Brianna Paine, of Madison, was named to the Fall 2022 dean’s list at Berry College, in Rome, Georgia. The dean’s list honors students who posted an academic average of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale while carrying a class load of at least 12 hours during the semester.
Emma Concaugh, of Oakland, was named to the College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester, Massachusetts, fall 2022 dean’s list.
A member of the class of 2024, Concaugh was named to the dean’s list for outstanding academic achievement during the fall semester of the 2022-23 academic year.
by Mary GrowChina and Vassalboro planning board members have created a joint two-town subcommittee to draft a new ordinance that, with voters’ approval, would be identical in each town.
Its working title is “An Ordinance Prohibiting Any More Town Ordinances or Ordinance Amendments Until the Year 2050.”
China’s planning board has five members – there are supposed to be six, but one position has been vacant since last fall. Vassalboro’s has five, plus one alternate member.
After a friendly discussion, each board chose two members for the subcommittee, with the agreement that tie votes will be decided by a coin toss.
They further agreed that subcommittee members will not be named and, at risk of violating several state statutes, subcommittee meetings will not be publicized, even to the other board members.
The drastic plan was adopted because both boards’ members have spent months writing, debating and rewriting new or amended town ordinances.
China planners have worked on a commercial solar ordinance off and on for more than two years and still do not have a satisfactory draft. Their recent project has been a review of amendments to the section of the Land Development Code dealing with the Board of Appeals.
After months of long and lively meetings, Vassalboro board members recently forwarded a commercial solar ordinance to the select board, whose members will decide whether to present it to voters at the June town meeting. In addition, planners have repeatedly considered amendments to the town’s Marijuana Business Ordinance.
As a step toward providing background and direction for the subcommittee, all members of both boards replied, anonymously, to a questionnaire prepared by board chairmen:
The new subcommittee is scheduled to begin meeting early in April, with the goal of presenting a draft ordinance to the respective planning boards by June. The anti-ordinance ordinance could appear on China’s and Vassalboro’s Nov. 7 local ballots.
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If you think this proposed ordinance is an excellent idea, The Town Line is sorry to disappoint you: you just read our annual April Fools Day story.
by Jayne WintersBy the time you read this month’s column, we will have turned the clocks ahead an hour and despite any late season snow storms, we know that spring is right around the corner. In looking through some of Carleen Cote’s old articles (dating from the 1990s), I thought I’d share one that is still applicable all these years later:
“Warmer days are becoming more frequent. This winter was very kind. We only had to shovel snow from our 25 pens three or four times. The major inconvenience was the icy paths to the pens – there was much slipping and sliding, but most of the time we managed to stay upright. The supply of sand we had stored in buckets in the cellar came in handy to provide traction on the paths.
Because the pens are constructed with plastic-covered wire, we cannot wear creepers in the pens. They would cut into the plastic, defeating the purpose of the plastic – to prevent the wire from rusting and to prolong the life of the pens.
The wildlife that spent the winter at the Center include late babies that were not ready to be released last fall, who will soon be released. All the pens and equipment will be cleaned and sanitized. Necessary supplies have been ordered, the milk has been purchased and the incubators are ready for the spring babies that will soon be arriving.
Squirrels will be the first, followed by baby raccoons. We never know what will arrive or how many. Every year is different.
Most people who find baby squirrels are happy to pass them on to a rehabber. However, there are those who go on the internet to find information on how to care for a wild animal in order to keep it. Anyone can post anything on a website; not all postings are correct. Some folks tell us they just couldn’t take the animal away from their kids. There is more to raising a baby squirrel than just giving it food!”
As Carleen noted in her article, typically some critters will be held over the winter for release the following spring. Reasons vary, but often fall admissions aren’t strong or well enough to survive the colder temperatures and reduced food sources of the winter months. Don is always particular about his release sites, mindful of habitat and fresh water availability, both of which may not be accessible after autumn weather sets in. Last spring, the triplet bobcats, three red foxes, and ten fawns were successfully transported and released back into the wild. This year, Don has a couple opossums, three red foxes, one gray fox, and two gray squirrels to return to their rightful homes.
Admissions have slowed down during the winter, but there are still calls from folks worried about animals that appear to be injured, sick, or struggling to survive. Don continues to take them in, but transfers some rescues to other rehabbers who have graciously offered to provide assistance to help keep critter care at Duck Pond manageable. Please check the following web sites to see if there is a rehabber near you: https://www.mainevetmed.org/wildlife-rehabilitation or https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife/wildlife/living-with-wildlife/orphaned-injured-wildlife/index.html –
Donald Cote operates Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center on Rte. 3 in Vassalboro. It is a non-profit state permitted rehab facility supported by his own resources & outside donations. Mailing address: 1787 North Belfast Ave., Vassalboro ME 04989 TEL: (207) 445-4326. PLEASE NOTE THE PRIOR wildlifecarecenter EMAIL ADDRESS IS NOT BEING MONITORED AT THIS TIME.
by Roland D. HalleeAnother sign of spring is upon us.
While out checking and emptying my maple sap buckets last Monday, I saw a common house fly on the side of the bucket. The first one of the season. A sure sign of spring, but also the beginning of their irritation.
The housefly is the most common fly species found in houses. The female housefly usually mates only once and stores the sperm for later use. She lays batches of about 100 eggs on decaying organic matter such as food waste, carrion, or feces. These soon hatch into legless white larvae, known as maggots. Adult flies normally live for two to four weeks, but can hibernate during the winter. The adults feed on a variety of liquid or semi-liquid substances, as well as solid materials which have been softened by their saliva. They can carry pathogens on their bodies and in their feces, contaminate food, and contribute to the transfer of food-borne illnesses, while, in numbers, they can be physically annoying. For these reasons, they are considered pests.
