Robert Dowe honored for many years of service to China area

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Robert C. Dowe, of China, after receiving a plaque recognizing his many contributions to the town of China. Photo by Julie Finley

On Christmas Eve 2016, Robert Dowe, of China, received a most unusual Christmas gift. Through the corroboration of three China organizations, Boynton-Webber American Legion Post #179, The South China Volunteer Fire Department, and Dirigo Masonic Lodge #104, he was presented with a plaque in appreciation for the many years of service he gave to the organizations and the town.

On the plaque, presented to him by Sheldon Goodine, along with Neil Farrington, from the American Legion, Chief Richard Morse, of the fire department, and Don Pratt, of the Masons, it states: “In appreciation of your many years of service and sharing of your wealth of knowledge and talents to so many people. You are truly an America Hero.”

Messages from the different organizations on the plaque:

American Legion: Thank you Comrade Bob Dowe for your service and dedication to our country, from the officers and members of Boynton-Webber American Legion Post #179.

Fire Department: Thank you Engineer Bob Dowe for your dedication to protect the lives and property in our community, from the officers and members of the South China Volunteer Fire Department.

Dirigo Masons: Thank you brother Bob Dowe for your love and commitment to the betterment of all mankind, from the officers and
members of the Dirigo Masonic Lodge #104.

 

Vassalboro News: School board reaffirms existing policies

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by Mary Grow

Vassalboro School Board members reaffirmed a list of existing policies at their Dec. 20 meeting, unanimously and without discussion.

Perhaps of most interest to town taxpayers is the policy entitled “Bidding/Purchasing Requirements,” which specifies when school officials must seek bids to buy things or have work done.

According to the policy, the school board expects all purchases to be “consistent with applicable laws and sound business practices.” The Superintendent of AOS (Alternative Organizational Structure) #92 is responsible for developing appropriate bidding and purchasing procedures.

The policy’s main provisions say that:

  • Under state law, the school board must seek bids for “property and casualty insurance; school bus and transportation contracts in excess of $4,000; school building construction, alterations and repairs over $100,000; and bond anticipation notes for state-subsidized school construction projects.”
  • In areas not required by law, the policy is “to competitively bid purchases of equipment, supplies, materials or services over $20,000 provided that it is practical and cost-effective to specify the materials or services with sufficient particularity to allow meaningful comparison of bids.”
  • Otherwise, the superintendent is authorized to seek RFPs (requests for proposals) for purchases over $20,000, letting prospective vendors define how they will meet the school’s need.
  • The superintendent may omit both competitive bidding and an RFP only with school board approval.
  • Bids, but not RFPs, must be opened in public. Generally, the school board is to award contracts to “the lowest bidder which the superintendent and school board deem can satisfactorily fulfill the contract.” RFPs “are to be evaluated based on criteria appropriate for the project,” and the contract is to go to “the vendor whom the superintendent and school board deem best able to meet the requirements of the school unit.”

Other policies cover animals in classrooms, service animals in school and services for home-schooled students, among other topics. Policies, and a great deal of other information, are available on the AOS 92 web site under the heading “Our District.”

In other business Dec. 20, school board members accepted Libby Mitchell’s resignation from the board, with regret and appreciation for her services, because her Nov. 8 election as Kennebec County Probate Judge creates the potential for conflict of interest. Former school board member and state Representative Lori Fowle was appointed to take Mitchell’s place until June elections.

Board members approved two new staff members at Vassalboro Community School, Educational Technician I Kyle Irvine and secretary Alison Lessard.

The next Vassalboro School Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday evening, Jan. 17.

China News: Selectmen call for special town meeting on marijuana moratorium

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by Mary Grow

China selectmen decided at their Dec. 29 meeting they should call a special town meeting to see if residents want a moratorium on recreational marijuana activities in town, instead of waiting until the town business meeting late in March to ask for voter action.

Earlier in the month board members were ready to put off action to respond to the Nov. 8 state-wide legalization of recreational marijuana production and use. They assumed no China resident could get licensed to grow or sell marijuana commercially or operate a marijuana club until late 2017 at the earliest.

