by Mary Grow

Vassalboro School Board members hoped to approve a new superintendent for Vassalboro at their June 19 meeting, but no one has been chosen.

Eric Haley was full-time superintendent for all three AOS (Alternative Organizational Structure) schools (Vassalboro, Waterville and Winslow) until voters dissolved the AOS in March, effective June 30. Vassalboro is now looking for a part-time superintendent, to work the equivalent of one day a week.

Haley explained that the person who is the Vassalboro search committee’s first choice is trying unsuccessfully – so far – to put together a package of jobs adding up to full-time. If that person cannot take the Vassalboro job, Haley said the search committee recommends re-advertising the position. Meanwhile, Haley offered to continue as interim superintendent until the position is filled. School board members unanimously accepted his offer.

Vassalboro Community School is also lacking a half-time Spanish teacher. New Principal Megan Allen said there have been no applicants for the position. Allen recommended advertising for someone to teach any foreign language rather than abandoning all foreign-language offerings.

School board members agreed by consensus to continue until mid-July looking for someone to continue the Spanish program, and if that search is unsuccessful to advertise for someone to teach any non-English-language class.

Board members voted reluctantly to increase 2018-19 school lunch prices by 10 cents, from $2.65 to $2.75 for a full-price lunch. Retiring Principal Dianna Gram explained that the federal government has a price formula under which Vassalboro should be charging $2.90; if the school does not move toward that goal, 10 cents at a time, federal subsidies might be reduced. More cheerfully, board members approved the 2018-19 school budget previously approved by Vassalboro voters, the 2018-19 school calendar (with a fourth snow day, Haley said) and the school board meeting schedule; several updated curricula; and appointment of Devin Lachapelle as a new math/social studies teacher. They accepted the resignation of first-grade teacher Arielle Jurdak-Roy, who is moving. Gram praised Jurdak-Roy, the teachers who worked on amended curricula and AOS #92 curriculum director Mary Boyle.

Although the AOS is officially dissolved, many of the central office staff will continue to work for one or more of the three municipalities’ schools under an interlocal agreement approved by all three school boards. Haley also recommends school administrators from the three municipalities continue to meet to share ideas, pointing out that when AOS #92 was formed, Waterville and Winslow promptly copied Vassalboro’s successful reading program.

Haley will continue as Waterville superintendent. He assured Vassalboro officials, “I’ll still be around. Obviously I’m not going to leave my friends in the lurch.”

The next Vassalboro School Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday evening, July 17, if there is a new Vassalboro superintendent by then. If not, the next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday evening, Aug. 21.

by Mary Grow

Vassalboro selectmen would appreciate residents’ opinions on two topics, preferably before the June 28 selectmen’s meeting. The first issue is whether townspeople want to try to restrict the number of storefront medical marijuana shops – places where people with a prescription for marijuana can get it filled – allowed in town. The second is whether there is any reason to continue to lease the Route 3 former picnic area and boat launch from the state, instead of canceling the lease.

Town Manager Mary Sabins raised both questions at the June 14 selectmen’s meeting.

The first came up because Sabins expects the planning board to hear an application to open a medical marijuana dispensary in one end of the storage building on Route 3. That business, if approved by planners, would be grandfathered and not affected by any later action, she said.

However, if many residents think one such business in town is enough, selectmen could draft an ordinance banning any more and bring it to a special town meeting. (ep)

Sabins pointed out that China already has a medical marijuana dispensary on Route 3, just east of the Adams Realty office.

Vassalboro has an ordinance banning retail recreational marijuana establishments, approved in January 2017. Medical marijuana, under state law, falls into a different category and is not covered by the recreational marijuana ordinance.

The Three Mile Pond issue came up, Sabins said, after a resident complained about the condition of the fence between the state-owned facilities and adjoining private property. She realized that neither the former picnic area nor the boat launch is of use to the town and asked state officials if the lease could be cancelled. The answer was yes, and the public would continue to have access to the boat launch.

The picnic area used to have tables, grills and other amenities, and town officials considered trying to create a swimming area. They found a weedy lake bottom and a lack of interest. The semi-abandoned picnic area attracted unwelcome behavior, so about nine years ago, by Sabins’ reckoning, the amenities were removed, leaving only the boat landing functional.

