by Mary Grow

China Town Manager Dennis Heath shared information about the proposed waterfront land purchase with TIF (Tax Increment Finance) Committee members at their May 6 meeting.

The local warrant for June 11 voting will include a request to appropriate $150,000, $125,000 from the lake access reserve fund and $25,000 from TIF funds, to buy about five acres between Lakeview Drive and the east shore of China Lake adjoining the Four Seasons Club property. The manager envisions a park with a swimming area and boat landing, well separated for safety, adjoining the Four Seasons beach.

Since selectmen approved the ballot question, Heath said, he has learned of a state program that would pay half the cost of acquiring the property. If China is eligible for state money, there would be no need to use TIF funds.

Using topographic maps, Heath made measurements of the slope between the road and lake. He figured the land descends 92 feet in the 824 feet from the road to the water.

The hill is tiered, he said, making room for two levels of parking. Heath intends to talk with Four Seasons Club President Tom Rumpf about sharing the club’s road to access the property, if voters approve the purchase.

If voters buy the land and TIF money is needed, Heath recommends expanding the TIF construction subcommittee that oversees the causeway project at the head of the lake, adding, for example, someone knowledgeable about possible effects on lake water quality.

TIF Committee Chairman Frank Soares said the committee has taken no position on the request for funds, awaiting voters’ action.

China selectmen have scheduled a public hearing on two local ballot questions, the land purchase and a request for engineering money to continue design work on an emergency services building or a community center, for 6:15 p.m. Monday. May 13.

TIF subcommittee member Tom Michaud reported briefly on the causeway project. Phase One, the new bridge, is almost done, he said, lacking only a final layer of paving and pedestrian guardrails on the bridge..

Michaud said two corrections are priorities; there is erosion around some of the rocks, and people have complained about the guardrail, which Michaud described as “unfriendly” because it makes it hard for fishermen to get near the water.

The second phase of the project involves shoreland work between the bridge and the boat landing. Currently, Michaud said, project engineers are seeking necessary permits. Committee member Amy Gartley led a discussion of the revolving loan program, intended to provide bridge loans to help small businesses in town start up or expand. H. David Cotta asked whether the town would be first or last to collect should there be multiple loans that were not repaid.

There was consensus the town, since it uses taxpayers’ money, should be at the head of the line. Heath and Gartley intend to seek advice from Town Attorney Amanda Meader and the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments, which will manage the loans. Gartley hopes the loan program documents will be ready for TIF Committee approval at the next meeting, scheduled for Monday evening, June 3.

by Sandy Isaac

A group of supporters gathered at the north end of China Lake for the launch of Fred Wiand’s “Running for You” campaign tour. Fred, a resident, of China, Maine, seeks the Democratic nomination for the 2020 presidential election.

He emerged from his white recreational vehicle shortly before 1 p.m. to meet and greet the group who came to hear him speak. His RV will act as a mobile campaign office and home for the next few months.

Wiand, a retired Air Force Major, served for over 20 years active duty and was stationed in over 13 countries. He has visited all 50 states and lived in many of them, including Pennsylvania, California, Texas, New Hampshire and Maine.

He said he has been (physically) running since the ‘60s which makes him fit for the job. This was also the inspiration for calling his campaign “Running for You” and at this rate, he has no thoughts of slowing down.

After greeting the supporters Wiand stated, “I may be the dark horse, but I see a path.” He then explained that he does not plan on taking any PAC money to help fund his campaign.

PACs (Political Action Committees) allows corporations or organizations to bundle contributions from their members and channel that money to fund elections of our government officials. This is the fastest way for a candidate to raise the cash needed to run a successful campaign.

When asked if this puts him at a disadvantage, he said, “No, a huge advantage actually. Other candidates will be beholden to those who contribute to their campaign.” He promised to address campaign finance reform once elected.

Wiand went on to speak about some of the issues that he would tackle as president, like universal healthcare, gender equality and gun safety. Two of the biggest topics he elaborated on were global warming/climate change and immigration. He said, “[We] should rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement,” and spoke of looking for alternative energy sources. Solar energy, wave/tidal/ocean options, geothermal, hydroelectric and hydrogen were all areas he felt we should explore more.

