Entries by Mary Grow

Vassalboro selectmen OK RFPs for solar energy project

by Mary Grow At their Jan. 23 meeting, Vassalboro selectmen unanimously approved a request for proposals (RFP) for a solar energy project for the town, including the school department and the Vassalboro Sanitary District. The RFP was prepared by the Solar Energy Project Committee; committee chairman, Selectman John Melrose, said Sanitary District and school officials […]

China selectmen make budget recommendations

by Mary Grow China selectmen made their recommendations on Town Manager Dennis Heath’s proposed 2020-21 municipal budget at a special meeting Jan. 27, so the budget committee could review them Jan. 30. Voters will make final decisions at the annual town business meeting, scheduled for Saturday morning, April 4. The major change Heath proposed was […]

CHINA: Discussions continue over conflict of interest

by Mary Grow At their Jan 21 meeting, China selectmen, assisted by town attorney Amanda Meader, continued their discussion of conflict of interest as it relates to budget committee members who are also volunteer fire department members. They added an expansion of earlier discussions of reporting requirements for fire departments spending town funds. Neither issue […]

China selectmen expect long budget meeting on January 27

by Mary Grow China selectmen will start their Monday, Jan. 27, special meeting at 5 p.m. in the town office meeting room. The purpose of the meeting is to review and make recommendations on the 2020-2021 municipal budget; members chose the early starting time because they expect a long meeting. The budget committee is scheduled […]

Vassalboro selectmen discuss delinquent personal property taxes

by Mary Grow Vassalboro selectmen started the new calendar year with a short Jan. 9 meeting that left them satisfied with most items discussed. The main dissatisfaction is with residents who ignore the state law requiring payment of personal property taxes on business equipment, from bulldozers to computers. Town Manager Mary Sabins is investigating the […]

CHINA: Budget draft renews conflict with fire departments

by Mary Grow The special China selectmen’s meeting Jan. 7, called to discuss the town conflict of interest policy and to give board members their copies of Town Manager Dennis Heath’s draft 2020-21 budget, turned out to be yet another round in the months-long argument between town officials and the volunteer fire departments. Heath, recovering […]

China selectmen adopt two new policies; transfer tags, meeting decorum

by Mary Grow China selectmen adopted two new policies at their Jan. 6 meeting. The one-page RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) policy for the transfer station, recommended by the Transfer Station Committee with input from town office staff, deals with the new transfer station entrance requirement that will be effective Feb. 1. The five-page Select Board […]

CHINA: New police chief, patrolman selected

by Mary Grow At a short Dec. 23 meeting, China selectmen appointed a town police chief and met and appointed a new patrolman. Craig Johnson, who has been serving in China’s part-time police department for almost two years, is the new chief. Town Manager Dennis Heath said the appointment means Johnson will be in charge […]