Selectmen are leaning toward not recommending limits on medical marijuana facilities – board Chairman Lauchlin Titus compared them to pharmacies – and toward giving up responsibility for the boat landing. They postponed both decisions, however, to let residents weigh in.

People wanting to express an opinion are welcome to call the town office or to get in touch directly with Titus, Robert Browne or John Melrose.

China Selectman Irene Belanger sent Vassalboro selectmen a third question, an invitation to close the Vassalboro transfer station and share China’s. After a brief discussion, Titus summed up the board’s response: Thanks for asking, but no thanks. Road Foreman Eugene Field reported on preliminary investigation into fixing an old culvert on Cross Hill Road, an issue he raised at the May 31 selectmen’s meeting (see the June 7 issue of The Town Line, p. 3). As expected, the work will be expensive. Field will continue exploring options.

Selectmen accepted Field’s recommendation and awarded the 2018 paving contract to the low bidder, Wellman Paving, of Winterport. As in past years, China and Vassalboro submitted a joint bid; China also chose Wellman.

Sabins told selectmen their notice to tenants of two mobile homes with failing septic systems had been delivered after the mobile home park’s owner took no action. The tenants were being advised to seek legal aid, she said.

The June 28 selectmen’s meeting begins with a 6:30 p.m. public hearing on the Community Development Block Grant awarded to the Vassalboro Sanitary District to help fund the new sewer connection to Winslow.

by Mary Grow

At the polls June 12, Vassalboro voters re-elected two incumbent town officials and re-approved the 2018-19 school budget initially approved at the June 4 open town meeting.

Town Clerk Cathy Coyne reported that Selectman John Melrose received 808 votes and school board member Jolene Clark Gamage 786 votes.

The vote on the school budget was 620 in favor and 247 opposed, Coyne said.

She called the turnout “pretty good” for a primary election, with voters coming steadily all day.

by Mary Grow

Vassalboro Planning Board members approved all four permit applications on their June 5 agenda, two for auxiliary buildings, one for a seasonal farm stand and one for a new auto repair garage.

Receiving permits were:

• John and Paula Libby to build a 30-by-40-foot garage, with no plumbing, at 325 Webber Pond Road, in the Outlet Stream shoreland zone 200 feet from the water. • Forrest and Gloria Young to build a 12-by-16-foot shed, on skids rather than a foundation, at 208 Austin Road, 150 feet from Three Mile Pond.
• Parker Denico to build and operate a seasonal vegetable stand at 991 Main Street in North Vassalboro.
• Heather and Eric Smith and David York to open an auto repair and body shop in a section of the old mill at 960 Main Street in North Vassalboro.

Denico previously received a site review permit, but could not get the needed shoreland zoning permit without a variance from setback requirements, because the building will be less than 100 feet from Outlet Stream. The Vassalboro Board of Appeals approved his variance request at a May 15 meeting, clearing the way for final approval of the project.

The Smiths and York plan to reuse a part of the mill previously used for a similar purpose. Their business name is Overkill Garage LLC, Heather Smith said. Their main business will be automobile repairs and body work, but they talked about working on anything with an engine, including ATVs, lawnmowers and chainsaws.

Planning board members were concerned about a trench across the floor that serves as a drain, of unknown age and with an unknown outflow. Board Chairman Virginia Brackett guessed it empties into Outlet Stream.

The first idea was to cover it over, until Heather Smith remembered that it channels rain that leaks in and Codes Officer Richard Dolby suggested it might also be connected to roof drains. Planning board members and the applicants agreed on some kind of barrier to make sure no motor fluids get into the drain.

Dolby said the planning board already has applicants to be heard at the next meeting, scheduled for Tuesday evening, July 10.

He also reported that Jonathan Blumberg asked the board of appeals to reconsider its May 22 denial of Blumberg’s appeal of Dolby’s issuance of a permit to Bernard Welsh (see this article). The board of appeals is scheduled to meet Wednesday evening, June 20, Dolby said.