At the Dec. 29 meeting, however, consensus developed that a town resident could apply for and perhaps receive a local license before state regulations are in place, although the hypothetical businessperson could not open the business without a state license.

Since there are no current town regulations applying specifically to commercial marijuana operations, selectmen voted unanimously to ask voters at a special town meeting to approve a 180-day moratorium to give time to develop regulations.

Then they directed Town Manager Daniel L’Heureux to schedule the meeting at the earliest possible date, allowing time for publicity. A special town meeting cannot be held without a quorum; the number of voters to constitute a quorum will not be known until after Jan. 3, according to the Quorum Ordinance on the town web site.

The ordinance says: “A number equal to four percent of the residents registered to vote as of the first business day of January in the year in which the meeting is held shall constitute a quorum.”

Milton Dudley, the only planning board member who accepted the selectmen’s invitation to participate in the discussion of a possible local ordinance, suggested a public hearing to see if voters want to take any action before investing in the special town meeting. Selectmen thought it unnecessary, pointing out that public hearings seldom draw a large attendance.

Other topics at the Dec. 29 meeting included plans for the 2018 bicentennial of the incorporation of the Town of China and the planning board’s reconsideration of a controversial Neck Road application.

L’Heureux said there has been no response to advertisements for a bicentennial coordinator, leaving Selectman Neil Farrington the de facto head of the project.
Farrington said he and resident Tom Parent are working with the digitized version of the China Bicentennial History, published in 1975 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the settlement of the area around China Lake and updated in 1984.

The manager said there are two applicants for the vacant at-large seat on the planning board, including Neck Road resident Tom Michaud. Selectmen would like to appoint a planning board member at their Jan. 9 meeting so he or she could attend the Jan. 10 planning board meeting.

A major item on the Jan. 10 agenda is likely to be Parris and Catherine Varney’s application for commercial use of their barn on Neck Road, sent back to the planning board by the board of appeals.

Michaud has said that his area should be represented, because Jim Wilkens, the district representative and board chairman, is a neighbor of the Varneys and therefore is recusing himself to avoid conflict of interest. Selectman Joann Austin asked if Michaud, too, would be obliged to recuse himself from the Varney case if he were appointed. L’Heureux said he would get an answer to her question by Jan. 9.

Marie Michaud reminded selectmen of the petition she submitted in November asking them to declare a six-month moratorium on new commercial development to give time to reconstitute the Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee “in order to establish Land Use Districts in accordance with the goals and provisions set forth and prescribed by the China Comprehensive Plan,” adopted in 2008.

Selectmen voted Nov. 14 to reconstitute the committee, and board member Irene Belanger has been getting in touch with former members to see if they want to serve again. Michaud reminded the board of the moratorium, which they did not impose, and asked for a legal opinion on whether they can ignore part of the petition.

Board Chairman Farrington and member Ron Breton said the petition should go to the March town business meeting, doubting the selectboard’s authority to enforce it.

China News: Planning board directed to review Varneys’ request

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by Mary Grow

The China Board of Appeals has unanimously directed the planning board to redo its review of Parris and Catherine Varney’s application for commercial use of their Neck Road barn.

After the planning board rejected the application on October 25, on the ground that the Varneys failed to prove they could meet one of the 15 criteria for a commercial project in China’s ordinance, the Varneys filed an administrative appeal.

The main ground for the planning board decision, as reported to the Varneys in Codes Officer Paul Mitnik’s letter formally denying the application, was that the Varneys failed to meet the fifth criterion on the list. It requires applicants to prove projects will not disturb neighbors’ peaceful enjoyment of their properties “as a result of noise, vibrations, fumes, odor, dust, glare or other cause.”

The Varneys want to rent the barn out for weddings and similar celebrations, with music that they said would be entirely in the building.

Neighbors have argued that noise, traffic, headlights, consumption of alcohol, loss of privacy and other aspects of the project would be disturbing.

The Board of Appeals, Chairman Spencer Aitel said as he opened the Dec. 15 hearing, was not rehearing the application, but reviewing the planning board’s action to determine whether its decision had been reached correctly under the town ordinance. Matt Evans, the Varneys’ attorney, argued that the planning board failed to follow proper procedure in four respects, making its decision invalid.

