EVENTS: Waterville Seed Library to launch March 16, 2024

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The Waterville Public Library has announced the 2024 launch of the Waterville Seed Library. This entirely free public resource features 30 varieties, including tomato, pumpkin, summer lettuce mix, green beans, and more. Beginning on Saturday, March 16, 2024, while supplies last, garden seed packets can be picked up at the Waterville Public Library, at 73 Elm Street, Waterville. A free Paint a Plant Pot and Plant Basil craft program for youth will be offered on Saturday, March 16, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

The Waterville Seed Library provides community members with the resources to grow healthy, sustainable food at no cost. The seed library helps to reclaim seeds as a public resource and fosters a culture where local growing knowledge is easily shared. In concert with the Waterville Public Library’s purpose and mission, we celebrate human diversity in our community and strive to be inclusive and accessible to all.

The Waterville Seed Library is made possible through a partnership with the Colby Office of Civic Engagement, Waterville Public Library, FEDCO Seeds, and Johnny’s Selected Seeds. Special thanks to the Colby Office of Civic Engagement and the Ohanian-Szostak Fellows for Civic Leadership for project funding and support.

China & Vassalboro presidential primary results

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China Town Clerk Angela Nelson reported the following results from Tuesday’s primary election.

Two hundred and two Democratic votes were cast, with Joseph R. Biden, Jr., receiving 164, or 81 percent. Dean B. Phillips got 19 votes; declared write-in candidate Stephen P. Lyons got 17; and two ballots were left blank.

On the Republican side, 461 ballots were cast, 358 (78 percent) for Donald J. Trump. Nikki R. Haley got 91 votes (20 percent). Trailing well behind were Ron DeSantis with four votes; Vivek G. Ramaswamy with three; blank ballots and write-ins with two votes each; and Ryan L. Binkley with one vote.

Nelson called the 663 votes “a lower than normal turnout for China,” but, she said, “it was a nice steady flow all day.” Unexpected visitors included Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and a reporter from Channel 6 News, who stood outside the polling room under an umbrella.

* * * * * *

Vassalboro town clerk Cathy Coyne reported 523 presidential primary ballots cast in that town, 367 Republican and 156 Democratic.

Donald J. Trump got 284 Republican votes (77 percent), followed by Nikki R. Haley with 80 (22 percent) and Vivek G. Ramaswamy with two. There was one blank ballot; no one voted for Ryan L. Binkley or Ron DeSantis.

Joseph R. Biden received 128, or 82 percent, of the Democratic votes. Dean B. Phillips received 14, and there were 14 blank ballots. No Vassalboro voter chose Stephen P. Lyons.

China GOP to caucus

There will be a Town of China Republican Caucus on Thursday March 14, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. The purpose of a Maine Republican town caucus is to elect delegates and a delegation chairman to the Maine Republican State Convention to be held April 26 and 27, 2024; to elect representatives to the Kennebec County Republican Committee; to elect the officers of the Town of China Republican Committee; and to review and ratify bylaws for the town committee. Republican candidates for state and local offices present will be given an opportunity to speak. Any registered Republican voter in the Town of China can participate. The caucus will convene in the portable building behind the town office at 6:30 p.m.

China select board reviews, amends 2024-25 budget

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by Mary Grow

China select board members spent another two hours March 4 reviewing and amending their draft 2024-25 town budget, in preparation for a budget committee meeting to be held March 5.

They recommended reductions in several accounts. Board chairman Wayne Chadwick expects a hefty tax increase and wants to minimize spending as much as possible.

However, board members realize that prices of many commodities and services essential to running the town have risen. For example, transfer station manager Thomas Maraggio told them the bill for changing the hydraulic oil in one of his machines is now $2,000.

Reductions agreed to at the March 4 session included:

— Eliminating Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood’s proposed new position of community recreation director and reducing the copier account by $1,000, saving $23,800 in the administration budget;
— Reducing the amount suggested in the public works budget for road sand and salt by $20,000;
— Deleting a $3,000 contribution to The Town Line newspaper; and
— Deleting a $100 contribution to the Maine Public Broadcasting Network.

Chadwick said select board members will review the budget committee’s recommendations before preparing a final budget to be submitted to China voters at the June 11 annual town business meeting.

Vassalboro select board continues 2024-25 budget discussions

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by Mary Grow

Vassalboro select board members continued discussion of the draft 2024-25 town budget at a special Feb. 29 meeting, focusing on two topics.

