABLE

Absentee Ballots are available at the Cushing Town Office for the
Town General and Referendum Election on Monday March 17, 2025.

To receive an absentee ballot a registered voter may come into the town office to vote, call 354-2375 for a ballot to be mailed to the voter (only the voter may do this), or come in and fill out a request form to pick up a ballot. Immediate family members may come in and fill out an application to take a ballot to a family member.

Please note: Due to State Statute Title 21-A section 753-B March 12, 2025, will be the last day to request an absentee ballot or vote by absentee unless a voter meets the criteria for a Special Circumstance Application. Only the voter can fill out the Special Circumstance Application.

If you have any questions, please call the Town Office at 354-2375.

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Public Notice

Sample Ballots for the March 17, 2025 Town Election

Specimen Ballot – Candidates here

New Fire Truck Ballot here

Details regarding the warrant article on purchasing a new fire engine:
1. The warrant gives the selectboard the authority to spend up to $575,000 for a new fire truck. There are some new OSHA requirements that would force Cushing to make this purchase but they are still being  debated however with possible said changes, in the event that we wait to purchase a fire truck, which keep in mind will take up to 24 + months to build, the cost for this fire truck will increase by at least 10% for this year and then again in 2026 it will increase due to new emissions on all new
commercial chassis.
2. This fire engine would replace a 24-year-old truck whose manufacturer is no longer in Business, which means they are no longer making replacements parts making it very difficult. In order to keep home owners insurance / ISO ratings down Cushing Fire department must maintain 5,000 gallons of mobile water (Between all apparatus)
3. The cost of equipment has skyrocketed. Cushing purchased a similar new fire engine 4 years ago for $370.000. We do know that in our current economy prices will continue to rise rapidly from here as they
have all ready proven since our last purchase.
4. The funds will come from both the Firetruck replacement fund and undesignated funds which should either lessen the burden on taxes or see no increase at all.

Call for Volunteers – Cushing Warming Center

The Cushing Warming Center is seeking dedicated volunteers to ensure the well-being of those experiencing electric outages during winter storms. Details here

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2025 DOG LICENSES NOW AVAILABLE

This is a reminder that dog licenses are now available. The rabies vaccination must be current at the time of licensing. The license renewal fee is $6.00 for spay/neutered; $11.00 for able to produce. Please renew on or before January 31st. to avoid a $25.00 late fee.

Town office information on the left.
Licenses may also be purchased online at www.doglicensing.com

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Maine Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) Program
Are you struggling to keep up with your mortgage payments or other housing costs due to COVID-19 related financial hardships? The Maine Homeowner Assistance Fund may be able to help.
Information here

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A Message to Cushing Landowners

Dear Cushing Landowners,

As spring building season approaches I want to remind everyone that any building over 100 sq ft requires an intent to build notice before work can begin. Plumbing and Land Use applications are also required as needed.

All of these forms can be found on the town website at https://www.cushing.maine.gov/ordinances/. If you have any questions about these permits or other code enforcement questions feel free to email me at codecushingme@roadrunner.com. Or call 354-2375.

Matthew D. Deane
Code Enforcement Officer
Plumbing Inspector

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Fiber Internet for Cushing

Dear Cushing resident,

We are reaching out to you, to request that you use the below link to provide internet speed test data that can be used by Cushing in a grant application to the state for grant money to bring fiber internet to our town.

As you may recall, our residents voted last June to join the Midcoast Internet Development Corporation, a community-owned broadband utility district, to bring high speed fiber internet to Cushing and other areas. A key part of our work has been to apply for state grant money to help build out this network. The state has decided that it will give grant money first to locations in the state that are considered “unserved” for internet service. The state defines “unserved” locations as those with internet speeds that are slower than 50 mbps download and 10 mbps upload. This is not based on what the internet company (e.g. Spectrum) says its speeds are, but is based on actual speed test data. If either of these measures is not met, the location would be considered unserved and eligible for state grant money. Importantly, Spectrum often has difficulty meeting the 10 mbps upload speed at many locations. Those locations would, therefore, be classified as unserved and eligible for grant money.

The state’s current map for Cushing lists Cushing as having 75 unserved locations and 807 underserved locations (speeds between 50-99 mbps download and 10-99 upload). We believe that the state mapping is inaccurate, and that Cushing has many more unserved locations than currently indicated. By clicking on the below link, you can automatically run a speed test and replace the data that the state currently has for your location with real, more accurate data. Correcting this with actual speed test data would allow Cushing to obtain more state grant money to install fiber internet.

midcoast.vetro.io      (enter your address in the box in the upper left)

Thank you for helping Cushing work towards building out fiber internet in our town.

Sincerely, Cushing Selectboard

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General Assistance

The municipality of Cushing administers a General Assistance program for the support of the poor.  Pursuant to Title 22 MRSA §4305, the municipal officers have adopted an ordinance establishing that program.  A copy of this ordinance is available for public inspection at the town office.  Also available for inspection is a copy of the State’s General Assistance Statutes, as copies of the State law are made available to the municipality, by the State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

Persons who wish to apply for General Assistance may do so at the Cushing Community Center Monday- 8:30am-4:30pm, Wednesday- 8:30am-4:30pm, and Friday-7:30-2:30pm.

In case of an emergency, applicants may contact: Cheryl Stackpole at 691-3496.

A written decision must be issued within 24 hours from the time of application.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ toll-free telephone number, to call with a question regarding the General Assistance Program, is 1-800-442-6003.

This notice is posted pursuant to Title 22 MRSA §4304-4305

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Town of Cushing
Broadband Planning Report

A copy of the report can be found here

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Food Pantry Volunteers
The Food Pantry is always looking for volunteers. If you are interested in helping, please contact Karen Goodwill at 354-0669.