Immigration is also an important topic to Wiand. He started by expressing concern for all of those fleeing other countries and “escaping with their lives.”

Wiand mapped out a plan involving working with the Mexican President to ensure a safe and secure travel route for those who wish to come and go from the United States. His plans involve creating stop-over camp sites along the refugee routes in Mexico. He then spoke of villages being built with American and Mexican labor between camp sites, establishing employment opportunities, and all the benefits that a village infrastructure would have. A similar setup could occur on the U.S. side in areas like El Centro, California, and Del Rio, Texas, just to name a few.

He went on to say that electronic surveillance would be put into place instead of a solid wall and that every vehicle must be searched for contraband, no matter how long that inspection would take at designated secure crossings.

Wiand also spoke about gun safety. He mentioned that he was a gun owner, but that military guns should be used only by the military and that better background checks were necessary. He would like to see a universal gun law in place.

The “Running for You” campaign tour will take Wiand first to Massachusetts for a speech before heading south along the coast for stops in New York. Next up will be Pennsylvania to speak at Valley Forge and Gettysburg, then south to Florida.

When asked if he had anyone in mind to be a running mate, he said, “No, not yet. They would have to be like minded politically of course, but I would look for someone to add diversity to the office.”

Wiand was then asked about his negotiating style or philosophy. He said, “You have to be open to friendly negotiations. No bullying. You have to have vision, charisma, persistence and resolve.” For example, he mentioned how President John F. Kennedy said we would have a man on the moon, and although there was push back, he made it happen.

He went on to say that he hoped Democratic voters would not become divided by a third party, stating that “I will support whoever the Democratic National Committee chooses to be their next candidate. I just hope that it will be me.”

To read more about Fred and his philosophies, please visit his website, www.fredwiand.com.

by Mary Grow

At their April 16 meeting, China selectmen made decisions that will impact residents and non-residents on recycling, requirements for town funds for outside agencies and a mass communications system.

The board authorized Town Manager Dennis Heath to apply to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection for a $38,000 recycling grant for a $58,566 three-part project, with a local match of $5,566 in cash plus labor or materials.

If the application is successful, most of the money would provide four recycling trailers, each with four bins for different materials. They would be distributed around town, one outside China Village near the causeway, one in South China, one near Tobey’s Market close to Branch Mills and one in Weeks Mills.

The manager also proposed an electronic pass system (RFID, or radio-frequency identification) to get into the transfer station. Residents, and later non-residents who have arranged to use China’s facility, would have a tag in their vehicles that would be recognized by a scanner at the gate. China would not charge for the initial tag, but if it were lost a replacement would cost $10.

A third component of the project is educational, with presentations on recycling at China schools, China Days and other appropriate venues.

Selectman Jeffrey LaVerdiere abstained on the vote; he supports recycling but questioned a recycling trailer at the causeway. Heath replied that it would be less unattractive than trash all over the grounds.

The change in requirements for an estimated 18 to 20 organizations that apply for town funds at the annual business meeting would ask them to prove that they are in conformity with applicable state and federal laws and regulations.

A reference to payment of stipends makes it clear that the change includes China’s volunteer fire departments. Selectmen and fire chiefs have argued for months over how stipends are distributed, how they are reported and how much say selectmen have.

By China’s April 6 town business meeting, town and fire officials had direction from the state Department of Labor. At the meeting, voters gave the fire department more than either the selectmen or the budget committee recommended, with discussion indicating the goal was to let fire departments have funds for stipends they thought necessary. (See The Town Line, April 11, p. 3.)

At the April 16 selectmen’s meeting, board member Donna Mills-Stevens said the policy revision was not aimed at “picking on” fire departments, but was intended to make sure selectmen disbursed town funds as required by law. Heath emphasized that the change applies to all entities seeking town funds, whether or not they offer stipends. Selectmen’s approval was unanimous.

In a related matter April 16, Heath said fire officials told him they would attend selectmen’s meetings to discuss pending issues if they were at the beginning of the agenda, so they would not waste time. Currently, the third agenda item, after action on the previous meeting’s minutes and bills to be paid, is titled “Department Reports,” and fire/rescue is the third report.

Selectmen agreed to move fire/rescue to the first report item. The time spent on minutes and bills varies from meeting to meeting depending on how many questions board members have.