Holly Weidner, of the Conservation Commission, joined a wide-ranging discussion of protecting water quality in Vassalboro’s lakes (see the Feb. 29 issue of The Town Line, p. 3).

With Brian Lajoie from the public works department present, board members continued discussion of that budget section, considering next year’s priorities and longer-term needs, like replacing trucks as they wear out.

The select board holds a regular meeting at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 7. Board chairman Chris French intends continued budget consideration to be among the items on the agenda.

The water quality discussion began with a recap of plans to continue the Courtesy Boat Inspection (CBI) program.

Weidner corrected the previous report: inspectors have not found invasive plants on boats about to be launched in area lakes. The number of non-invasive plant fragments declines, she said, as inspections make more boaters aware of the need to clean watercraft thoroughly when they move from one water body to another.

The state requires sponsors of bass fishing tournaments and similar events to provide their own boat inspectors, she added.

Town Manager Aaron Miller said a recent meeting with interested parties affirmed the agreement that the CBI program will continue, overseen by the Vassalboro Conservation Commission, with the China Region Lakes Alliance (CRLA) hiring inspectors.

Weidner said Vassalboro had a watershed management plan from 2005 to 2015, prepared with help from the Kennebec County Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Towns with watershed plans, like neighboring China, are eligible to apply for water quality improvement grants.

Watershed Management Plan

In a post-meeting email about the 2005-2015 watershed plan, Holly Wiedner said it was named the Webber Pond Watershed Management Plan. It covered the drainage areas of three water bodies: Webber Pond, which is wholly in Vassalboro; Three Mile (or Threemile) Pond, shared among Vassalboro, China and Windsor; and Three Corner (or Three Cornered) Pond, in Augusta.

Select board members expressed interest in learning more about the prior plan and why it was allowed to lapse.

Proposed public works projects include reorganizing access to the fuel pumps at the town garage, which are used by multiple town departments; buying a skidsteer and a trailer to move it, and updating other equipment; and saving up money to add a storage building on the public works lot on Bog Road.

The skidsteer will let Vassalboro keep its commitment to the state to plow North Vassalboro sidewalks after the state transportation department rebuilds them, probably this summer. The new machine will have other uses year-round.

For the new building, Lajoie and board members plan what they described as a 50-by-50-foot pole barn with metal sides and roof. Lajoie said it would probably sit on a paved area. Board members will not have a firm price until they solicit bids.

After another discussion of paving costs, board members agreed tentatively to leave the 2024-25 paving budget at the current year’s $453,300. French insisted on using $100,000 left in the current account (mostly because the price of asphalt was lower than projected) for next year, to lower the impact on local taxes.

French’s proposal was approved after a discussion of how to manage the transfer to keep the auditors happy.

Miller reported one town project is done: adding surveillance cameras at town buildings was completed Feb. 29, when the transfer station’s cameras were installed.

The manager assured Weidner the final version of the proposed 2024-25 budget will include information voters need to evaluate it, like what roads are proposed for repaving. Board members talked briefly about varied funding sources, including appropriations from the alewife fund (income from the annual alewife fishery) and the Tax Increment Financing Fund (TIF, taxes on the gas pipeline running through Vassalboro).

China planners refer solar ordinance back to town attorney

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by Mary Grow

China planning board members prepared for future action on two issues on their Feb. 27 agenda.

After considering questions about the draft Solar Energy Systems Ordinance raised at the Feb. 26 select board meeting, they referred the document back to town attorney Amanda Meader, asking her to recommend different language for one section.

Select board member Brent Chesley called the section confusing and misleading. Everyone realizes Meader charges for her time, but, planning board member Michael Brown opined, “It’s worth a little more money to get it right.”

Board members scheduled a March 12 public hearing on the application for a community solar farm in a gravel pit off Windsor Road (Route 32 South) (see the Feb. 22 issue of The Town Line, p. 3). Project managers Nick Lacasse, of Perennial Sand Pit Solar, in Hallowell, and Andrew Johnston, of Freeport-based Atlantic Resource Consultants, were present.

Board chairman Toni Wall thanked them for providing a complete application by “sending mega-materials” and updates that board members requested at their Feb. 13 meeting. Lacasse and Johnston replied to board member Elaine Mather’s questions about one document in the lengthy application.

Wall said it is likely the board will act on the application on March 12, after the hearing.