The housefly is probably the insect with the widest distribution in the world; it is largely associated with humans and has accompanied them around the globe. It is present in the Arctic, as well as in the tropics, where it is abundant. It is present in all populated parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australasia, and the Americas.
Houseflies play an important ecological role in breaking down and recycling organic matter. Adults are mainly carnivorous; their primary food is animal matter, carrion, and feces, but they also consume milk, sugary substances, and rotting fruit and vegetables. Solid foods are softened with saliva before being sucked up. They can be opportunistic blood feeders.
Adult houseflies are diurnal (active during the day) and rest at night. If inside a building after dark, they tend to congregate on ceilings, beams, and overhead wires, while out of doors, they crawl into foliage or long grass, or rest in shrubs and trees or on wires. In cooler climates, some houseflies hibernate in winter, choosing to do so in cracks and crevices, gaps in woodwork, and the folds of curtains. They arouse in the spring when the weather warms up, and search out a place to lay their eggs.
Houseflies have many predators, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, various insects, and spiders.
Houseflies are a nuisance, disturbing people while at leisure and at work, but they are disliked principally because of their habits of contaminating foodstuffs. They alternate between breeding and feeding in dirty places while feeding on human foods, during which process they soften the food with saliva and deposit their feces, creating a health hazard. However, housefly larvae are as nutritious as fish meal, and could be used to convert waste to insect-based animal feed for farmed fish and livestock.
During the Second World War, the Japanese worked on entomological warfare techniques. Japanese Yagi bombs developed at Pingfan consisted of two compartments, one with houseflies and another with a bacterial slurry that coated the houseflies prior to release. Vibrio cholerae, which causes cholera, was the bacterium of choice, and was used in China in Baoshan in 1942, and in northern Shandong in 1943. Baoshan had been used by the Allies and bombing produced epidemics that killed 60,000 people in the initial stages. The Shandong attack killed 210,000; the occupying Japanese troops had been vaccinated in advance.
In literature, The Impertinent Insect is a group of five fables, sometimes ascribed to Aesop, concerning an insect, in one version a fly, which puffs itself up to seem important. In the Biblical fourth plague of Egypt, flies represent death and decay, while the Philistine god Beelzebub’s name may mean “lord of the flies”. In Greek mythology, Myiagros was a god who chased away flies during the sacrifices to Zeus and Athena; Zeus sent a fly to bite Pegasus, causing Bellerophon to fall back to Earth when he attempted to ride the winged steed to Mount Olympus. In the traditional Navajo religion, Big Fly is an important spirit being.
William Blake’s 1794 poem The Fly, part of his collection Songs of Experience, deals with the insect’s mortality, subject to uncontrollable circumstances, just like humans. Emily Dickinson’s 1855 poem I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died speaks of flies in the context of death. In William Golding’s 1954 novel Lord of the Flies, the fly is, however, a symbol of the children involved.
Ogden Nash’s humorous two-line 1942 poem God in His wisdom made the fly/And then forgot to tell us why, indicates the debate about the value of biodiversity, given that even those considered by humans as pests have their place in the world’s ecosystems.
So, I guess the fly has its good and bad, mostly bad. I know one thing, when one enters the house, or camp, they can be annoying as all outdoors.
Who was the first player in MLB history to win the Most Valuable Player, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, batting title, and World Series in the same season?
Who was the first player in MLB history to win the Most Valuable Player, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, batting title, and World Series in the same season?
Mookie Betts, of the Boston Red Sox, in 2018.
SOUTH CHINA – Frederick Victor Glidden, 75, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at his home, in South China. Fred was born in Gardiner, January 15, 1948, to George Burton Glidden and Pauline Winifred (Stimpson) Glidden.
After graduating from Erskine Academy, in South China, in 1966, he then achieved his Maritime Engineering Degree from Maine Maritime Academy, in Castine, in May 1970. A few months later, in September, Fred married the love of his life, Bonnie.
Together they enjoyed building a home full of love, laughter, and life values for their three children. Fred was passionate, full of life and enthusiastic. He filled the room with his presence, always telling stories and jokes. He led a life full of adventure, filled with lots of unusual journeys and many traditional hobbies; snowmobiling, ice fishing, camping, boating, water skiing and billiards were just a few. His many extraordinary adventures, both at home and abroad, could fill a bestselling book. Who else do you know has visited all 15 Presidential Libraries, or flown in a Concorde? After circling the globe many times, family lost count of the countries he visited.
Although he traveled the world, his one true north was home with his family and community. Fred fostered these relationships by building homes with his family, joining the South China Volunteer Fire Department in 1973, of which he became treasurer in 2012. He enjoyed hosting gatherings at the multi-generational family camp, his hard work, exceptional life, dedication, and laughter became legendary and will forever echo on China Lake.
He is survived by his wife, Bonnie (Smith) Glidden, and their three children: Michael (Tania Martinez Lemke), Tiffany (Joseph Plourde) and Dori (Isreal Rancourt); nine grandchildren, Rowen Glidden, Zachary Glidden, Arianna Forbes, Matthew and Thomas Plourde; Carrie, Nicholas, Victoria and Natalie Rancourt; and a great-granddaughter, Ophelia Forbes; his brother, Nelson (Sue Coons Glidden); sister Gayle; his cousin Pamela (Stimpson) Aveling, and many other cousins, nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his parents George and Pauline, cousins Jerry Stimpson, Paula (Stimpson) Fueschel and other cousins.
