Cedar Meadow Lake Watershed District
News



Messages from the District Clerk and District Treasurer: 

District Taxes:

The
FY2024 District tax rate was approved by the MA Department of Revenue on December 7, 2023

The four pages of the Tax Rate Recapitulation form are available on the MA DOR Division of Local Services website: Tax Rate Recapitulation Form


Quarterly District tax bills are mailed by the Town of Leicester on behalf of the District.


Betterments:

The District Betterment bills are mailed on August 1 and November 1 each year.
FY2024 Betterment bills (Betterment Year 10) were mailed in Aug 2023 and in Nov 2023.


BETTERMENT HISTORY
:


MA Governor Signs Law Authorizing CMLWD Betterment Payments Over 40 Year Period


The first year Betterment payments related to the long term loan were due in August/November 2013. The first USDA loan payment was made in June 2014 using these Betterment deposits.

The tenth USDA loan payment was made in June 2023 using the Betterment deposits.  Payment 11 of 40 would have been made in June 2024.  However, our $500K principal paydown in January 2023 has shortened the term of our loan by 13 years to 27 years, so the June 2024 payment will now be payment 11 of 27.

History of Betterments:

Letters detailing betterment assessments for members of the District were mailed in mid January 2013.

Members had several options with respect to this betterment. 

1.  Pay the betterment over 40 years as shown on the enclosed schedule.  Each of the annual payments shown on this schedule will be billed by the Board of Assessors in two installments with one half due on August 1 and one half due on November 1 each year beginning in 2013.

2.  Full pre-payment:  Pay off the entire betterment.  To avoid first year interest, this amount must be paid within the next 30 days.

3.    Partial pre-payment:  Pay a portion of the betterment to reduce annual payments thereafter.  To avoid first year interest on the portion that you do pay, this amount must be paid within the next 30 days.

4.  Reduced term:  Reduce the number of years over which you plan to pay the betterment as shown in the enclosed schedule, e.g. for 10, 20 or 30 years.  Reducing the term of the betterment will result in a reduction in the total amount of interest paid.

5. A combination of partial payment of the betterment over a term less than 40 years.

6.  After your payment schedule is established, you will have the option of paying off the remaining balance on your betterment at any time in the future. 

The form enclosed with the betterment letter should have been returned to the District Clerk by February 22, 2013.  If members did not respond within this time period, it was assumed that they wished to pay their betterment over a 40 year term.

Members must have selected their option within 30 days to provide the Board of Assessors with sufficient time to set up billing within the Town’s tax and betterment billing system.  Since full and partial pre-payments will reduce the total amount to be borrowed from the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development program, it is also important that the District know the final loan amount so that the loan can be consummated and the judgment paid as soon as possible in 2013.



Jan 31, 2014, Worcester Telegram & Gazette - Leicester Gets $1 Million for Rawson St. Bridge Fix

The new bridge opened on schedule in October 2018

Home