Codes officer Nicholas French said there are tentatively two other items on the March 12 agenda: continued review of Chris Harris’s application for a subdivision off Route 3 (see the Nov. 2, 2023, issue of The Town Line, p. 3); and an application for timber cutting in a resource protection zone off Lakeview Drive.

French said he continues to remind residents running small businesses from their homes that they need a home occupation permit. The application process is simple and not expensive, he said.

The March 12 planning board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., either in the town office meeting room or in the former portable classroom behind the office building. Wall said the public hearing will be early on the agenda.

WINDSOR: LS Power informs town of project suspension

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by The Town Line staff

At the Februry 13 meeting of the Windsor Select Board, Town Manager Theresa Haskell reported she received a letter from Jason Niven, director, project development, on behalf of LS Power Grid Maine. The purpose of the letter was to notify town leaders that LS Power Grid Maine’s development of this project, (Aroostook Renewable Gateway Project), is not moving forward at this time. LS Power Grid Maine LLC requested the town leaders help notify residents of this update.

Haskell also briefly discussed the Dirigo Assessing Group proposal. As discussed with the select board, Haskell will share the proposal with the towns legal team and C. Vern Ziegler, current town’s assessor’s agent and will bring back feedback to future meeting.

Haskell reported a town resident sent a letter to the town regarding the E-911 address change. The resident is not happy about the address change. He listed out several inconveniences this is going to cause him in his letter. Theresa noted that the E-911 address updating is for emergency, fire and rescue services. It has been done and is being done in several towns and is necessary not only for mailing but for accurate arrival for emergency services. There was much discussion about the hardship this may put on the handful of residents that will need to change their addresses. Theresa will be sure there is a posting on the website about the E-911 address update.

Haskell asked the select board if allocation of the snowmobile reimbursement would remain the same as in past years, 75 percent to local Snowmobile Club and 25 percent to be split equally among Windsor Boy Scout Troop #609, Windsor Brownie Troop, and Windsor Youth Association. The board indicated it would remain the same.

Animal Control Officer Ryan Carver reported he will start his door-to-door visits for unregistered dogs. He will issue the resident a 10-day notice. The notice will notify the resident that if their dog is not registered, they could be issued a summons for their unregistered dog when the 10-day notice expires.

Ryan reported a possible rabies case was sent off for testing. It came back negative.

Public Works Supervior Keith Hall answered questions the select board had regarding the upcoming public works budget. The select board asked Hall to get more specific numbers to them. The select board would like to know where money could be reduced in the public works budget regarding adding a public works equipment reserve line to purchase a JCB Mini Excavator with thumb, dig bucket, clean up bucket and mulching head. Also, information about what this piece of equipment would be used for and an estimated guess of future savings.

Hall reported things are going well at the transfer station. The transfer station is fully staffed with a back-up attendant available currently.

Haskell handed out the monthly transfer station report. January was up from last year at this time by $646.30 making the overall total $4,512.89 up for the year.

Ray Bates, select board chairman, opened two sealed Cemetery Mowing RFP’s (request for proposals). A bid was submitted from Maurice Soucey for $25,000.00, proposal beginning July 1, 2024, and ends June 30, 2025. A bid was submitted from Ryan Carver Megan & Hayden Lawn Care and Plowing for $21,500.00, proposal beginning July 1, 2024, and ends June 30, 2025. The RFPs were reviewed, and discussion followed about the equipment being used. The select board discussed having reference checks done by Joyce Perry, cemetery sexton, prior to making the decision.

The next regular select board meeting was held on Tuesday, February 27, 2024. A special select board meeting was held on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, to go over the 2024/2025 budget.

VASSALBORO: New hire proposal withdrawn; select board nixes KVCOG membership

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by Mary Grow

After reviewing pieces of the proposed 2024-25 town budget at their regular meeting Feb. 22, Vassalboro select board members scheduled a special meeting for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29, to continue discussion.

Two decisions were made Feb. 22.

— Town Manager Aaron Miller said he had postponed his proposal to hire a part-time town office staff member, given the difficulty of finding candidates for the position. Select board members did not argue.
— Paying for a membership in the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments was deleted. Board chairman Chris French said he saw no need for the organization’s help in 2024-25.

Board members reduced the proposed 2024-25 paving budget. They agreed to buy a skidsteer, to plow North Vassalboro sidewalks beginning next winter and for other, year-round uses, and to budget the first of three installments for a new loader. No public works department representative was at the Feb. 22 meeting.