Please join the family to remember Fred on July 1, 2023, at 1 p.m., at the camp.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Gerald Stimpson and Frederick Glidden Scholarship, at Erskine Academy, 309 Windsor Road, South China ME 04358, or the South China Volunteer Fire Department, PO Box 325, South China ME, 04358.
Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.directcremationofmaine.com.
OAKLAND – Celina Knippling, 52, died peacefully, in Oakland, on Thursday, March 16, 2023. She bravely fought cancer for many years and died peacefully.
Yanked into the world by the forceps of an impatient doctor, Celina was born on the plains of South Dakota, November 1970, to Howard and Claire Knippling.
She was the definition of an exceptional child who was known to say, “I ‘mart, Mommy.” and could read Little House books before kindergarten.
Celina was known for her genius-level wit coupled with her unquenchable thirst for truth and justice, usually served with a sprinkling of her sardonic humor. She wanted to be a historian and was a voracious reader of all topics but settled on becoming an auditor in order to bring white collared criminals to justice and pay the bills.
She earned many accolades as a Senior Auditor, in Sacramento, California, including the State Auditor’s Excellence Award (much like Jamie Lee Curtis’s character in the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once). In 2013 she moved to Baltimore, Maryland, eventually becoming the Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) at Optimity Advisors. She relocated to Maine in March 2022 to be closer to family while receiving palliative care.
She loved her cats (Kit Kat, Snickers, Basheera, and Harriet), traveling (especially to Rome), visiting friends, fossil hunting for megalodon teeth (which she never found), pranking her nephews and niece, growing things, baking bread, listening to musical theater, coloring and painting her chotskies.
Celina also followed current events closely. Some people think social justice warrior is a scary concept, but Celina wore that badge proudly (her online Reddit presence will be felt and missed thoroughly). She loved fiercely and formed a small group of friends also known as her “chosen family” who were very dear to her. She was known as Celina “The Great”.
She was preceded by nieces Xea Clare and Juniper; father Howard; brother-in-law, John Meyer; and too many other relatives to list.
She leaves behind her mother, Claire (Lafontaine Knippling) Ryan; stepfather, Kelly Ryan; sisters Laurie (and brother-in-law Shane) Nelsen, Kitara Meyer, Jen (and brother-in-law Craig) Allen; brother, Mike Knippling; nephews Phoenix Sanchez, Eli, Luke and Noah Nelsen, Lex Knippling and niece, Vani Byerly.
A celebration of life will be held virtually and in Maine on July 2, 2023.
In lieu of gifts or flowers, please donate to her favorite charity, the Fistula Foundation.
OAKLAND – Lee Edward Fitzgerald, 89, passed away peacefully on Friday, March 17, 2023, at his home, located on Messalonskee Lake, in Oakland. He was born in Waterville on January 29, 1934, the only son of Harry and Mary (McCann) Fitzgerald.
Lee grew up in Winslow, graduating from Winslow High School in 1952, where he excelled in basketball and baseball. He then went on to the University of Maine where he was honored to be selected his sophomore year into the University Owls Honors Society. He was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity.
In 1954, he enlisted into the U.S. Army and trained in the Armor Branch, completing his term as an instructor. In 1956, he returned to the University of Maine, graduating in 1959 with a B.A. degree in history and government.
Lee started his employment career with Travelers Insurance Co., in Hartford, Connecticut, trained in selling pension and group health plans for company employees. A change to State Mutual Insurance Co. took him to Providence, Thode Island, Chicago, illinois, Syracuse, New York, and onto Washington D.C.
Lee started his own company, Global Benefits, offering group health benefits to companies and associations. He started another company, Group Claims Administration (GTA), which insured and processed health insurance claims for foreign students enrolled in colleges in the United States. He sold his business and retired in 2005.
Lee had a passion for old history and the many antiques that he had collected over the years. He liked nothing more than attending an antique auction to bid on a treasure that he had researched to know its true value. Lee accumulated a diverse collection of antique furniture, pewter, paintings, and was especially proud of a large collection of antique guns with his special interest in shotguns.
Lee took advantage of his retirement, along with his longtime companion, Delia Thompson, to travel several times to Ireland, investigating places of interest and his family ancestry. He later flew to Rome, Italy, involving a three-week trip to Italy, Spain, Egypt, and many other points of interest on the Mediterranean Sea.
Lee is survived by his daughter, Laura Lee Fitzgerald, of San Luis Obispo, California; and longtime companion, Delia Thompson, of Oakland.
A family and friends graveside service will be held at a later date.
ALBION – Pearl Irene (Rood) Fuller, 93, passed peacefully on, Sunday, March 19, 2023, at Lakewood Continuing Care Center, in Waterville, just three weeks shy of her 94th birthday. She was born in Benton Falls, the fifth child of nine born to the late Robert H. and Elvira Goodale Rood.
She enjoyed being part of a large family and admired her mother for keeping the children in line – most of the time! She was proud of graduating eighth grade at the East Vassalboro Grammar School.
In 1943 the family moved to a home on the Benton Road, in Albion, and she entered Besse High School, in Albion, as a freshman. There she met Carleton “Dutchie” Fuller, who was into everything sports related. She was a cheerleader at many of his games. During summers she worked at Willow Beach Camps, in China, along with several of her sisters and friends. She graduated in 1947 and entered a two-year secretarial science program at Thomas Business College,, in Waterville. Upon graduation in 1949 she started working for the Waterville Morning Sentinel.
Pearl and Carleton were married April 25, 1950, on the 25th wedding anniversary of his parents, in a candlelight ceremony at the Albion Christian Church. They lived in Waterville for a short time before moving back to Albion to start a family and buy a home. Their first child, Stephen Carleton, was born in 1952; David Mahlon in 1956, and Bettie Jane in 1959.
