by Mary Grow

Vassalboro Cemetery Committee members spent much of their July 21 meeting discussing David Jenney’s proposal to prioritize work in the town’s more than two dozen cemeteries. They reached a preliminary agreement: do the ones with the most graves and the least recent repairs and maintenance first, with exceptions when justified.

The work they discussed includes removing trees, a controversial topic in the past. Committee members like trees; they do not appreciate trees that drop branches or fall down in a storm and damage gravestones that are important family memorials.

Jenney explained that thanks to a database committee chairman Savannah Clark helped compile, committee members have a list of 5,186 graves in Vassalboro cemeteries (a number subject to change as forgotten old graves are rediscovered and new burials take place). The database shows that Union Cemetery, on Holman Day Road, is the largest not recently worked on.

Union Cemetery has 599 graves, and, Jenney commented, a lot of trees. It will be less attractive without most of the trees; but if they remain, there will be more broken stones. He expects work there to be “interesting.”

Committee members tentatively put Union high on their work list, and other larger ones next, plus any small ones – Jenney said some have only two or three known graves – that have trees that pose immediate hazards. They plan to continue the discussion at their August meeting.

Committee member Jody Kundreskas reported on work done in July in the North Vassalboro cemetery with out-of-town expert stone repairer Joseph Ferrannini, from Hoosick Falls, New York. Sixteen stones, some very heavy, some fragile, were restored, she said.

Pro Tree Service, of Vassalboro, won the bid to cut trees in Farwell-Brown and Nelson cemeteries. Select board members awarded the bid June 26, and the work was done the following Monday, Clark said. Jenney was impressed with the quality of the work; a slate stone very close to one tree was undamaged, he said.

The Vassalboro Public Works crew fixed an erosion problem at the East Vassalboro cemetery. Clark said resident Simone Antworth, whose family plot was affected, sent a note of appreciation.

The other main topic July 21 was a discussion with resident Donald Breton, who has taken on the responsibility of putting flags on veterans’ graves before Memorial Day and removing them afterwards.

Breton promised committee members a copy of his list of known veterans’ graves. Putting out flags in 15 cemeteries takes him about four hours and requires about 30 miles’ driving, he said. He enjoys doing it.

Clark offered committee members’ help should Breton get tired of doing the job alone.

The Town of Vassalboro is responsible for flags on veterans’ graves. Money for them is in the town budget.

Cemetery committee members scheduled their next regular meeting for 6 p.m., Monday, Aug. 18.

by Mary Grow

Two types of proposed local government change generated wide-ranging discussion at the Vassalboro select board’s three-and-a-half-hour July 17 meeting. One, a proposed budget committee ordinance, is likely to be a question for voters to decide on Nov. 4.

The draft ordinance Town Manager Aaron Miller prepared calls for election of between seven and 12 budget committee members, for staggered five-year terms, by written ballot.

During the discussion, select board chairman Frederick “Rick” Denico, Jr. (newly re-elected as the meeting began), and board member Chris French explained two reasons for considering a change: the budget committee is now treated differently from all other town advisory boards (whose members the select board appoints); and if Vassalboro abandons its traditional open town meeting for a written ballot, election from the town meeting floor becomes impossible.

Residents Frank Richards and Virginia Brackett thought the terms too long. Richards recommended a fixed number of members, not a range.

The ordinance would require candidates to collect 25 signatures to get on the ballot, a requirement Brackett and others think would discourage volunteers. Brackett asked why not appoint the committee members.

Richards asked if the ordinance clearly let the committee review the annual school budget. If not, he said, “That’s a bad omission.”

Discussion wandered to Vassalboro’s CAPEX (capital expenditure plan), which needs updating, and how annual spending decisions should fit into it; and then to the present system of electing budget committee members.

Peggy Shaffer supported the current method as more likely to bring in unexpected new members. Brackett agreed, and turned the discussion to the value of preserving the open town meeting, rather than going to a written ballot as select board members are considering (see the July 10 issue of The Town Line, p. 2).

After three-quarters of an hour’s discussion of the ordinance and the pros and cons of an open town meeting, the topic was postponed to the board’s Tuesday, Aug. 12, agenda. Miller reminded everyone a draft ordinance needs to be finalized at the Thursday, Sept. 4, board meeting to make the Nov. 4 ballot.

During the discussion, French said the select board has the authority to change the town meeting format, without voter action.

Board members took a variety of actions July 17.

They needed another 40-minute discussion and an executive session, but they reached a decision on the community program director, a town position that’s been vacant since Karen Stankis resigned in mid-March.

Stankis, hired Aug. 1, 2022, as the first person to hold the title, added community activities for adults to Vassalboro’s traditional youth sports program. Debate has been over whether her successor should continue the new focus; whether he or she should also be trained to fill in at the town office, as Miller urged; and how many hours a week the person should work.

Miller reported after the executive session that the board voted unanimously to hire a recreation coordinator/office assistant, to work 30 hours a week.

Select board members appointed members of town boards and committees for the fiscal year that began July 1. As was pointed out during discussion of the budget committee and the difficulty of getting volunteers, most were reappointments.

Board members plan to revive the committee to review capital expenditures. They remembered that members of the original committee, many no longer available, mostly had business backgrounds. Volunteers are welcome and should contact the town office.

Board members agreed to buy a new Caterpillar loader for the transfer station.

They agreed to buy a new town truck, conditional on the auditor’s approval to use interest on a reserve fund as part of the payment, after Miller got conflicting information on the money’s availability. Voters approved $250,000 toward the truck over the last three years, covering most of the cost, the manager said.

After a brief public hearing and information from Denico, they approved a junkyard permit for Dale and Brad Clement’s existing yard on Taber Hill Road.

Other topics included:

— A presentation by East Vassalboro resident Bernie Welch on MOFGA (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association), as part of an effort to encourage new farmers in Vassalboro. Welch said MOFGA will assist all farmers, organic or not.
— Another discussion of cameras to be installed at Webber Pond dam and who will pay the ongoing electric bill.
— A report from Miller that, in response to a resident’s question, he is discussing with the Vassalboro Business Association participation in the Hometown Heroes program, which puts up flags honoring local military service members.

The next regular Vassalboro select board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12 (not the usual Thursday evening).