They considered a proposal to offer family health insurance to town employees. Miller said five employees would be interested. French sees offering the coverage as a way to keep Vassalboro competitive in the job market.

There was consensus that adding family coverage to present policies is not necessarily the way to go; more options will be explored.

Conservation Commission spokesman Holly Weidner said the China Region Lakes Alliance (CRLA), for which $13,500 was recommended, is inactive for lack of an executive director. There is a proposal that China and Vassalboro lake associations take over the CRLA’s Courtesy Boat Inspection (CBI) program, with the Conservation Commission coordinating and getting the $13,500.

The proposed appropriation was labeled water quality and its place in the budget left undetermined while, Miller said, he “figures out what’s going on.”

Weidner said over the years CBI inspectors have found and removed fragments of invasive weeds on boats being brought to China and Vassalboro lakes and ponds.

Select board members’ recommended budget will be reviewed by the budget committee. Voters will make the final decisions at the June 3 annual town meeting.

The Feb. 22 meeting started with a public hearing on a revised solid waste ordinance, now renamed the Solid Waste & Recycling Ordinance. There were no public comments. This ordinance, like the budget, will need voters’ approval.

A second public hearing was on an application for a junkyard license for the property at 1499 Riverside Drive, which includes a junkyard and a business named ABC Fuel. There was agreement to consider the junkyard and the fuel business as separate, even though they’re on the same site.

Codes officer Jason Lorrain said although the application is for a junkyard license renewal, he considers it a new license, because, he said, former owner Olin Charette’s son is the current owner.

On Lorrain’s recommendation, select board members unanimously approved the junkyard license. Lorrain said the new license has the same conditions, like requiring screening, that previous ones had.

From the audience, planning board member Douglas Phillips said ABC Fuel needs a site review permit from the planning board as a new business.

In other business, select board members continued discussing with Lorrain, Phillips and Miller what changes, if any, need to be made in town ordinances to comply with the new state law commonly called LD 2003.

Intended to promote affordable housing, LD 2003 loosens density requirements in some parts of municipalities to allow one or two ADUs, Accessory Dwelling Units, to share a lot on which a single house currently stands.

There was agreement on two points: the law would not allow increased housing density along Vassalboro’s lakes and ponds, because shoreland zoning limitations would prevail; and the relevant document in Vassalboro is the town’s eight-page Building Permit Ordinance, not the Site Review Ordinance.

Miller said there are evidently two options: propose amendments to the Building Permit Ordinance for voters’ approval, or take no action, in effect leaving compliance with state law to the codes officer.

The codes officer, rather than the planning board, has primary responsibility for the Building Permit Ordinance. Lorrain has been studying the issue and presented some questions for select board discussion.

An ordinance amendment, if the chosen choice, would require a public hearing and a town vote. Renewed discussion was postponed until May, after board members finish preparing the 2024-25 budget.

Open letter to Maine legislators

The following letter was sent to all Maine legislators from Vassalboro Town Manager Aaron Miller:

Feb. 21, 2023

Dear Legislator,

I am writing to you today as a member of Delta Ambulance’s Board of Directors, Town Manager of Vassalboro, first responder for Whitefield, and resident of Alna.

Faced with inadequate funding, EMS agencies in Maine have struggled for years to keep their heads above water. In the years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of those services have been pushed beyond their tipping point.

Staffing shortages were exacerbated by delays in new EMS clinician graduations and agencies were subsequently forced into wage wars to recruit and retain existing field providers. Payroll along with other operating costs rose to levels never seen before while insurance reimbursements, the backbone of EMS funding, stagnated.

The Blue Ribbon Commission extensively studied EMS services across Maine and identified a large gap between reimbursement and expenses. The Commission recommended a dispersal of $70 million each year for five years to all of Maine’s transport services. Despite the Commission’s recommendation and clear demonstration of need, less than half of the $70 million was approved for a one-time infusion, and only $10 million was allocated for emergency funding. Furthermore, transporting services like Delta were capped at receiving no more than $200 thousand – an amount that quite frankly will do nothing for sustainability.

For the first time since 1972, Delta, which currently provides 911 coverage to 13 towns in the greater Augusta and Waterville regions, recently instituted service fees of $15 per capita to towns receiving their 911 coverage. At the end of last year, Delta announced that the per-capita charge will increase to $25 per capita for 2024 and that by 2025, it will fall somewhere in a range between the mid-thirties to seventies depending on other factors. These numbers reflect the necessary changes to reach a break-even budget.