First, he said, the planning board did not present the written findings of fact or conclusions of law required to support its decisions on each of the 15 criteria.

Second, planning board member Jim Wilkens’ participation tainted the procedure, since Wilkens is a neighbor of the Varneys, and his wife and son testified against the application. (Wilkens participated in discussion, but not voting, in initial planning board reviews of the application and removed himself physically from the board on Oct. 25.)

Third, Evans said, the Varneys presented a sound study that showed noise from music in the barn, with the doors closed, would be barely louder than normal background noise at the boundaries of their property, and the planning board heard no evidence to rebut the study.

Fourth, Evans thinks China’s ordinance lacks objective standards for deciding whether requirements are met, and therefore “appears to be arbitrary and capricious” and of doubtful validity under state law.

Testimony and discussion at the board of appeals focused on Evans’ first point and specifically on the noise issue. Neck Road resident John Deasy claimed that after the noise study was presented at the Oct. 11 public hearing on the Varneys’ application, neighbors were not given a chance to question or rebut it. The planning board record provides limited information on the qualifications of the sound engineer who did the study.

Board of Appeals member Virginia Davis said the record the board of appeals received did not clearly indicate whether the planning board allowed written testimony to be submitted for a specified time after the public hearing, as is common procedure. She believes interested parties should have been allowed to comment on testimony received at the hearing.

Davis was more concerned about the lack of written findings of fact, especially but not exclusively in relation to the fifth criterion. Written findings are required by local ordinance and state law, she said.

Her motion that the application be sent back to the planning board to make the required findings related to noise and the rest of the fifth criterion was unanimously approved. Davis added a request that planning board members do the same for the other 14 criteria, so that the board of appeals will not have to meet again.

Christmas vacation activities released for China School’s Forest

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All programs will begin at the China Primary School bus circle. Programs will be outside. Come dressed for the weather.

All activities are free, but donations for future programming will be accepted. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

FMI, contact Anita Smith at chinaschoolsforest@gmail.com or message us on the China School’s Forest – China, Maine facebook page. In the event of snow, announcements will be made on the school forest facebook page or you may call 986-2255.

Thursday, Dec 29: New Moon Hike and Star Gazing Family Activity 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Come for a fun evening of star gazing, making night animal sounds, and maybe even a round of flashlight tag in the forest.

Friday, Dec 30: Bird Feeders 1 – 3 p.m. They will create a variety of bird feeders, popcorn garlands and other fun treats for our feathered friends and then hang them outside in the forest as we take a walk in the woods. On the walk, they will do some animal tracking if there is snow.

Saturday, Dec 31: Family Scavenger Hunt 1 – 3 p.m. Join them on a family scavenger hunt for various objects in the school forest. They will provide a list of items and a map of the forest. Families will search for the items and then join together at the CPS Pavilion for sharing discoveries and prizes.

Girl Scouts bake pies for dinner

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The Arnold Trail Girl Scouts gathered on November 22 to  bake 188 pies for the Messalonskee High School Thanksgiving dinner.  The troop donated all the supplies to make the pies. Approximately 1,000 people attended the dinner. The following troops were represented: #1783 Belgrade, #2204 China, #9, #15 and #906 Oakland, #375, #376, #1523, #1776 and #1785 Sidney, #2044 Vassalboro, and #1254 and #1557 Waterville.

Contributed photo

China police log November 1 – 28 2016

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November 1 – 28 2016

Friday November 4

1630      Business Check Lakeview Drive
1702       Traffic Stop Lakeview Drive
1722       Business Check Main Street China Village
1825       Traffic Stop Lakeview Drive
1850       Traffic Stop Neck Road
1922        Traffic Stop Neck Road
1936        Traffic Stop Lakeview Drive
2000       Business Check Rt. 3
2010       Business Check Rt. 3
2025       Business Check Rt. 3

Friday November 17

1330       Assist Code Enforcement Rt. 3
1430       Assist Search Warrant Weeks Mills Road
1512        Assist MDEA with Traffic Stop
1555       Criminal Mischief Complaint Thurston Park
1615        Business Check Lakeview Drive
1640       Traffic Stop Village Road, S. China
1700       Business Check Rt. 3
1715        Business Check Rt. 3
1735        Stolen Vehicle Complaint Dirigo Road
1745        Domestic Disturbance Dirigo Road
1810       Business Check Windsor Road
1857       Traffic Stop Rt. 3
1915       Assist KSO with Criminal Speed Lakeview Drive