After leaving the newspaper, Pearl worked for several superintendents of Albion schools, and when Albion consolidated with area towns, she worked for the superintendent of SAD #49 (Albion, Benton, Clinton, Fairfield). She took a short break from working and then became a teacher’s aide at the Albion Elementary School where she enjoyed guiding and caring for the students she supervised.
When Grandfather Fuller passed away in 1970, the family moved to the farm where Pearl did all the bookkeeping for the business of the farm, worked in the broiler house, tended a large vegetable garden, and helped out in other areas when needed. She was a very active woman! She was also known for her cooking and baking skills, especially her yeast rolls and sweet treats.
Pearl made many life-time friends in Albion and was involved in a variety of community organizations, both as a member and officer, including PTA, Rebekahs, Fireman’s Auxillary, Extension, Fairfax Club, Grange, and Red Hatters. For many years she belonged to a bowling league and was a fierce competitor! Playing cards, cribbage, Uno, Yahtzee, and other games with friends and family, especially grandchildren and great-grandchildren, brought her much joy.
During retirement, she and Carleton went on bus tours and cruises with friends and family and spent many a Saturday night “cutting the rug” at dances. After Carleton passed away, she traveled to Italy with her sister and husband, Hattie and Roddy, and spent multiple winters with Aunt Hattie in Florida, Arizona, and California.
Pearl was a woman of faith and for many years went to the Albion Christian Church. In later years, she enjoyed visiting China Baptist Church and Getchell Street Baptist church, in Waterville, with Aunt Hattie and their cousin, Sharon Norton. The last church she attended was the Winslow Baptist Church where she was baptized (for the second time) and became a member.
In 1989, Pearl and Carleton donated land to Albion for the creation of ball fields for the town’s youth. Fuller Fields is their legacy and a demonstration of their love and hope for their hometown.
After living in Winslow for several years, in 2019 Pearl entered assisted living at Redington Memorial Home, in Skowhegan. In 2020 she moved to the Cedar Ridge Center, in Skowhegan, and in 2021 she moved to Lakewood, in Waterville.
She was predeceased by her parents; her husband; her sisters Hilda Pease (Emery), Bernice Bagley (Ronald), and Hattie Robinson (Roderick); her brothers Harold (Jennie), Herman (Hazel), Ernest (Rosalie), Arthur (Laura); her brother-in-law, Ben Bolin; and her son-in-law, Brent Varney.
She is survived by her children Stephen (Bradley Jordan), of Wells, David and wife Debra, of Albion, Bettie (Randy Hartt), of Vassalboro; her grandchildren April Paul and her husband Kenneth, of Clinton, Christopher Fuller, of Winslow, and Nuria Ramos, of Eliot; her great-grandchildren Cassandra Paul and Draiden Mason; her sister Ellen Bolin of Florida; and many nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will be held Saturday, May 20, at 1 p.m., in the Number 4 Cemetery, in Albion.
Arrangements are in the care of Lawry Brothers Funeral Home, 107 Main St., Fairfield, where memories may be shared, and an online register book signed by visiting http://www.lawrybrothers.com.
Donations may be made in Pearl’s memory to the Albion Athletic Association, 195 China Rd., Albion, ME 04910, C/O Chuck Roy, or to a charity of your choice.
WATERVILLE – Kierra “Kia” Ann Lint, 25, of Waterville, passed away Sunday, March 19, 2023. Kia was born to George Lint II and Jessica Lint on June 12, 1997, in Waterville.
She spent her childhood making memories with brothers Aaron Lint and Zack Costello, and sisters Rylee Lint and Bayleigh Gorman.
She was a graduate of Waterville Senior High School in 2016. Kia treasured the coastline, exploring many beaches in Maine and Puerto Rico. She would often recount gathering seashells she found walking the shoreline. Kia spent most of her childhood summers on Maine beaches with her family and friends.
Aside from gathering seashells, Kia had a passion for creating art; she drew, painted, and made glass mosaics. She found peace and happiness visiting the country’s great national parks: the Great Sand Dunes, the Grand Canyon, the Arches, the Rocky Mountains, and Carlsbad Caverns, to name a few. Kia traveled coast to coast, spending time in Puerto Rico and New York. She loved the endless sounds of the city.
Kia enjoyed working as a DSP at Skills Inc., assisting individuals with intellectual disabilities. She always tried to make the next person’s job easier, often going above and beyond expectations with her tasks. She had a creative, thoughtful, and passionate personality. She was known for her ability to make people smile, and for her contagious laugh. She touched many lives with her generosity and loyalty.
Kia was predeceased by her paternal great-grandparents Robert and Shirley Sylvia; as well as godfather, Marc Lizotte.
Kia is survived by her father, George Lint II, and mother, Jessica Lint; siblings Aaron Lint, Zack Costello, Rylee Lint, Madisyn Trotter, and Bayleigh Gorman; sister-in-law, Jessie Lint; nieces Lilah Costello and Murphy Lint; biological mother, Angel Trotter; grandparents George and Kelly Lint, and Cindy and James Shaw; as well as many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
Family and friends are welcome to attend a Celebration of Life, which will be held on Sunday, April 2, from 2-6 p.m., at the MacCrillis-Rousseau VFW Post #8835, located at 175 Veteran Dr., in Winslow.
Arrangements are under the care of Dan and Scott’s Cremation, 445 Waterville Rd., Skowhegan, ME 04976.
