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CodeRED

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1. What is CodeRED and why is it important to me?

CodeRED is a new emergency notification service by which town officials can notify Auburn residents and businesses by telephone, cellular phone, text message, or electronic mail about time-sensitive emergency situations or important community alerts. The system is capable of sending messages only to specific neighborhoods or the entire town. Only authorized officials are allowed access to the system.

2. For what kinds of situations will CodeRED be used?

Any message regarding the safety or welfare of our community would be disseminated using the CodeRED system. Examples would include severe weather warnings and updates, hazardous traffic or road conditions inside the town or affecting local routes, and any other situation that could impact the safety, property, or welfare of our citizens.

3. Do I have to sign up for CodeRED weather separately?

Yes, the CodeRED weather feature is not automatic. You have to opt-in by selecting which weather options you would like to be notified of. You make the selection when you are signing up for CodeRED.

4. Does the CodeRED system replace other systems that have been used to provide time-sensitive information to residents?

This system is an enhancement to existing means of communication and is supplemental to, not a replacement for, the systems we have used in the past. Also, the Auburn Information Radio Station AM 1610, Auburn Cable Access and our town website will continue to broadcast important announcements.

5. Does the Town have my telephone number, or do I have to sign up to receive CodeRED emergency calls?

The Code Red Database does use information received from public databases including regional phonebooks. Cellphones and unlisted numbers may not be available. Register for CodeRED online. This is the quickest way to sign up because the information you supply will immediately update Auburn’s CodeRED telephone number database. If you do not have access to the internet at home, please consider using a computer at the Auburn Public Library or ask a friend or family member for assistance. 

Online registration is the most efficient, accurate and private way to supply your information. To register online you might first have to adjust your internet browser to enable cookies, otherwise you may receive an error message. If you can not register online, you can call the Auburn Emergency Management Director at 508-832-7720 and leave your information so it may be entered. It is our intention and hope that every residence and commercial facility in our community will be included in the notification database.

6. I have a business located in Auburn. Can I arrange to have CodeRED call my business?

Yes. Fill out the CodeRED registration form but be sure to select the “This address is business” option. Please note that emergency calls can only be delivered to a direct dial number. Automated attendants will disrupt the process and the calls will not be delivered. Businesses should register their main number and establish a procedure for distributing the CodeRED message to their workforce.

7. The registration form only allows me to enter a primary and secondary telephone number. What if I want to register additional numbers for my address?

After you submit the initial registration form, you may start the registration process again and submit more numbers for the same address.

8. What precautions are being taken to protect personal information?

CodeRED is a service of Network Emergency Communications (ECN) which takes security and privacy concerns very seriously and does not sell, trade, lease or loan any data about clients to any third party.

9. How will I recognize a CodeRED message?

A CodeRED Emergency message will have a caller identification (ID) of 866-419-5000. A CodeRED General message will have a caller ID 855-969-4636. We suggest you program both numbers in your cell phone as a “new contact” and use “CodeRED Emergency” and “CodeRED General” as the contact name. If you need to replay the emergency notification message again, simply dial the number and you will be able to hear the message again. 

A CodeRED message will begin with the same standard announcement: “Hello, this is ______ calling with an important message from the Town of Auburn.” The message content will follow this standard introduction.

10. What should I do if I receive a CodeRED message?

Listen carefully to the entire message. It will be brief and at the end of the message, you will have the option to repeat the message by pressing any key. Follow the instructions given. Do not hang up until you have heard the entire message or you might miss vital information. Do not call 911 for further information unless directed to do so or if you need immediate aid from the Police or Fire department.

11. I have a cordless phone, and it does not work when the power goes out. How is the Town going to be able to contact me?

Make sure you have at least one working corded telephone - and be sure to turn the ringer on. The CodeRED sign-up form gives you the option of filling in both a primary phone number and an alternate phone number. You can fill in the alternate phone number with another contact number such as your cell phone number or work number. Entering an alternate phone number will cause both your primary and alternate phone numbers to be called.

12. Will CodeRED leave a message on a machine?

Yes, CodeRED will leave a message on a machine or on voice mail. Part of the CodeRED solution is the patented ability to recognize answering devices and leave the message completely in one pass.

13. What happens if the line is busy?

If the line is busy, CodeRED will try two more times to connect.

14. What circumstances might prohibit a message from being delivered to me?

• If you have moved or changed your phone number and have not registered your new contact information, CodeRED may not be able to contact you.
• If you have only cordless phones in your residence, the power is out and you have not registered an alternate phone number, CodeRED will not be able to contact you.
• If your line is busy for an extended period and your calls do not forward to voice mail or an answering machine in a busy condition, after three tries CodeRED will stop calling your number. The Town will receive a report of undelivered calls and can instruct CodeRED to begin another round of calls to busy numbers. It’s best to have an alternate phone number in the calling database for these situations.
• If you have privacy manager on your main phone service, CodeRED will not be able to contact you unless you have registered an alternate number that will accept the call.

