CHINA: More discussions take place on appeals board ordinance

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by Mary Grow

China select board members spent the first hour and a half of their two-hour March 6 special meeting talking about the Board of Appeals Ordinance that they, planning board members, board of appeals members and other residents have been discussing since early January.

The result of their deliberations is a draft revised ordinance that they intend to present to voters at the June 13 town business meeting.

Board member Brent Chesley, whose initial amendments on Jan. 3 started the series of not always amicable public conversations, had divided proposed changes reacting to his proposed changes into three categories: those from town attorney Amanda Meader; those from the China planning board; and two from other sources.

[See related story: Planners vote unanimously to forward new version of appeals board ordinance, following another fight]

Attorney Meader’s recommendations were accepted unanimously and without discussion.

Planning board proposals were uniformly rejected, mostly with select board members Chesley, Blane Casey and chairman Wayne Chadwick opposing them and members Jeanne Marquis and Janet Preston favoring them.

A recommendation from an unnamed resident, supported by China Region Lakes Alliance executive director Scott Pierz, to have any variance that the Board of Appeals approves recorded in the county Registry of Deeds within 90 days was unanimously approved. (A variance is an exception to an ordinance requirement.)

Suggested language from the China Lake Association board of directors, via an email from vice-president Eric Lind, directing the Board of Appeals to make sure an approved variance would not harm nearby water bodies and authorizing the board to add conditions to a variance was rejected. Only Marquis and Preston voted to add it.

Board members asked Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood to have the ordinance in final form for planning board members to consider at their March 14 meeting.

There will be a public hearing on the proposed ordinance before it goes to voters, Chadwick told audience members. And, he said, on the June 13 town meeting warrant it will appear with a recommendation from the select board that voters approve it; he does not object to adding a recommendation from the planning board if that board chooses to make one.

The June 13 town business meeting will be by written ballot, Hapgood said; select board members so voted last fall.

The budget that select board members approved March 6 was slightly amended to incorporate their Feb. 27 decisions (see the March 2 issue of The Town Line, p. 2). It was to be forwarded to the budget committee for consideration at a March 7 meeting.

The next select board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 13.

China planners vote unanimously to forward new version of appeals board ordinance, following another fight

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by Mary Grow

At a March 2 meeting, China Planning Board members unanimously voted to forward their recommended version of the Board of Appeals Ordinance to the select board, scheduled to meet March 6.

The decision was not reached without yet another argument – they started in January – about the relationship between the select board and the planning board, with planning board co-chairman James Wilkens and select board member Brent Chesley squaring off again.

Chesley first proposed amending the ordinance. The rest of the select board endorsed it at a Jan. 3 meeting, leading to the ongoing argument about what town body recommends ordinance changes.

[See related story: More discussions take place on appeals board ordinance]

Voters have the final say. Select board members intend to have an amended Board of Appeals Ordinance (Chapter 9 of the China Land Development Code) on the June town meeting warrant.

Planning board members generally approve Chesley’s suggested procedural changes, but their final draft, as co-chairman Toni Wall explained it March 2, rejects three of his substantive points.

  • The existing and proposed ordinances allow the Board of Appeals to vary some dimensional requirements (setbacks from property lines, for example) within limits. Chesley proposed allowing relaxation of the 20 percent limit on setback variances with written consent from the abutting property-owner; planning board members deleted the provision.
  • The planning board’s draft ordinance includes the existing prohibition on variances that would allow new or enlarged principal structures on lots less than 20,000 square feet in resource protection, stream protection and shoreland zones, a prohibition that Chesley’s draft deletes.
  • The planning board draft includes a list of nine standards for approving a variance that Chesley’s draft removes. The standards say that the Board of Appeals should find that approval would not cause “unsafe or unhealthful conditions,” water pollution or other harmful effects and would protect shoreland vegetation, public access to the water body and other benefits.

Two other proposed additions are a requirement that the landowner register an approved variance at the Kennebec County Registry of Deeds and a paragraph authorizing disability variances.

During the March 2 meeting, resident Scott Pierz recommended town officials register variances and pass the cost on to the landowner, rather than assuming the landowner will do it. Without a record, future title searches are apt to lead to confusion.

The disability variance would be included in a permit issued by the codes officer and would be only for equipment or a structure to make a building accessible for a handicapped resident or frequent user – for example, a handicapped ramp that needs to encroach into a setback area.

The second major topic at the March 2 meeting was China’s comprehensive plan. Wall had excerpted references to planning board responsibilities under the plan.