VASSALBORO – Sarah Martha Watson, 48, passed away unexpectedly on Monday, March 20, 2023. Born in Winslow on June 18, 1974, she was the daughter of Wayne Lemieux and Doreen (Pelham) Lee.
She attended Winslow High School, Fisher College, and University of Maine – Augusta, where she received her bachelor’s degree.
Sarah was employed by Maine Service Employees Union (MSEA-SEIU) where she advocated for employees, their families, and the programs across the state of Maine. Her passion for her fellow workers and equality was unwavering and unmatched; advocating for those that could not themselves or needed encouragement to push beyond what they thought possible, was a lifelong passion.
She loved spending time with her family first and foremost, friends, working in her garden, floating in her pool, creating her artwork and crafts, finding beauty in everything with her photography, and watching her daughter’s horseback riding. Her life was dedicated to her family, especially her daughters, whether advocating for appropriate healthcare, teaching them how to be strong, independent women, or being the cool mom that all their friends loved to be with.
Sarah was predeceased by her father, Wayne Lemieux; her daughter, Katherine White (her “Katiebug”); and stepbrother, Randall Lee.
Sarah is survived by her husband Tyler Watson; daughter, Julia White; parents, Doreen Lee and her husband Skip, and Ruth Lemieux; brothers Adam Lemieux and his wife Tania, James Lemieux and his partner Stacey; stepsister, Wanda Lee and stepbrothers Rodney Lee and his wife Sue, Roger Lee, and Rex Lee and his wife Rebecca; mother-in-law, Sharon Hill and her husband Cliff; father-in-law, Roy Watson and his wife Diane; sister-in-law, Lindsay Mutegi; and several other loved ones.
A celebration of life will be held at St. Bridget Center, 864 Main St., Vassalboro, on Thursday, March 30, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. The family requests that all those able to attend wear a plaid flannel in Sarah’s honor.
Arrangements are in the care of Lawry Brothers Funeral Home, 107 Main St., Fairfield where memories can be shared, and an online register book signed by visiting http://www.lawrybrothers.com.
In lieu of flowers, the Watson family respectfully requests contributions in Sarah’s memory be made to the Ronald McDonald House, 250 Brackett St., Portland, ME 04102.
VASSALBORO – Bernard J. Perry, 83, died Tuesday, March 21, 2023, at his home following a long illness. He was born in Gardiner on October 29, 1939, a son of the late George A. and Arlene (Markham) Perry.
Mr. Perry was a graduate of Cony High School, in Augusta, and served 24 years in the Air National Guard.
He was a member of South Parish Congregational Church, Bethlehem Masonic Lodge and the Kora Temple Shriners. He was a driver for the Kora Karts for 15 years.
Mr. Perry had been employed for over 36 years by the state of Maine in the Department of Transportation. Following retirement from the state, he worked for O’Connor Motors and SCS, Inc., both in Augusta.
“Bunk” was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, who enjoyed hunting and fishing in his spare time.
He was predeceased by his daughter, Sandra Saunders; three brothers, Donald, Malcom and Burt Perry and his sister, Loraine Edwards.
Mr. Perry is survived by his wife of 63 years, Carole I. (Batchelder) Perry, of Vassalboro; a son, Dennis H. Perry and his wife Christine, of Augusta; a son-in-law, Dana Saunders, of Orland; a brother, Steven Perry, of Augusta; six grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
A memorial service was held on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, at Plummer Funeral Home, 16 Pleasant St., Augusta. Burial will be in the old Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Civic Center Drive, Augusta, at a later date.
Condolences, stories and photos may be shared at http://www.plummerfh.com.
The family requests that donations be made in Bernard’s memory to either Shriner’s Children’s Hospital, 51 Blossom St., Boston, MA 02144, or Kennebec Valley Humane Society, 10 Pet Haven Lane, Augusta, ME 04330.
WATERVILLE – John D. Dore, 86, passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, March 21, 2023. John was born in Lewiston, the son of Arthur and Albertine (LeBlanc) Dore, on August 17, 1936.
He attended Waterville High School and graduated in 1955. John met the love of his life, Joan Maheu, and they were married in 1958. They celebrated 54 years together last August.
John worked for 40 years at the Waterville Morning Sentinel, retiring in 1995. He enjoyed spending his time golfing, bowling, and fishing. After retiring, John and his wife spent many winters at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where they made and enjoyed the company of many friends. John’s faith and family were both incredibly important to him, and it showed in the way he lived his life.
He was predeceased by his parents; his sisters Lorraine Cyr and her husband, Ray, Christine Wood and her husband Jack, brothers-in-law Donald Maheu and wife Lorraine, and James Maheu and wife Francine.
He is survived by his wife Joan Dore; his children Kathleen Lobene and husband John, of Alpharetta, Georgia, Kevin Dore and wife Rumi, of Wappingers Falls, New York, David Dore and wife Julie, of Fairfield; grandchildren, Andrea Lobene and husband Jacob Wert, of Delaware, Bryan Dore and wife Jaime, of Newport, and Brianna Dore, of Fairfield; great-grandchildren, Benjamin and Cameron Dore; as well as many nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 29, 2023, at Notre Dame du Perpetual Secours Catholic Church, 116 Silver St., Waterville. There will be a small reception following the service in the church hall. Also, for those who want to attend, the burial will be directly after the funeral at St. Francis Catholic Cemetery, 78 Grove St., Waterville.
Arrangements are under the direction and care of Gallant Funeral Home, 10 Elm St., Waterville.
An online guestbook can be signed, condolences and memories shared at http://www.gallantfh.com.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Mount Merici Academy, 152 Western Ave., Waterville, ME 04901.