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Finance - Proposition 2 1/2

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1. How does proposition 2 1/2 limit property taxes?

Proposition 2 1/2 contains two limitations on the amount of property taxes a city or town can raise:

• The property tax levy ceiling (the amount raised) can never exceed 2.5% of the full cash value of all taxable property in the city or town.
• The property tax levy cannot increase from year to year by more than 2.5%, with certain exceptions for new growth, or through over rides and exclusions as adopted by the voters.

2. How does proposition 2 1/2 affect my individual bill?

The levy limit provisions of Proposition 2 1/2 affect the total amount of taxes to be raised by a city or town. It does not apply to an individual tax bill.

3. What is classification? How does it work with proposition 2 1/2?

The voters adopted the Classification Amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution in 1978. It allowed cities and towns to categorize real estate into four classes; residential, commercial, industrial and open space, and to tax these classes at different rates.

Proposition 2 1/2 affects the total amount of tax that can be raised. Classification affects which classes of taxpayers will pay what specific share of the total amount of tax.

4. Does proposition 2 1/2 allow increases in the tax levy?

Proposition 2 1/2 contains several provisions for an increase in the tax levy limit:

• The levy limit can be increased by 2.5% each year so long as the levy does not exceed 2.5% of the full cash value of all property in the city or town.
• The levy can be increased by the value of new construction and newly-taxable parcels. This provision ensures that cities and towns can recover additional service costs resulting from new taxable projects.
• The levy can be increased by the adoption of an override. An override provision allows the voters of the city or town to raise additional revenues (or to reduce the levy) by the specific amount. This can be accomplished by placing an override question on the ballot in a general or special election, and approving the measure by a simple majority of voters. The increase approved by the voters than becomes part of the base for calculating future years' levy limits. It is important to consider, however, that Proposition 2 1/2 also mandates that the property tax levy for any given year can never exceed the property tax levy ceiling (which is, again, 2 1/2 of the assessed value of all taxable properties within a city or town). An override of the Proposition 2 1/2 levy limit does not allow the levy to exceed the levy ceiling.
• The levy can be increased by the adoption of an exclusion. The exclusion provision allows the voters of the city or town to exclude bonds or debt issued for municipal capital improvements and is in place only for the length of the borrowing. It does not add to the base for calculating future years' levy limits.

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Municipal Aggregation

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1. What is the difference between programs advertised to “lower your electric bill” and municipal aggregation?

You may have recently seen programs advertised to lower your electric bill by switching to a different provider. These Provider Programs differ from Municipal Aggregation Programs. While both programs seek to lower your electric bill, these programs are run very differently.

2. What is the “community choice power supply program”?

The Community Choice Power Supply Program allows local government to combine the purchasing power of its residents to achieve savings on electricity costs. In doing so, it creates competition among electricity suppliers which helps ensure competitive rates. Consumers are no longer “stuck” with the cost and fluctuation of Basic Service Rates because the Program offers them another option.

3. Why have I received a consumer notification letter?

Your Town has signed a contract with a Competitive Power Supplier on behalf of your community as part of their Community Choice Power Supply Program.

4. Why haven’t I receive a consumer notification letter?

You will not receive a letter if your Local Utility has your account listed as being contracted with a Competitive Supplier. However, there is a lag between the date the utility provides the account data and the date the consumer notification letters are mailed so there may be some accounts that are categorized wrong at the time of the mailing.

5. How will this affect me?

You will receive the benefit of a lower rate on your electricity and therefore a lower electric bill. Otherwise, you will not notice any change. The only difference you will see is that the name of the chosen supplier will be printed under the “Supply Services” section of your monthly bill. You will continue to receive one bill from your Local Utility. You will continue to send your payments to your Local Utility for processing. 

Your Local Utility will continue to read meters and maintain the distribution and transmission lines. Reliability and quality of service will remain the same. Furthermore, you will continue to have all existing consumer rights and protections.

6. What is a "competitive power supplier”?

A Competitive Power Supplier is a power supplier other than your Local Utility. Your electricity is currently being supplied by your Local Utility unless you have switched to a Competitive Supplier on your own. Your electric bill is divided into two parts: delivery and supply. The supply is no longer regulated and therefore can be provided by a Competitive Power Supplier. 

Delivery is still regulated and can only be provided by your Local Utility. Your Local Utility will continue to deliver your power supply over the wires. However, the power running through those wires can be provided by a Competitive Supplier.

7. What do I need to do to participate in the program?

If you are a Basic Service consumer that has received the notification letter and you have not opted-out you will not need to do anything to participate. You will be automatically be enrolled in the Program.

8. Why have I not been enrolled, I thought it was automatic?

Enrollment is not automatic if you have not received a Consumer Notification Letter or if your Local Utility had your account listed as being contracted with a Competitive Supplier at the time of the mailing. Periodically, the Community Choice Power Supply Program will send out a notification letter and opt-out card to customers on the Local Utility’s Basic Service.

