source: http://www.vassalboro.net/
Vassalboro selectmen have changed the starting time of their Thursday, March 22, meeting to 5:30 p.m., in order to accommodate a long agenda, including a 6 p.m. public hearing on building permit ordinance amendments, before they meet with the budget committee at 7 p.m. The meetings and hearing will be held in the town office meeting room.
The Neck Road Fire Pond, in China. Photo by Roland D. Hallee
After an executive session that lasted more than an hour, China selectmen spent most of the rest of their March 7 meeting re-discussing the fire pond on Neck Road.
The executive session was called to consult with counsel and on a personnel issue. No action was taken afterward.
The fire pond was proposed by China Village Fire Chief Tim Theriault and endorsed by landowner Tom Michaud to give firefighters a source of water close to the end of Neck Road. After voters in November approved $8,500 for the project, an existing pond was enlarged, with the original plan amended to limit the work to Michaud’s land.
The almost-completed work was criticized sharply in late 2017 and early 2018. Selectmen and others said the steep sides, which made it impossible for a person or animal who fell in to get out, were dangerous; they were also unstable and would erode, perhaps threatening the shoulder of Neck Road.
Board members discussed fencing, redesign and other possible fixes.
They had also failed to get a written agreement with Michaud, leaving the town’s right to be on his property and any liability issues that might arise in doubt. The result was that at the March 7 meeting selectmen described the project as “out of whack” (Jeffrey LaVerdiere) and “somewhat of a real fiasco” (Chairman Robert MacFarland) as they discussed a draft memorandum of understanding with Michaud.
The non-final draft they asked Town Manager Daniel L’Heureux to forward to Michaud proposes that the town and Michaud agree on a sale, lease or easement giving the town the right to build and maintain the pond, if voters approve and if voters appropriate more money for additional costs. The additional costs are estimated at a minimum of around $25,000, not including paying a general contractor to oversee future work, as suggested by Selectman Donna Mills-Stevens.
The warrant for the March 24 town business meeting does not include any article related to the fire pond.
The warrant does include, with the annual appropriations for the fire departments and China Rescue, a request that voters authorize lump sum payments to the fire departments, as allowed under a new state law sponsored by Rep. Theriault.
L’Heureux said if voters approve, each department’s treasurer should be bonded. China Village department treasurer Dale Worster told selectmen he had submitted his bonding application; board members asked the manager to remind the other two departments.
L’Heureux asked selectmen’s permission to buy a new copier with money from the current year’s budget. They asked him to look into leasing instead of buying and postponed action until they have comparative prices.
China’s town report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017, was available at the meeting. Selectman Irene Belanger praised the committee reports, which she said should save time at the March 24 business meeting by answering many of residents’ questions. Budget committee member Wayne Chadwick objected that the town report includes too few details, especially on expenditures.
The next regular China selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 19, with the Broadband Committee scheduled to meet simultaneously. Recently, however, China selectmen have repeatedly changed their announced meeting time, usually moving it earlier.
The board of appeals meeting postponed from March 8 due to snow is rescheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, March 22. Ralph Howe, owner of Bio Renewable Fuels on Dirigo Road, has asked board members to reconsider their Feb. 15 dismissal, on procedural grounds, of his earlier appeals of actions by Codes Officer Paul Mitnik.
China voters will have an unusual number of specific decisions to make at their annual town business meeting, scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday, March 24, at China Primary School (off Lakeview Drive behind China Middle School).
A quorum of 120 registered voters is required to open the meeting.
Most of the new issues involve historic preservation and local infrastructure needs. With 2018 the 200th anniversary of the incorporation of the Town of China, Selectman and Bicentennial Coordinator Neil Farrington and others organized a Feb. 5 celebration, have plans for more activities in the summer and are trying to arouse interest in preserving tangible reminders of China’s history.
The town has already lost at least one historic church and one Masonic Hall; most of its one- and two-room schoolhouses and the two buildings that housed China Academy, one after the other; the tracks and most of the buildings associated with the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington narrow-gauge railway; and recently the Dinsmore mill in Branch Mills. The once-active China Historical Society has not met regularly for years.
At the March 24 meeting, voters will be asked to hear a report from Farrington and to appropriate funds for his work, for continued maintenance of the old town house and Weeks Mills schoolhouse and for two specific projects: installing water and septic systems in the Weeks Mills schoolhouse to make it useable for community purposes, and buying the Branch Mills Union Church. The schoolhouse project (Art. 25) is expected to cost up to $20,000. The price for the church is $100; the belief is that town ownership will make it easier to get grants and donations – Art. 41 asks that up to $80,000 be authorized – to preserve the building.
The proposed infrastructure projects are the purchase of a precrusher/compactor and a new forklift for the transfer station, at a maximum cost of $80,613 (Art. 17) and two specific road projects, repaving the north end of Dirigo Road and replacing a large culvert under Bog Road, at an expected cost of up to $200,000 (Art. 19).