Board members agreed they should review China’s Phosphorus Control Ordinance (Chapter Four of the Land Development Code), first educating themselves on new water quality information. The town website, china.govoffice.com, dates the ordinance June 5, 1993.

Planners also intend to return to discussion of a solar ordinance to govern future siting of commercial solar developments.

The comprehensive plan calls for an implementation committee to supervise carrying out plan recommendations. Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood said March 3 that the select board created a new implementation committee in July 2022; she is waiting for residents to volunteer to become members.

The next regular China Planning Board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 14.

China select board calls special meeting to address board of appeals ordinance

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Favor 6 percent pay increase for town workers in proposed budget

by Mary Grow

China select board members have scheduled a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 6, in the town office meeting room. They hope it will be a short one; the primary purposes are to finish – temporarily — talking about the Board of Appeals Ordinance and to make remaining preliminary recommendations on the 2023-24 municipal budget.

At the Feb. 27 select board meeting, planning board co-chairmen Toni Wall and James Wilkens said they thought the Board of Appeals Ordinance was in a final draft by Feb. 14, for the planning board to review at its Feb. 28 meeting (see The Town Line, Feb. 23, p. 2).

They learned, however, that after Wall finished and distributed to fellow board members the “final” version, town attorney Amanda Meader reviewed the draft again and more changes, mostly not substantive, were made.

“What copy are we supposed to look at tomorrow night?” Wall asked.

Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood said the latest version was not yet on the website because it had been finished earlier that day. It would be available the morning of Feb. 28, she said.

After 20 minutes’ discussion, there was agreement that planning board members would send Feb. 28 comments to the select board, and select board members would consider them March 6.

Due to the Feb. 28 snowstorm, the planning board discussion was rescheduled to March 2.

Select board members’ major project Feb. 27 was a detailed review of the draft FY 2023-24 town budget.

Hapgood does not yet have final, complete information on either costs or revenues. From preliminary information, she said the municipal budget will not affect the tax rate, but predicted a 2023-24 increase to cover the Kennebec County tax and the school budget.

Select board budget recommendations will be forwarded to the budget committee for review and recommendations. That committee’s recommendations will be reported back to the select board.

The June town business meeting warrant will present the budget articles, with the two committees’ recommendations (whether identical or different), for voters to accept or reject.

Three themes recurred through the Feb. 27 discussion: the labor market is highly competitive; the cost of everything from sunscreen to plow trucks has increased; and when something breaks down, getting parts or repairs is a slow process, if they are available at all. Spokespeople for town organizations added a fourth note: it is increasingly hard to get volunteers, so some work may need to be paid for if it is to continue.

The longest discussion was over town employees’ salaries. Hapgood proposed a 6.7 percent increase across the board, to retain employees in a competitive labor market.

Select board members seconded Hapgood’s praise of China’s employees, but were also concerned about taxpayers. At least one board member initially preferred 5 percent raises.

A vote on 6.7 percent was defeated, with Jeanne Marquis and Janet Preston in favor and Blane Casey, chairman Wayne Chadwick and Brent Chesley opposed.

Toward the end of the meeting board members returned to the topic, after reducing the budget line for the select board by $9,000 and, at Marquis’s suggestion, adding the $9,000 to employees’ salaries. They unanimously approved recommending a 6 percent increase.

Hapgood proposed a new part-time employee, a community program director who would coordinate and assist with activities including the weekly senior gatherings (“That group is having a blast,” she commented as she recommended increasing financial support from $1,000 this year to $1,500 next), outdoor recreation programs, Thurston Park, the school forest and the annual China Days celebration.

She proposed the person be paid $21,000, without benefits, for a 20-hour week. Hours would vary with the season, she explained. After debate, board members recommended $11,500 for an average 10-hour week “to see how it works,” as Preston said.

Hapgood also recommended a new full-time employee to be shared between the transfer station and the public works department; he or she would have a Class C driver’s license and be qualified to drive a plow truck, she said.

Thurston Park Committee chairman Jeanette Smith had submitted a budget request for $7,675, intending to add to it $6,000 left from the current year. In the written request, she warned that she might ask for more if unanticipated “significant expenditures” before June 30 used the $6,000.

She told select board members the Dec. 23 rainstorm did major damage to the park’s entrance road, her request for federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds was rejected and she needs the $6,000 – and could use more – for prompt road repairs.

Select board members recommended $13,675 for Thurston Park for FY 2023-24.