Saturday November 26

1210        Business Check Lakeview Drive
1215         Business Check Causeway Road
1330       Animal Complaint Hanson Road
1355        Traffic Stop Pleasant View Ridge Road
1500       Traffic Stop Windsor Road
1545        Business Check Rt. 3
1622       Residence Check Requested Old Waterville Road
1700       Business Check Lakeview Drive

China News: Police report: traffic on Main St. too fast

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by Mary Grow

China Village residents told selectmen last summer that traffic on Main Street and Causeway Road is too fast. Technology has backed them up.

Two of China’s five local police officers, all of whom are also Oakland policemen, reported to China selectmen on Dec. 12 about police activities since August. Traffic control is one of the major issues they deal with. In his written report, Sergeant Tracey Frost said they used grant money to buy a Blackcat radar system which they deployed inconspicuously on Main Street, Dirigo Road and Jones Road, three places where residents complained of speeders.

An attached report from Sergeant Jerry Haynes, who analyzed the radar reports, said that Jones Road and Dirigo Road have some fast traffic, but not enough to warrant a major enforcement effort. On Main Street, however, almost 21 percent of drivers exceeded the enforcement limit of 35 miles an hour, which is 10 miles above the posted speed limit.
Main Street, Frost wrote, “has the highest level of traffic violations we have ever recorded.”

He recommended that patrols continue and that in the spring selectmen consider other traffic-calming measures. “The concerns of local residents are certainly justified,” he added.

Besides the 25 mile an hour limit on Main Street and intersecting Causeway Road, additional signs warn drivers to watch out for a blind pedestrian, children playing and pets.

Frost’s report listed other activities in which the five officers have engaged this fall, and offered residents his personal email address to which to send law-enforcement concerns: chinamainepolice@gmail.com. In other business at the Dec. 12 meeting, selectmen accepted the resignation of Fred Montgomery as an alternate member of the planning board. Tom Michaud said Neck Road residents had asked him to apply for the seat; selectmen decided to follow their usual procedure of advertising the vacancy. They are also looking for more members for the ad hoc committee on China for a Lifetime, which will investigate ways to make the town more user-friendly, especially but not exclusively for senior citizens. The committee currently consists of Michaud, Selectmen Joann Austin and Irene Belanger, Sandra Kostron, Helen Roy and Toni Wall.

Town Manager Daniel L’Heureux reported that acquisition of the Wachusetts property on Lakeview Drive, given to the town and accepted by voters on Nov. 8, is complete. He is still working toward acquiring the two properties voters agreed to buy, one adjoining the town office and the other at the head of China Lake.

Selectmen considered proposing local measures to prepare for the state-wide legalization of recreational marijuana. They decided the March town meeting will be an appropriate time for any action they choose to recommend.

Other area town officials are exploring ordinances to ban recreational marijuana or to establish a moratorium to give them time to create appropriate local regulations.

Board Chairman Neil Farrington reported that he and Selectman Ron Breton met with Palermo selectmen to work out final details of Palermo residents’ use of China’s transfer station, scheduled to begin with the new year.

Farrington also issued a reminder that the new transfer station days are now in effect: the facility is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, and no longer open on Wednesday.

The next regular China selectmen’s meeting has been rescheduled from Monday evening, Dec. 26, to 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 29, in the town office meeting room.

Bar Harbor Bank and Trust completes 28th annual community food drive

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Bar Harbor Bank & Trust concluded its 28th annual “Food for Good” community food drive on November 18. More than 4,850 food items and over $3,370 were collected for and delivered to local food pantries prior to the Thanksgiving holiday. “On behalf of the Bank, I would like to thank everyone who gave a gift of healthy food to our neighbors in need by donating to the food drive,” said Margie Gray at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust.