Just recently, municipal officials in the towns of Albion, Benton, China, Fairfield, and Oakland have cited a “fiduciary responsibility” to their citizens and are asking for a reduced rate of $20 per capita this year – an amount that cannot be accommodated by Delta. If the BRC’s recommended amount had been approved and released promptly, it would have allowed for a slower per-capita rate increase and lessened the blow to towns already facing financial challenges of their own.

The funding was announced seven months ago. Delta still hasn’t seen any of these funds despite a successful application submission which was not made available until December. Can you please let us know when we can expect to receive these funds? What are the plans to effectively address the statewide issue and how will this be accomplished in a timely manner?

Sincerely, Aaron C. Miller

CHINA: Organizations answer questions about budget requests

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Hikers on Bridge in Thurston Park (Photo courtesy: Town of China)

by Mary Grow

China select board members discussed the 2024-25 budget for much of their Feb. 26 meeting, and scheduled another meeting for 6 p.m. Monday, March 4, to continue the topic.

At this stage, they are reviewing Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood’s recommended figures and requests from various committees, organizations and other recipients of town money. They will forward the resulting draft budget to the budget committee for its members’ input.

Final decisions will be made by voters at the annual town business meeting, scheduled as a secret ballot vote on Tuesday, June 11.

More than a dozen town employees and residents attended the Feb. 26 meeting, most to answer select board members’ questions about budget requests.

Select board members are interested in minimizing the tax increase they foresee for the 2024-25 fiscal year. Preliminary proposals to reduce spending in the draft budget included cutting anticipated tipping fees for demolition debris disposal (from the transfer station section of the budget) and cutting the contribution to the fire departments’ capital reserve fund (public safety).

China Village fire chief Joel Nelson said he foresees two major expenses, replacing air packs and repairing or replacing the fire station roof. He is seeking grants, with no guarantee of success.

Select board members deleted the stipends for themselves they had tentatively approved at an earlier meeting. They reduced that line (in the boards and committees section of the budget) from $12,500 to Hapgood’s recommended $1,500 for training and similar expenses.

A request for Thurston Park funding, also in the boards and committees account, drew the longest and hottest debate of the evening.

Select board chairman Wayne Chadwick opposed the $12,675 Jeanette Smith, chairman of the Thurston Park Committee, requested for supplies and maintenance.

Chadwick, while appreciating the enthusiasm of the volunteers who support and maintain the park, questioned the value of the area, which he said many China residents cannot even locate.

Smith said the park brings recreationists to China, where they are likely to spend money in local establishments. If the park is not well known, that is because town officials do nothing to promote it, she said.

Selectman Wayne Chadwick said on his most recent visits to Thurston Park he met no one. Thurston Park Committee member Scott Monroe said he meets families in Thurston Park.

Chadwick said on his most recent visits to Thurston Park he met no one; and he prefers the unmaintained trails at Lake St. George State Park. Thurston Park Committee member Scott Monroe said he meets families in Thurston Park, and prefers maintained trails.

Chadwick made a motion to cut $10,000 from the Thurston Park appropriation. Board member Janet Preston amended the reduction to $2,500. Preston’s amendment was approved, supported by herself, Blane Casey and Jeanne Marquis and opposed by Chadwick and Brent Chesley.

The motion to cut $2,500 was then defeated, with Preston and Marquis voting for it and Chadwick, Chesley and Casey opposed.

Casey’s motion to recommend $8,500 for Thurston Park under the boards and committees account was approved unanimously.

The revised total of $84,220 for the boards and committees account was unanimously recommended to the budget committee.

China’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) fund was the other budget line on which board members made final recommendations to the budget committee. They approved nine appropriations recommended by the TIF Committee at its Feb. 5 meeting (see the Feb. 8 issue of The Town Line, p. 2).

Select board members lacked information to act on three non-budget items on their Feb. 26 agenda.

Hapgood shared a draft of the proposed new Solar Energy Systems Ordinance. Chesley had questions, which planning board chairman Toni Wall said the planning board would address at its Feb. 27 meeting.

Hapgood said town attorney Amanda Meader has not finished preparing suggested revisions to the town’s Land Use Ordinance that will incorporate required parts of the new state housing law, LD 2003.

