2019 Winslow Boys and Girls State delegates

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Front row, from left to right, Katherine Stevens, Carrie Selwood and Grace Smith. Back, Jacob Huesers, Aaron Harmon, Caleb Mills. (contributed photo)

Winslow High School juniors will be attending the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State at Husson Uni­versity, in Bangor, and American Legion Boys State, at Thomas College, in Waterville, from June 16-26, 2019. This is the 72nd year of Dirigo Girls and Boys State. The students will be learning how local, state, and federal government operate.

China students at state house

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From left to right, Gwen Lockhart, Elijah Crockett, Reiana Gonzalez, Colby Willey, Alexia McDonald, Sam Boynton, Hailey Estes, Senator Pouliot, Lilly Fredette, Joe Wing, Dominick Breton, JMG Specialist Ryan Sweeney. (Contributed photo)

China Middle School students pose for a picture with Senator Matthew Pouliot after participating in the Honorary Page Program.

China survey on town office hours

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This survey seeks input from the residents of the town of China about the operating hours for the town office. Your participation is critical to ensuring the needs of community are being adequately met in the schedule of operating hours. If you have already completed and returned a paper version of this survey, please do not complete the online survey.

There will be paper versions of the survey at the town office and the transfer station.

The survey is available online here.

The Town Line reporter Mary Grow receives Spirit of America award

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Chairman Lauchlin Titus, of the Vassalboro Board of Selectmen, and Mary Grow (Photo courtesy of Mary Sabins)

At the annual town meeting held at the Vassalboro Community School on Monday, June 3, 2019, Chairman Lauchlin Titus, of the Vassalboro Board of Selectmen, presented the 2019 Annual Spirit of America Award to Mary Grow to honor her for her commitment to exemplary local journalism as demonstrated by her years of dedicated attendance at Vassalboro board meetings, and reporting on Vassalboro activities and events to the public. The Spirit of America Foundation Tribute is presented in the name of Maine municipalities to local individuals, organizations and projects for commendable community service.

Gov. Mills visits Webber Pond dam fish ladder

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Maine Gov. Janet Mills, center, netted some alewives at the Webber Pond Dam, in Vassalboro, on a recent visit. She is flanked by Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Pat Keliher, left, and Vassalboro resident, and Webber Pond Board of Directors member Phil Inness. (photo by Jeff Nichols)

Governor Janet Mills visited the Webber Pond alewife fish ladder on Thursday, May 30. It was an historic event. She is the first governor to visit an alewife fish ladder at all, much less to bring the Commissioner of Marine Resources Pat Keliher and the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Judy Camuso to Webber Pond, in Vassalboro.

Gov. Janet Mills, left, discuss alewives at Webber Pond Dam with Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Pat Keliher, right, and Vassalboro resident, and Webber Pond Board of Directors member Phil Inness, center. (Photo by Jeff Nichols)

Webber Pond Association President Frank Richards got to interact briefly. The governor seemed to be having a good time. She was interested to learn that brook trout also ascend the fish ladder and that Webber Pond has become a well-known lake in the realm of bass clubs, tournaments, and even Bassmaster’s magazine.

Webber Pond was one of the first alewife restorations and it has become something of an example for other lakes. The pond has had a run now for about 15 years; since approximately 2004 when the first adults returned from the ocean.

This year the governor’s visit was scheduled on a “Count” day. She borrowed a net from the harvester for the sake of a photo op.

A lot of the conversation centered on the environmental benefits of alewife restoration. The group also had the experience of watching an eagle swoop down and pluck an alewife out of the water.

Next year, possibly, this can be done again and scheduled on a harvest day, in order to present the economic development benefits of alewife restoration to the lobster bait business, lobstering, and especially to the marine fishery.

Alewives are more than lobster bait. They significantly increase the forage available to haddock, cod, and other species in the Gulf of Maine.

Nichole Lee promoted at BHBT

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Nichole Lee

Bar Harbor Bank & Trust has announced the promotion of Nichole Lee to Branch Relationship Manager II. With this promotion comes the added responsibility of managing two branch locations: 245 Camden Street, Rockland and 368 Route 3, South China.

Nichole joined Bar Harbor Bank & Trust in 2013 as a customer service representative. Working from the South China office, Nichole has risen quickly through the ranks acquiring the knowledge and skills to assume her new position as Branch Relationship Manager II. In the community, Nichole serves on the board of the South China Public Library, volunteers at China Middle School through Junior Achievement programs with JMG, and teaches financial education at Erskine Academy, where she is an alumna.

COMMUNITY COMMENTARY: An opinion on emergency building

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by Wayne Chadwick
China resident

I would like to offer up some insight on the proposed warrant articles for the upcoming June 11, 2019 Municipal and RSU #18 election.

You will be asked to vote on whether or not you want the town to spend $25,000 for an engineering and cost study for an emergency services building and a community building. Where is the justification for such an expense? There appears to be a “build it and they will come” mentality with our present town leadership. The town manager stated that there is no town building to meet in that holds 200 people. When asked how often there was such a requirement he gave the annual town meeting and voting as an example. This has historically been done at the school which your tax dollars already pay to maintain. So why do we need another building for a few occurrences per year at best.

Everything we build, even if it is originally provided fully or in part by grant money, still has a tax dollar requirement for maintaining it. You are being asked to pay for an engineering study without being given any estimated cost for maintaining it after the fact. Consider the cost of plowing, mowing, heating, cooling, repairs and preventative maintenance and utilities.

You will also be asked to approve the purchase of land for a potential beach/swimming area and boat ramp. The parcel in question is located slightly north of and opposite the town office. This site is steep, steep enough that it has to be protected by guardrail for the entire length of its road frontage. Here are some potential issues to consider: It was stated at the May 26 select board meeting that DOT did not want to issue a permit for a driveway for the property. The Four Seasons Club has agreed to discuss potentially allowing access across their property for the sole purpose of accessing a boat launch, no swimming area. Additionally, to my knowledge, to date there has been no discussion with the DEP to determine if this site meets requirements for permitting. And last but certainly not least, there is the cost. The extreme grade to this property is unequivocally going to increase the cost of development and maintenance. Issues such as erosion, storm water, etc. These are continuous maintenance requirements that will never decrease in cost.

Here again we are looking at the purchase separate from the potential cost.

I offer this in hope that it will provide a more informed voting public.

Caught volunteering, again!

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China selectman Irene Belanger was caught, once again, volunteering. Here she is seen working in the flower gardens next to the China Town Office, in front of the Old Town Hall, on Lakeview Drive. (photo courtesy of Becky Hapgood)

Erskine annual spring concert slated for May 31, 2019

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(photo credit: Erskine Academy)

The Erskine Academy Annual Spring Concert will take place on Friday, May 31, at 6:30 p.m., in the James V. Nelson Gymnasium. Admission is free. Participating ensembles are Chorus, Concert Band, Collaborative Ensemble, Jazz Combo, and Music Lab. Each ensemble will reveal their own artistic identity as well as perform many favorites including The Sound of Silence, Summertime, Let it Be, and Imagine. Please celebrate the musical arts with these wonderful young people!

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Trust emergency responders

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To the editor:

As you all know, I’m pro volunteer emergency services. Anyone who voluntarily races towards an emergency I trust with my life (and my wallet).

Neil Farrington
China