9. Can I participate in the program if I did not receive a consumer notification letter?

As long as your community has a Department of Public Utilities (DPU) approved aggregation working with Colonial Power Group, you may opt-in at any time by either filling out the online Opt-In Form, or calling Colonial Power Group, Inc. at 508-485-5858. To avoid delays in your enrollment, before opting in, please make sure that if you have previously contracted with a Competitive Supplier confirm with them that you will not incur any fees for leaving their supply.

10. When will my enrollment take effect?

It will start on the meter read date stated on the Consumer Notification letter (PDF). You will see the new rate on the bill the following month. For instance, if your meter read enrollment date is January 1, your usage from January 1 to January 31 will be charged the new rate and billed on February 1. If you opt-in any other time, enrollment can take up to two billing cycles before taking effect.

11. What if I do not want power from this supplier?

Each consumer has the right to choose his/her supplier. Enclosed in the consumer notification mailing is an Opt-Out Return Card. If you do not want to participate in the Community Choice Power Supply Program, you can sign and date the card and drop it in the mail or you may fill out the online Opt-Out Form or call us toll-free at 866-485-5858. You will be removed from the list of participating customers. The initial opt-out period is 30 days of the mailing date of the notification letter.

12. What if I decide I want to opt-out after the 30 day initial opt-out period?

Participation is designed to be as open as possible. You may leave the Community Choice Power Supply Program at no charge and be placed on their Local Utility's Basic Service or choose another Competitive Supplier on their own. Opting out of the Community Choice Power Supply Program is easy. You may fill out the online Opt-Out Form or call us toll-free at 866-485- 5858. It may take a couple of billing cycles before you are back on your Local Utility’s Basic Service. 

There is no penalty charge to opt-out. Large consumers (G2, G3), if you participate initially and then choose to leave the Community Choice Power Supply Program, you may return only if accepted by the Competitive Supplier and at prevailing market rates.

13. What if I have already chosen a competitive supplier?

The Local Utility records should indicate that you already have a Competitive Supplier. If so, you will not be enrolled in the Community Choice Power Supply Program. However, there is a lag between the date the utility provides the account data and the date the consumer notification letters are mailed so there may be some accounts that are categorized wrong at the time of the mailing. This is why we recommend that you opt-out if you have received a letter and have contracted with a Competitive Supplier or have chosen a Green Power Supply Option.

14. What if I am part of national grid’s smart energy solutions program?

The Local Utility records should indicate that you are part of National Grid’s Smart Energy Solutions Program. If so, you will not be enrolled in the Community Choice Power Supply Program. However, there is no penalty for leaving National Grid’s Smart Energy Solutions Program and joining the Community Choice Power Supply Program. Please note that if you do leave the Smart Energy Solutions Program, you will forfeit access to the Program’s web tools, Program-specific communications and notifications, and the advanced and automated features of the Program’s in-home technology packages. 

If you desire to cease your participation in the Smart Energy Solutions Program, you should call Smart Energy Solutions directly at 855-377-7627 and ask to drop out of the Program. You may then opt-in to the Community Choice Power Supply Program online or by calling Colonial Power Group, Inc. at 508-485-5858. It may take a couple of billing cycles before your enrollment is processed.

15. What if I am on a budget plan or eligible low-income delivery rate?

You will continue to receive those benefits from your Local Utility.

16. What if I operate a business and have a "tax exempt" status, what do I need to do to maintain my status under this program?

According to Massachusetts law, in order to maintain your tax-exempt status for your electric bill, you must send a copy of your tax exempt certificate directly to the Competitive Supplier chosen by your community (the supplier name is listed on your individual community’s web page).

17. What if I have solar panels on my residence or business?

You may remain in the Community Choice Power Supply Program. You will continue to receive your net metering credits while benefiting from the aggregation rate on your electricity.

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Town Clerk - Marriage Intention

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1. What is the 3 day waiting period?

The three-day waiting period is required under Massachusetts statute. The license will be available on the third calendar after the day of the application. If you apply on a Friday, your license can be issued on or after Monday. Please note that licenses are not issued on Saturday or Sunday or after hours.

2. When should we apply for a marriage license?

The marriage license is valid for 60 days from the day of the application. Applications must be made within 60 days of the date of the wedding. There is a three-day waiting period; therefore applications must be made at least 3 days prior to the wedding date.

3. Do I have to apply for a marriage license where I live?

If the marriage is to take place in Massachusetts, you may apply for your license at any City or Town Clerk’s office in Massachusetts. Information on office hours in other cities and towns can be obtained from the Mass.gov page.

4. Do I need an appointment to apply for a marriage license?

No appointment is necessary. A couple must appear at the Clerk’s office together, in person with picture identification.

5. Is there a waiver of the three-day waiting period available?

If there is reason to dispense with the three-day waiting period, a couple may apply to the judge of a Massachusetts Probate or District Court to have the license issued without delay. Applicants must present the court waiver to file the intention and receive the marriage license at that time without waiting.