BRUNSWICK

The Brunswick Town Council unanimously approved a $17,888 grant for local nonprofit organization Family Focus, which will use the funds to pay property taxes after failing to file an exemption in 2014.

While Family Focus has been granted property tax exemption in years past at its 44 Water St. location in Brunswick, the organization failed to file an application when they acquired new property at 31 Venture Ave. at Brunswick Landing in January 2014.

With the Water Street property exemption, the organization did not realize that filing an application for the new location was a requirement, according to Town Manager John Eldridge.

After being alerted of the situation, Family Focus applied for an exemption last September, missing the April 1 deadline.

“The only way to assist the organization would be at this point to make a grant in the amount of the tax,” Eldridge said. “We couldn’t determine another way to make it happen.”

As the organization was not eligible for an abatement, the council approved an overexpenditure from the town’s appropriation for social services in the 2015- 16 budget to authorize the grant, which equaled the amount of taxes the organization owed — $17,888.08 plus accrued interest.

Ben Tucker, a Family Focus board member and volunteer, was present to speak at Monday night’s meeting.

“It was truly a mistake,” he said regarding the late application. “We did not understand that an application had to be filed by April 1 after we received the property.”

Tucker described the situation as “unique,” as the organization could potentially lose the property without the town’s grant.

“With the opening of our new facility at the Brunswick Landing, we received (the property) from the federal government as a public benefit conveyance … which has a condition that we cannot encumber that property,” he said. “If this is not dealt with in the way that’s proposed, there could be a potential tax lean down the road. If we aren’t able to pay the tax lean, it could create an encumbrance on this property, which would perhaps be at risk of the federal government wanting to take the land back.”

Tucker said the organization’s former executive director Bob Parlin was in contact with the town manager and council members as soon as they were aware of the situation, and applied for a tax exemption.

Council members supported the approval of the grant, citing the organization’s positive influence in the community.

“This is, in effect, giving back money we never should have gotten in the first place, because of the clerical error on the part of the applicant,” said councilor Dan Harris. “They do such good work for the town and the surrounding towns … and I’m glad that the manager has found a way to remedy the problem.”

WHILE FAMILY FOCUS has been granted property tax exemption in years past at its 44 Water St. location in Brunswick, the organization failed to file an application when they acquired new property at 31 Venture Ave. at Brunswick Landing in January 2014. 

dkim@timesrecord.com