FAIRFIELD – Susan A. Fecteau, 64, of Fairfield, passed away peacefully at Mount Saint Joseph Nursing Home, in Waterville, on Monday, March 27, 2023. She was born on August 12, 1958, to Carl and Marguerite Loisel, in Waterville.
Sue married David Fecteau on September 13, 1980, and they had two children, Allison and Michael. She has one grandchild, Austin.
She held jobs with Digital Equipment, in Augusta, and Pine Cone Gift Shop, in Waterville. She enjoyed arts and crafts, cooking, spending time with friends and family, and participating in the comrnunity with the Waterville Elks Lodge #905.
She is survived by her husband Dave; children Allison and Michael; one grandchild Austin; and two brothers Steve and Rick and spouses.
Funeral arrangements are being made at a later date.
WATERVILLE – Mary Jane Slack, (born Mary Jane Wagner), 69, of Waterville, passed away on Sunday, February 26, 2023. Mary was born in Elkhart, Indiana, on July 3, 1953, to a family who put her into the foster system.
She survived living in and out of a number of foster homes, until at the age of 16, she became the daughter of Ken and Shirley Krause, of Cassopolis, Michigan. She found a love of Christianity in their warm, supportive home. She would go on to become valedictorian of her graduating class at Cassopolis High School in 1971.
Mary’s first job was as a roller skating carhop at an A&W, before she was employed as a receptionist at Bergman Veterinary Medical Center, in Cassopolis, Michigan. It was at that animal clinic where she met and dated Alan Slack, who was a DVM there. Shortly after her graduation, Alan and Mary married, after which they settled in New Jersey. They saved and cared for countless animals while also fostering several foster children during the early years of their marriage. They traveled thoroughly and made many friends along the way. In 1979, they started a family of their own, eventually having seven children. They fell in love with Maine, and in 1984, decided to make it their home.
She was very involved with school activities, took thousands of pictures of her family.
Mary loved to sunbathe and garden. She loved all flowers, especially purple super petunias, and lilacs. She had a special tie to redbud trees and hummingbirds. Her Mom Shirley called her “My little redbud girl”, and let her plant them on their property which they enjoyed for decades.
The most important lesson Mary taught was to love one another, please carry that message forward.
She was predeceased by her grandfather and grandmother, Jesse and Elna Krause, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, father, Ken Krause, of Cassopolis Michigan, son, Wade Alan Slack and daughter, Allison Dale Slack, both of Waterville.
Mary will be missed by her children Meghan, Jesse and wife Mackenzie, Lauren, Jonathan, Andrew and wife Tara; grandchildren, Riley, Avery and Henry; mother, Shirley; siblings Tammy, Kendall, Noel, and Dale.
Visitation will be held for Mary on Friday, March 31, 2023, from 2 – 4 p.m., at Veilleux and Redington Funeral Home, 8 Elm St., Waterville. She will be interred at a later date at Lewis Cemetery, in Oakland, next to Wade, Allison, and Alan.
Arrangements are under the care and direction of Veilleux and Redington Funeral Home, 8 Elm St., Waterville, ME 04901.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at http://www.VielleuxFuneraHome.com for the Slack family.
In remembrance, her family asks you to follow your heart. If you wish to do something in her name, perhaps bring flowers to someone who might be suffering the infirmities of old age or anyone who could use a reminder that they are loved. A donation to a charitable organization of your choosing is another great way to honor her.
Vassalboro Community School (contributed photo)
Vassalboro School Superintendent Alan Pfeiffer doesn’t know yet how much larger next year’s school budget will be compared to this year’s, but he expects an increase.
One item on the school board’s March 21 agenda was continued review of sections of the draft 2023-24 budget (see The Town Line, March 16, pp. 8-9). Board members discussed the school health program and building and grounds maintenance.
They scheduled a budget workshop Wednesday, March 29, at Vassalboro Community School (VCS). If they have enough information from the state education department and other sources, they hope to review the entire budget.
Pfeiffer reported March 21 that fuel prices had been determined, and he and Director of Maintenance and Grounds Shelley Phillips are pleased. The school department has locked in Dead River Company’s low bids: heating oil at $3.07 a gallon (10 cents over the current year, and they had feared at least a dollar increase); diesel fuel at $3.11 a gallon; and the small amount of propane needed at $1.74 a gallon (slightly less than this year, Pfeiffer said).
The total building and grounds budget Pfeiffer and Phillips shared with school board members is over $577,000, an increase of more than $31,000 (5.8 percent) over the current year. Higher wages and associated benefits account for much of the increase.
Phillips presented details on building maintenance plans. Two ongoing projects are replacing worn-out plumbing fixtures and replacing fluorescent lights with LED (the acronym stands for light-emitting diode) lights.
She told board members three major projects are pending in the next two or three years. The 31-year-old school (still referred to as “the new building,” she commented) needs its exterior brickwork cleaned and repointed and the gymnasium roof replaced; and curbing along driveways and parking lots needs replacing.
During discussion of the much smaller health budget, Pfeiffer commended new school nurse Megan Sutherburg and former nurse Mary Ann Fortin. Fortin, he said, subs when necessary and came in for several days to help during an outbreak of influenza.
An early highlight of the March 21 meeting was Principal Ira Michaud’s report on the VCS Pi Day celebration. Students competed to recite from memory the most digits of the number pi (which begins 3.14159 and goes on indefinitely).
Michaud reported, using adjectives “amazing” and “astounding,” that the runner-up in the contest was fifth-grader Serena Lacroix, who recited 130 digits and was disappointed: she’d done 150 in practice. The winner was sixth-grader Adrian Souza, who recited 187 digits correctly.