These gifts helped fill Thanksgiving food baskets and stock the shelves of local food pantries for the winter months ahead. One of the five local grocery stores that participated was Tobey’s Grocery, in South China. For each “share” of one of the Bank’s “Food for Good” Facebook posts they donated one dollar to a local food pantry. “Thanks to all our Facebook fans, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust will be contributing an additional $370 to local food pantries,” said Gray. Each of Bar Harbor Bank & Trust’s 14 branches also collected donations for the Food Drive and delivered them to their local food pantry for distribution. Among the food pantries were Loaves and Fishes and the China Community Food Pantry.

“On behalf of all Bar Harbor Bank & Trust employees, our gratitude goes out to everyone who donated so generously to our “Food for Good” community food drive,” said Gray. “Thank you for helping neighbors in need by providing them with good, healthy food.”

China News: Selectmen approve all three requests from Thurston Park committee

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by Mary Grow

China selectmen approved all three requests presented by the Thurston Park II Committee at the Nov. 28 selectmen’s meeting.

Committee spokesman Judy Stone presented a report on committee activities and asked selectmen to:

  • Choose Harold Burnett of Two Trees Forestry in Winthrop as consulting forester for the park.
  • Contract with Burnett for $400 to evaluate possible saleable timber in the park.
  • Set up a Thurston Park account into which donations, timber sales income (if any) and other funds can be deposited to be used for activities and improvements in the park.

Since there is currently no money for the park, selectmen approved taking the $400 from the $45,000 contingency fund voters granted them at the March 2016 town business meeting.

Stone said Burnett had visited Thurston Park and provided a report and map showing three small areas that might be worth harvesting. Much of the forest is young, she said; and Burnett’s report commented that the area had been heavily cut in the 1990s, leaving little potentially marketable wood.

Another pending project is improving access to the park. Stone said committee members plan to talk with Pete and Dawn Haskell, whose driveway at the south end often becomes a de facto parking area, before asking China’s TIF (Tax Increment Financing) Committee for recreational-enhancement funds to improve the access roads.

The grant funds that helped build recreational trails can be used only inside the park, not for access, she said.
Thurston Park covers about 400 mostly-wooded acres in northeastern China, bounded by Palermo and Albion. Selectman Irene Belanger commented that many people all over the state have visited or heard of the area.

The next meeting of the Thurston Park II Committee is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, in the town office, Belanger said. (ep)

In other business Nov. 28, China resident and state Department of Transportation (MDOT) employee Scott Rollins told selectmen about MDOT’s cooperative programs with municipalities. The state seeks local officials’ input on prioritizing work on state and state aid roads that run through their municipalities, he said.

Selectman Joann Austin asked about several problem areas and pending projects in China. Rollins said representatives of the department and the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments will be considering the Alder Park Road.

Austin and Belanger are concerned that the large culvert under Route 3 east of Rockwood Drive, installed in the 1960s and due to be replaced, tentatively in 2017, blocks what used to be a water connection between China Lake and Three Mile Pond. Rollins said this time, unlike in the 1960s, MDOT will consult with environmental agencies.

On another topic, Town Manager Daniel L’Heureux said he talked with the three landowners involved in town acquisitions voters approved Nov. 8. He has asked the town attorney for advice on proper conveyance documents to give China legal title to the lot behind the town office, the lot at the head of China Lake where boaters park and the former subdivision on the east side of Lakeview Drive.

Resident Sandra Costron recommended China selectmen consider a reaction to the Nov. 8 statewide vote approving recreational marijuana, pointing out that a majority of China voters voted against the referendum question. The item was on the agenda for the selectmen’s Nov. 29 visioning session.

L’Heureux said signatures had been validated on Marie Michaud’s petition to reconstitute the Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee. Belanger is calling former committee members to see who wants to serve again; Michaud provided a list of other interested people.

China’s comprehensive plan is valid into 2020, L’Heureux said. Michaud’s petition asked the reconstituted committee to consider one aspect of the plan, establishing land use districts.

The town will have a new committee on providing resources for senior citizens and residents with special needs – suggested project or committee names include Aging in Place, Thriving in Place and China for a Lifetime. Selectmen appointed the first five committee members: Austin, Belanger, Kostron, Helen Roy and Toni Wall.

The next regular China selectmen’s meeting will be Monday evening, Dec. 12.