Voters are also asked to appropriate up to $20,000 in Tax Increment Finance (TIF) funds for the LakeSmart program, which helps lakefront landowners control run-off (Art. 34), and to appropriate up to $22,000 from TIF funds, if applicable, or Unassigned Fund Balance (surplus) to update China’s comprehensive plan (Art. 43).
Selectmen and budget committee members recommend approval of all proposed expenditures, not always unanimously. Budget committee member Wayne Chadwick dissented on requests for up to $50,000 in TIF funds for administrative work (Art. 6); the transfer station purchases in Art. 17, joined in dissent by Tom Rumpf; and the schoolhouse waste and septic systems in Art. 25. Chadwick also opposed the $4,500 request from the Albert Church Brown Memorial Library, but endorsed the article (Art. 26) because it includes the same amount for the South China Library.
The budget committee splintered on the proposal to buy the Branch Mills church: Chairman Robert Batteese, Valerie Baker and Secretary Jean Conway voted to recommend it, Chadwick and Rumpf voted not to and Tim Basham and Kevin Maroon abstained.
The March 24 decisions do not include the 2018-19 school budget, which will be voted on later in the year.
source: http://www.vassalboro.net/
The Vassalboro public hearing, selectmen’s meeting and Budget Committee meeting postponed from March 8 due to snow are rescheduled for Thursday evening, March 22, with the public hearing at 6 p.m. followed by the selectmen’s meeting and the Budget Committee scheduled for 7 p.m. (ep)
The public hearing, held jointly with the Planning Board, is on proposed amendments to Vassalboro’s Building Permit Ordinance. Information on the proposed changes is on the town’s web site. (ep)
The selectmen’s agenda includes a discussion with Codes Officer Richard Dolby of dealing with violators of town land use regulations; a discussion with Kim Lindlof of the benefits of joining the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce; a potential appointment to the Conservation Commission; a discussion with Leon Duff and others who propose naming the Vassalboro Community School gymnasium in memory of James Mitchell; a review of responses to the request for proposals for alewife harvesting and perhaps awarding of the harvesting contract; a review of tax-acquired properties and discussion of disposal options; and preliminary plans for the 2017 town report. (ep)
The Budget Committee planned to spend most of its March 8 meeting in discussion with town department heads. (ep)
There is one vacant seat on the Budget Committee, to be filled at the June 4 town meeting. People interested in the position are invited to attend Budget Committee meetings or to submit their names to the town office.
Vassalboro Community School. (source: jmg.org)
AOS (Alternative Organizational Structure) #92 will soon be history.
In a March 13 referendum vote, all three member municipalities voted by wide margins to terminate the arrangement: in Vassalboro, the vote was 81 yes to 13 no, in Waterville, 183 yes to 58 no, and Winslow 122 yes to 62 no.
A majority vote for dissolution in any of the three member municipalities ends the AOS arrangement, AOS Superintendent Eric Haley said at Vassalboro’s March 6 public hearing in advance of the vote.
Haley explained to about 30 attendees that the change from an AOS to a proposed contracted-services arrangement will make little difference to Vassalboro students, school staff or residents.
The plan the school board is considering calls for Vassalboro to hire its own superintendent, perhaps a retiree or a superintendent shared with another school, to work the equivalent of one day a week for approximately $25,000 a year. One day a week is usually flexible, Haley said – the part-timer might divide eight or 10 hours among several days, as needed.
Central office functions like payroll and accounting, curriculum coordination, special education, transportation, buildings and grounds, student record-keeping and technology would continue to be done from Waterville or Winslow, with Vassalboro paying for its share of services based on the AOS cost-sharing formula.
That formula, Haley said, uses the three-year averages of the number of resident students and municipal valuation. It changes only slightly from year to year, and has worked well for the nine years of the AOS. Dissolving the AOS will have no effect on school choice, Haley said – “school choice won’t go away.”
Vassalboro Community School will have a new principal because Dianna Gram is retiring in June, not because of the AOS vote. School board members discussed hiring one person as principal and superintendent, but decided against it for several reasons, Haley said. For example, the dual role pits the principal-as-superintendent against his or her own teachers in contract negotiations, and it leaves no administrative avenue of appeal against a principal’s decision. School Board Chairman Kevin LeVasseur added that sometimes a second point of view is useful.
The AOS office projected that Vassalboro would save about $45,000 in central service charges by changing from AOS membership to contracted services. In addition, each member town will receive its share of the AOS’s undesignated fund, with Vassalboro getting almost $52,000 as a one-time payment.
The superintendent emphasized, however, that the central services budget is only a small part of the total school budget. School board members have begun budget review and will continue at their March 20 meeting; Vassalboro Budget Committee members will review the school board’s figures, and voters will make the final decision at the June 4 annual town meeting.
by Mary GrowChina Planning Board members used their Feb. 27 meeting to continue preparations for updating China’s comprehensive plan and to work on possible amendments to the town’s land use ordinance.
An article in the warrant for the March 24 town business meeting asks voters to appropriate up to $22,000 from either unassigned fund balance (formerly called surplus) or the Tax Increment Financing fund, if appropriate, to develop and implement a revised town comprehensive plan. The money would be spent mostly for a professional consultant’s services.