Winners were allowed to throw a pie at either the principal or the math teacher. His report included a photo of fifth-grade math teacher Lorraine Kingsbury and himself garnished with whipped cream.
The principal looks forward to scheduling other student competitions, like a spelling bee and a geography bee.
He also praised school counselor Gina David for holding Bubble Day to celebrate the first day of spring. Students blew bubbles on the playground; Michaud reported some called it “the greatest day at school they had ever had.”
Michaud summarized recent professional development programs, including one shared with Regional School Unit (RSU) #18 staff at the invitation of RSU #18 Superintendent Carl Gartley. The majority of teachers who attended said they would welcome more such cooperative programs; Michaud hopes some can be scheduled.
In other business, school board members unanimously approved the revised board handbook they have worked on for some weeks, subject to a replacement for the outdated cover photo. Pfeiffer plans to have the handbook on the VCS website, vcsvikings.org, and to distribute paper copies to public places in town.
After the March 29 budget meeting, the next regular Vassalboro school board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 11, in the VCS library. If another budget meeting is needed, it will be held as soon as possible after March 29.
by Mary GrowThe Vassalboro budget committee’s March 21 meeting with select board members began with – and sometimes reverted to – a broad question about what townspeople want for their town and how much they are willing to pay.
Budget committee member Dallas Smedberg raised the question, in terms of whether the budget committee should endorse proposed spending recommended by the select board, or should emphasize fiscal responsibility and suggest a smaller budget.
Specifically, Smedberg said, he had reservations about the 6.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) recommended for town employees (and did not like the wage scale with automatic two percent annual increases, if job performance was satisfactory, that select board members adopted last year).
He wondered if the town’s new program director (the job title was changed from recreation director) was moving too fast; if the library really needed more town support to expand its activities and hours; if the police chief needed more hours, or if Vassalboro even needed its own police department.
Committee members Douglas Phillips and Donald Breton shared Smedberg’s concerns. As discussion proceeded, select board and budget committee members expressed varied opinions.
Town Manager Aaron Miller proposed including a questionnaire with 2023-24 tax bills seeking residents’ input on these and perhaps other town questions. Information would be too late to influence 2023-24 budget recommendations, but could help guide next year’s discussions.
For town salaries, Smedberg suggested a two or three percent COLA. Phillips feared employees would expect six percent annually, forever.
Miller had collected figures from other Maine towns; some were giving employees more than 6.5 percent, some less. His concern is retaining employees; select board chairman Barbara Redmond and member Frederick “Rick” Denico, Jr., remembered the difficulty of finding them in the first place.
Budget committee member Frank Richards cited another organization that adopted a pay scale similar to Vassalboro’s. It’s too recent for a complete evaluation, he said, but there is a full staff for the first time in three years, and morale and productivity are good.
Denico and budget committee member Philip Landry pointed out that Vassalboro’s location between Augusta and Waterville means local residents have many job choices.
Program Director Karen Hatch asked to have her hours increased from 20 to 30 a week. Phillips said he was “impressed” by her planned programs, but would like more specifics; and he wondered how much oversight she gets.
Landry commented that the recreation budget request, $65,898, is smaller than the library’s, and the program has more oversight and town control. (Hatch is a town employee.)
Redmond added that Hatch is working her full hours now, and warm-weather outdoor sports programs haven’t started. The recreation program used to be almost entirely youth sports; Hatch is developing activities for all ages.
What next, Smedberg asked, a recreation center with a full staff? Budget committee chairman Peggy Shaffer and Redmond said they had seen comments about a community center.
When discussion reached the proposed library budget, budget committee member Michael Poulin pointed out that this year’s requested increase was the second in two years – after no increase for at least a decade. At a previous meeting, library officials said they planned no more major changes.
According to figures Miller compiled, the library budget was $35,000 for fiscal year 2021-22 and $60,500 for the current — 2022-23 — fiscal year. The request for 2023-24 is $71,000.
Richards said director Brian Stanley’s innovations were attracting families with young children, and new working families were a benefit to the town.
Phillips recommended library officials do more fund-raising. Redmond said they intend to, now that the decline in Covid allows fund-raising events. Stanley said at an earlier meeting he plans to add a part-time staff member responsible for grant-writing.
Phillips also suggested a select board member be added to the library’s board of trustees. Miller and Redmond said town officials get library financial and program reports.
Regarding police chief Mark Brown’s request for additional hours, Denico and Redmond said Brown already works more hours than he is paid for.
Breton suggested contracting for policing with the Kennebec County sheriff’s office (KSO) and the state police for coverage, and dispensing with a local department. Redmond said the state police are “backing off on rural coverage.”
China and one other town contract with KSO, she said. The cost is $85 an hour; and at present KSO does not have enough staff to accommodate Vassalboro.
The current public safety budget, which covers the police department and the animal control officer, is $86,426. The select board recommendation for 2023-24 is $102,188. More than $10,000 of the requested increase is Brown’s salary and benefits, and another $6,000-plus is for dispatching fees. There is a decrease in the animal control officer’s line.
Miller presented preliminary estimates for non-tax revenues for 2023-24. They include vehicle excise taxes, state revenue sharing, federal funds, fees paid at the town office for licenses and other services and other items.
Budget committee members decided that if the school budget is ready in time, they will meet Tuesday, April 4, with school officials at the school. In any case, they are scheduled to meet at 7 p.m., Thursday, April 6, at the town office to make final recommendations.
by Mary Grow“We’re spending a lot of money tonight,” China select board member Blane Casey commented as the board’s March 27 meeting wound down.