The manager is investigating a senior check in service as something the town might offer, but she needs more time to collect information. She described it as a program for which seniors could sign up to ask a town employee to call at intervals to make sure the resident was all right.

Vassalboro school board members see small piece of budget

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Vassalboro Community School (contributed photo)

by Mary Grow

Vassalboro school board members got an introduction to some small pieces of the 2024-25 school budget at their Feb. 13 meeting. There will be more budget discussion at future meetings.

The Feb. 13 agenda included presentations from:

— Finance director Paula Pooler on three accounts, a $500 one that will remain the same next year as this year and two that are slated to be reduced by around $8,000, total, in 2024-25;
— Transportation director Ashley Pooler, whose presentation sparked a discussion of whether to apply to the state for a new school bus for next year (the preliminary answer is yes); and
— Technology director Will Backman, who explained a proposed $8,000 increase in the technology budget.

Another minor budget issue that generated discussion was school board members’ compensation. They currently receive $40 per meeting, a figure Superintendent Alan Pfeiffer said (and, from the audience, select board member Michael Poulin agreed) is less than other area school or select board members get.

Board members want to think about whether to propose an increase, so a decision was postponed.

Future meetings will deal with larger budget figures. This year’s Vassalboro school budget, as approved by voters at the 2023 town meeting, totals a little over $9 million.

Paula Pooler said spending remains on track, and the lunch program, which ran a deficit for some years, is holding its own. Pfeiffer said there are planned kitchen upgrades at Vassalboro Community School, now that the lunch program can support them.

After another discussion of the day care program Jennifer Lizotte operates at VCS, board members agreed to consider extending the lease for more than a year at a time, so Lizotte can make long-range plans with confidence. The topic will be on the agenda for the March school board meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 19.

Windsor select board approves building codes

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by The Town Line staff

Windsor Select Board members in attendance, Chester Barnes Jr. was absent, unanimously approved the town of Windsor’s building codes, 4-0, at their meeting on January 30, 2024. Sections of the codes the select board had specific questions about were reviewed in depth. It was also noted that yearly reviews of ordinances will be done as needed.

The board also voted to accept and sign the assessor’s abatement for Samuel A. Newcombe in the amount of $163.85 as recommended by C. Vern Ziegler, Windsor’s assessor’s agent. They also unanimously approved the supplemental tax warrant to Double Eagle Properties LLC, in the amount of $361.05.

Public Works Director Keith Hall reported that truck #6 is back in service, for now. He also stated the 2016 International is still the next truck to be replaced in the public works fleet. In the meantime, McGee covered the extra hours while the truck was out of service. Town Manager Theresa Haskell noted that 40 hours of addition to McGee’s contracted hours were used for roads.

Hall went on to report the transfer station is now fully staffed, and they have also hired a fill-in attendant to help when needed.

Haskell then reported the Windsor Volunteer Fire Department would like to use the MMA Grant to purchase an ice rescue alive sled. This would be for cold water rescue. The grant would cover 70 percent of the slad, and the WVFD would cover the other 30 percent. The board approved it unanimously.

Haskell informed the board the town has received the stabilization refund from the state. Windsor received $14,505.16. The town received about 56 percent of the stabilization refund expected due to a shortage. The state anticipates receiving more funds and get more refunds to the towns in the spring.

Haskell reported switching from TRIO SQL to TRIO WEB would be very costly. She has again looked at the price to make the switch and from a few years ago, the price has almost tripled. She has also been looking into the possibility of using TRIO as the town’s back-up instead of using the current back-up server. Haskell will possibly be looking for new IT options and further review of TRIO options.

Haskell noted that Dirigo Assessing Group is ready to go, and take over for Ziegler as the town’s assessor’s agent. She gave some more background on the group and the employees, and what the working hours and days would be. The select board approved $825 per day for 30 days, one in office day per week, and one remote day per week.

Haskell reported that some towns have come up with a counter offer for Delta Ambulance of $20 per capita, even though Delta was looking for $25 per capita. More information will be forthcoming.

Haskell said work on the 2024-25 municipal budget is coming along, and the first meeting was scheduled for February 6.

Adrian Prindle, a resident, came before the select board with an interest in becoming a conservation committee member. After giving a background of himself, the board unanimously approved his appointment, effective immediately, and running through June 2024.

The next select board meeting was scheduled for February 13.