The budget committee unanimously endorsed the expenditure.
China’s present plan is valid through the summer of 2020. Planning Board Chairman Tom Miragliuolo said at earlier meetings that an update is not required, but municipalities without valid plans are disadvantaged in various ways, including losing points on applications for state grants.
There are already a small number of applicants to serve on a new Comprehensive Planning Committee. Board members hope to recruit more at town meeting. Volunteers should call the town office.
Reviewing a section of the definitions in the land use ordinance, board members found that most seem satisfactory; a few clarifications were recommended.
Any changes in the ordinance will need voters’ approval. There are no proposed ordinance amendments on the March 24 meeting warrant.
The next regular planning board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday evening, March 13.
source: http://www.vassalboro.net/
Vassalboro voters will make 2018-19 spending decisions and choose budget committee members at their annual town meeting, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 4, at Vassalboro Community School. Local elections and any other written-ballot items will be decided on Tuesday, June 12, with polls open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the town office.
Town Clerk Cathy Coyne announces nomination papers are available Monday, March 5, for the following positions: one three-year term on the board of selectmen (the late Philip Haines’ term, being filled by John Melrose, ends) and one three-year term on the school board (Jolene Clark Gamage’s term ends). Signed nomination papers must be returned to the town office by noon Friday, April 13, for candidates’ names to appear on the June 12 ballot.
source: http://www.vassalboro.net/
Vassalboro Budget Committee members used their March 1 organizational meeting for a preliminary, partial review of the proposed 2018-19 municipal budget developed by Town Manager Mary Sabins and town selectmen.
As the meeting ended, they tentatively scheduled future meetings for March 8, primarily to talk with town department heads (Road Foreman Eugene Field, Transfer Station Manager George Hamar, Police Chief Mark Brown, Fire Chief Eric Rowe or a representative, First Responders Chief Dan Mayotte); March 20 with the school board; and March 22 with representatives of three nonprofit organizations asking for town funds.
Likely topics for the March 8 discussion include new vehicles for the public works department and the police chief, a new roof for the Riverside fire station and mileage reimbursement for First Responders.
Sabins said Field is ready to buy a new truck while the one he drives has trade-in value; selectmen prefer to wait a year. The police cruiser raises the same question: replace it now, or wait until next year (and increase the 2018-19 maintenance budget). Firefighters want $25,000 for a metal roof on the Riverside station, including replacing the fairly new shingles on the addition so snow sliding off the metal won’t damage them. Titus said a complication is that the town does not own the building, though he said the fire department might consider turning over ownership. Budget committee member and firefighter Donald Breton said the department’s deed says if the department ceases to exist, the land reverts to the previous owner’s heirs, but he does not know whether any are still alive.
Sabins said the first responders answered more than 300 calls last year. They request $3,500 for mileage reimbursement (not for stipends). Newly-elected budget committee Chairman Rick Denico said he recently witnessed a traffic accident and was pleased at how quickly Vassalboro First Responders and firefighters reached the scene.
Budget committee members will probably not ask to hear from representatives of non-profit organizations and social service agencies that received funds for the current year and submitted written requests for 2018-19. They would like to meet on March 22 with people from 47 Daisies, The Town Line newspaper and the China Region Lakes Alliance.
According to its website, 47 Daisies is a community farm on Webber Pond Road offering naturally grown produce (the web site lists vegetables, berries and mushrooms) and flowers, educational programs and public access to the property. The organization asks for $2,500 in town support, its first request. (ep)
The Town Line has applied for town funds previously, but not for the last few years, so its request for $3,000 is being treated as new. The China Region Lakes Alliance is open for discussion because Sabins and selectmen recommend only one-third of the requested $15,000 and because at least one Vassalboro resident has expressed interest in talking with the budget committee.
Other points from the March 1 meeting:
CHINA — The China Appeals Board will meet on Thursday, March 8, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Office Meeting Room to hear a request to reconsider the decision of the Board of Appeals dated February 20, 2018 on two appeals from Bio Renewable Fuels, Corp. for a property located at China Tax Map 29 Lot 15.
source: http://www.vassalboro.net/
Two major Vassalboro boards meet simultaneously Tuesday evening, March 6.
The Vassalboro School Board has scheduled a public informational meeting on plans to dissolve AOS (Alternative Educational Structure) #92 for 7 p.m. at Vassalboro Community School. The meeting will be preceded by a two-hour supper meeting to discuss 2018-19 budget requests; the budget discussion is also open to the public. A week later, on March 13, Vassalboro, Waterville and Winslow voters will vote on dissolving the AOS. Vassalboro polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the town office.
The Vassalboro Planning Board meets at 7 p.m. March 6 in the town office. Its agenda lists four applications:
The Vassalboro Budget Committee was scheduled to meet March 6, but latest information from the town office is that the meeting has been canceled so budget committee members can attend the school board’s informational session.
The budget committee will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 8, in the town office meeting room, after that evening’s selectmen’s meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. The selectmen’s agenda includes a discussion with planning board members of proposed changes in Vassalboro’s building permit ordinance.