They spent much of it on two pieces of equipment, a side-by-side for the transfer station and a plow truck for the public works department. Decisions were unanimous as board members recognized needs, reluctant as they groaned about prices.
They also approved the warrant for the June 13 annual town business meeting, when China voters will have a chance to spend a lot more money; and decided other issues.
Transfer station staff member Cheyenne Houle presented four updated bids for the small utility vehicle, and the transfer station committee’s recommendation.
The transfer station committee recommended, and select board members approved, a Polaris Ranger 570 from Cove-Side Wheel & Ski, in Newport, for $11,598. (The Polaris 500 the committee endorsed on March 7 is no longer available; see the March 9 and March 16 issues of The Town Line).
Paul Lucas, chairman of the transfer station committee, said there is a little more than $38,000 in the transfer station reserve fund.
At a March 22 transfer station committee meeting, Houle said the newer model, which costs $900 more, has the roll cage members liked on the older one. It has upgraded lighting, a better dumping body, higher ground clearance and more time recommended between servicing.
Transfer station manager Thomas Maraggio said the Polaris will “make work easier and more efficient” by reducing time staff spend “running back and forth” to put things in their proper places.
Select board chairman Wayne Chadwick asked whether the previously-discussed guard shack at the transfer station entrance wouldn’t serve the same purpose. No, Maraggio said, because someone planning to smuggle a discarded air conditioner into the brush pile (for example) would need only to hide it under incoming brush, and a staffer would need to move it.
Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood said with the present efficient transfer station crew, and the monitoring cameras, she has lost enthusiasm for a guarded entrance. Chadwick commended the staff for “doing an excellent job.”
Director of Public Services Shawn Reed requested the new truck. For the last two winters, he said, the town has plowed four routes with four trucks, and sometimes two of them break down at the same time. Getting parts is slow, getting time in a repair garage is slow; he needs a fifth truck for back-up.
Getting a new truck is also slow. Reed explained the new system: people who want a truck don’t just order one, they ask a dealer for a slot, present specifications and buy the truck when it gets made.
After investigating options, Reed recommended buying from O’Connor Motors, in Augusta; O’Connor currently has slots, unlike two other dealers he called. He further recommended buying the plow equipment from Viking Cives, in Auburn, and paying $6,325 extra for a seven-year warranty.
Chadwick, board member Brent Chesley and Maraggio, all familiar with equipment, endorsed the extended warranty. A single parts failure could make it worthwhile, they said.
The total price Reed put at $274,497. Hapgood said the public works reserve fund stood at $297,195 as of late December 2022, and the 2023-24 budget will add to it, if voters approve.
Reed was told the truck might be built in September and outfitted and delivered by December. Neither he nor Chesley will be surprised if it’s delayed.
The town meeting warrant select board members endorsed has 31 articles, beginning with election of a moderator. Voting will be by written ballot. The moderator will be chosen by voters at the polls in the portable building behind the town office at 6:55 a.m. Tuesday, June 13; polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Article 14 asks voters to approve expenditures of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Select board members reviewed expenditures recommended by the TIF Committee at its Feb. 8 and March 8 meetings (see the Feb. 16 and March 16 issues of The Town Line).
One request is for funds for Thurston Park. Jeanette Smith, chairman of the Thurston Park Committee, made a presentation on the future of the town-owned recreational property as she tried to plan for a post-TIF future. China’s current TIF ends June 30, 2045.
China’s TIF plan calls for an annual $65,000 appropriation for recreational trails, to be shared by Thurston Park and the China Four Seasons Club. The majority of the TIF committee recommended $25,000 for Thurston Park and $40,000 for Four Seasons.
Select board members voted unanimously to amend the recommendation and to split the $65,000 evenly between the two groups. Casey favors funding town-owned trails. Janet Preston said her decision was based on the February 8 agreement between Smith and Four Seasons president Thomas Rumpf for a 50:50 split (overruled by the TIF committee majority).
The problem is “there isn’t enough money to go around,” Chesley, who chairs the TIF committee, commented.
Otherwise, select board members endorsed the TIF committee recommendations, all but one by unanimous votes.
The exception was the recommendation to appropriate $20,000 for the China Region Lakes Alliance. Chadwick, Casey and Chesley all had reservations about the group’s gravel road rehabilitation program, which involves using town funds to help landowners improve private roads to control run-off.
Casey and Chesley voted against recommending the appropriation; Chadwick reluctantly joined Jeanne Marquis and Preston in recommending approval.
In other business March 27, select board members appointed Amber French a new member of the Thurston Park committee. They also appointed:
Committee would like to expand park offerings
Jeanette Smith’s slideshow on China’s Thurston Park says it started with land given in 1958 by Everett Thurston. Town officials added tax-acquired property and bought one small piece to create the present 400-acre rectangle in northeastern China.
She quoted from a 2019 state survey on the value of recreational space, in terms of personal health, making a town more inviting and increasing nearby property values.
The committee would like to continue expanding park offerings, Smith said. Goals include handicapped access, two new trails, kayak and canoe racks by the pond, a camping area and outdoor programs.
Smith has learned that many grants require handicapped access; but providing handicapped access requires money.
Preston reported on plans to participate in the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments (KVCOG) community resilience program. The public meeting that is an early step is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., Monday, April 24, before that evening’s select board meeting, Preston said.
She hopes many residents will attend to learn more about the program and submit suggestions for making China a more resilient community. Much of the focus is on adaptation to climate change.
Select board members unanimously sold a tax-acquired mobile home on Chadwick Way to the only bidder, Ed Oliver, for $2,001. Hapgood said Oliver will remove the mobile home from the property.
The next regular China select board meeting is scheduled for Monday evening, April 10.