The proposed communications system would let town officials notify residents who signed up to receive message about emergencies, meetings, events of interest and anything else they might need to know. Town meeting voters appropriated $4,000 for the system, called Hyper-Reach.

Heath asked approval to pay the first annual $3,900 fee before the new fiscal year begins so the system could be operational in July. Selectmen had no objection.

Board members also approved the manager’s proposal to use up to $3,580 from this fiscal year’s contingency fund to replace 72 town office light fixtures with LED ballasts and bulbs.

Public Works and Transfer Station representatives said the new Ventrac tractor that plowed South China sidewalks was used to sweep the transfer station yard and started sweeping sidewalks in South China, until it blew a belt. No-charge repairs were expected in about two days.

Saturday, April 27, is a drug take-back day at the transfer station from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fluorescent and other bulbs for which disposal fees are charged will be accepted free that day.

According to the town website, the next selectmen’s meeting will be Monday evening, April 29.

by Mary Grow

China Budget Committee members have endorsed one of the selectmen’s two proposed June expenditures, by a split vote, and unanimously advised voters to disapprove the other.

At their April 9 meeting, Town Manager Dennis Heath presented the questions approved by selectmen for a June 11 written-ballot vote:

• To see if voters will authorize the selectmen to buy the Hall lot on Lakeview Drive abutting the Four Seasons Club lot “for public lake access,” using $125,000 from the lake access reserve fund and $25,000 in Tax Increment Finance (TIF) funds and;
• To see if voters will authorize spending up to $25,000 from the Undesignated Fund Balance (surplus) “to contract for the engineering and costing of a consolidated emergency services building and a community building.”

Four of the six budget committee members voted to recommend approval of the lakefront property purchase. Wayne Chadwick and Kevin Maroon were opposed; Chairman Robert Batteese, Timothy Basham, Jeffery Furlong and Thomas Rumpf voted in favor.

Chadwick’s main objection was the difficulty of policing and protecting an isolated area invisible from the highway. He pointed out that other towns have closed similar facilities because of vandalism and misuse. Also, he said, town ownership takes the property off the tax rolls; and he wondered whether the state Department of Transportation would authorize a new driveway entrance onto Lakeview Drive.

Much of the discussion was over the relationship of the new proposed beach to the existing boat landing at the head of the lake, where the town is in process of acquiring ownership of the unofficial parking area. Heath said state officials have agreed to maintain the landing for another year, but do not approve of the unprotected location and therefore want it moved.

Discussion of the second ballot question covered both a new building for the China Village Volunteer Fire Department with space for Delta Ambulance and a police office, and a community center.

Heath reminded committee members that voters have already spent $5,000 for concept drawings for the buildings. The drawings are on the town website, the first item under “News.”

The June request would be for engineering – not to build either building, but to prepare cost estimates for building, the manager said.

There has been ongoing discussion of moving the China Village fire station, partly for more space for future expansion and partly to let the China Baptist Church, its neighbor to the east, turn the lot where the station now stands into parking. The present church parking lot closer to the causeway and boat landing would then be available for boaters’ parking.

China’s three fire chiefs were in the audience. They said an original proposal to relocate the station got expanded beyond their wishes when “one of the selectmen” (China Village Fire Chief Timothy Theriault’s words) started talking about a municipal fire department.

“We’re completely against that,” Theriault said. “It’s not going to be beneficial to the town.”

Weeks Mills Fire Chief William Van Wickler said if the boat landing won’t be used much longer, additional parking won’t be needed and nobody will have to spend several hundred thousand dollars for a new fire station.

“I don’t want to do Tim [Theriault] out of a nice building,” he continued, but he thinks a new station isn’t necessary.

Heath said China’s comprehensive plan calls for a community center. He envisions a single-story building that would accommodate a couple hundred people, larger than any present gathering room except the Middle School gymnasium and the Baptist Conference Center.

“We have halls all over this town,” Chadwick said, announcing himself opposed to the project and generally in favor of smaller government.

Additional locations, like the town-owned lot south of the town office where the red storage barn stands or some other property near the head of the lake, were suggested for either building, but budget committee members were still not persuaded to support the investment.