27 Northport Dr  
Portland, ME 04103  
Cumberland County  
Board of Assessment Review  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Meeting Location: 27 Northport Drive, Portland ME 04103  
Tuesday, May 19, 2026  
5:00 PM  
Sebago Meeting Room  
27 Northport Dr  
Portland, ME 04103  
CALL TO ORDER  
The Board of Assessment Review met in person at 27 Northport Drive, Portland, in the Sebago Lake  
Conference Room, the meeting was called to Order by Chair Ed Getty at 5:12 p.m.  
ROLL CALL  
5 -  
Board Member Alex Coupe, Board Member David Silk, Chair Edward  
Getty, Vice Chair Geoffrey Crain and Board Member Peter Coyne  
Present:  
County Staff:  
Breana Gersen, Deputy County Manager  
APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
BAR 26-006 Approval of the minutes, April 7, 2026 meeting of the Board of Assessment  
Review.  
A motion was made by Board Member Silk, seconded by Board Member Coyne,  
that this BAR Agenda Item be APPROVED. The motion carried by a unanimous  
vote.  
NEW BUSINESS  
BAR 26-007 For consideration and adoption, revised Cumberland County Board of  
Assessment Review (BAR) Procedures, Instructions for Applicants, and BAR  
Application.  
The Board reviewed the proposed revisions to the Cumberland County Board of  
Assessment Review Procedures, Instructions for Applicants, and Application  
materials with Assistant County Manager Breana Gersen.  
The Board agreed that both the Procedures document and the Application  
should include a revision date. The Board otherwise agreed with the proposed  
language as drafted. Regarding the Application materials, the Board requested  
additional clarification be added within the instruction letter to the applicant  
explaining the meaning of “unjust discrimination.”  
The Board also discussed future procedural considerations, noting the following  
to Assistant County Manager Gersen: adjusting Board membership to five  
members with a quorum requirement of three members, and clarifying the  
adoption of a remote participation policy to allow members to participate  
remotely when necessary.  
Assistant County Manager Gersen stated that she would make the noted  
changes and present the revisions at the next meeting.  
This BAR Agenda Item was DISCUSSED.  
EXECUTIVE SESSION  
BAR 26-008 To enter into Executive Session under 1 M.R.S.A. §405(6)(F) and 36 M.R.S.  
§841(2) to hear a poverty tax abatement appeal.  
Present for the executive session was New Gloucester Town Manager William  
Doyle and the appellant.  
Time Into Executive Session: 5:32 p.m.  
A motion was made by Board Member Silk, seconded by Board Member Coupe,  
that the BAR Agenda Item be APPROVED. The motion carried by the following  
vote:  
5 -  
Board Member Coupe, Board Member Silk, Chair Getty, Vice Chair Crain  
and Board Member Coyne  
Yes:  
No:  
0
The Board did not exit executive session during this meeting. The Board met in a special meeting on  
May 29th to reconvene and exit executive session from May 19th.  
NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, June 16, 2026  
ADJOURNMENT  
The Board informally adjourned the meeting at 7:29 p.m.