China Region Lakes Alliance (CRLA) executive director Scott Pierz explained the different programs and activities that organization and the China Lake Association (CLA) carry out. He mentioned successes, like the courtesy boat inspection program so far keeping invasive plants out of China Lake.

Pierz asked for $58,500 in town funds, partly because Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds have been reduced.

Select board members discussed the monetary value of the lake – Preston and Marquis emphasized its importance in the town’s tax base, Chadwick said China should become more business-friendly to increase taxes.

After Preston’s motion to recommend $45,000 was defeated with only Marquis and Preston voting for it, Casey’s motion to recommend $35,500 was approved 4-1 with Marquis dissenting.

The rest of the proposed budget brought little or no discussion Feb. 27. There will be further deliberations at budget committee meetings, to be scheduled. These meetings will be publicized and are open to the public.

After the budget discussion, Preston raised another topic for the March 6 select board meeting: should China join the Kennebec Valley Council of Government’s program called Community Resilience Partnerships? There is no additional charge over the KVCOG dues already in the proposed budget ($7,213) and the program offers grants, including for heat pumps, she said.

Thomas Rumpf, budget committee chairman and Four Seasons Club president, thanked select board members for participating in what everyone agreed was a successful China Ice Days Feb. 17 through Feb. 19.

After the March 6 special meeting, China select board members have a regular meeting scheduled for Monday evening, March 13.

Vassalboro Historical Society gets new Bookeye scanner

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The Bookeye scanner recently acquired by the Vassalboro Public Library. (photo courtesy of Janice Clowes)

by Mary Grow

The Vassalboro Historical Society (VHS) has a new tool, and VHS president Jan Clowes is excited about using it and about sharing it.

It’s called a Bookeye scanner, and it takes pictures of documents and transfers them to a computer, from which they can be read, downloaded, printed and otherwise used without risk to the irreplaceable, often-fragile originals.

Clowes and other Historical Society volunteers were scheduled for an on-line training session on the machine March 2. They intend to record the session to use to train others interested, Clowes said.

Meanwhile, she has started scanning, following the instruction manual.

The scanner has three parts. A flattish machine sits on a desk in the VHS office, with a book cradle on its top. The cradle is adjustable to accommodate books and papers of different sizes and to hold them at different angles.

At head height above the cradle is the light that does the scanning. Between the two, a vertical screen shows what is being scanned. The resulting image transfers to the attached computer.

Clowes demonstrated with a hand-written page in a recipe book. She placed the open book in the cradle and pressed a button; a red line shone down to tell her to adjust the book’s position slightly; she did so, pressed the button again and a picture of the page transferred to the computer.

There is also a foot-pedal control, in case the operator needs both hands to keep the document being scanned in position.

Clowes intends to offer use of the scanner to other area organizations, and perhaps to individuals. She and VHS member Dawn Cates happily listed the possibilities – valuable old documents from VHS and other historical societies; Grange, church and other organizations’ records; interesting items from library collections; handwritten store-keepers’ records; school records, including from the former Oak Grove School – “there’s just so much,” Clowes exulted.

“This is a game-changer for getting our information online and safe,” she said.

The Historical Society applied to the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation for funds for a scanner. Clowes said she got a letter from the foundation at the beginning of February, opened it half-expecting a rejection – and found a check for $10,000.

The scanner cost $9,888. The rest of the money, Clowes said, will start a fund to buy a more powerful computer to go with the scanner.

The computer she’s been using is adequate for training. For continued use, Clowes said, the scanner manual recommends “a large, high resolution display and high-speed computer with at least 16 gigabytes of RAM.”

She estimated the computer will cost about $1,200. She and Cates discussed the possibility that if someone donated the entire price, the Historical Society might honor the donor by putting his or her name on the computer.

Clowes’ first project is scanning the multi-volume diary kept by North Vassalboro mill-owner John D. Lang (1799 – 1879). It is part of a collection of Lang-related documents the late Dick Kelly, a VHS member, donated more than 20 years ago.

“We have this wonderful thing that nobody was able to see, and now they’ll be able to,” Clowes said.

CORRECTION: The article headline previously mentioned the Vassalboro library. It should reference the Vassalboro Historical Society. The article headline has been updated.

CHINA: Thurston Park committee talks mostly about money

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Hikers on bridge in Thurston Park (Photo courtesy: Town of China)

by Mary Grow

At a Feb. 16 meeting, five members of China’s Thurston Park Committee talked mostly about money to repair and improve the entrance road and trails and add amenities.

Committee chairman Jeanette Smith reported that China’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Committee had cut the request for $44,000 in 2023-24 for trail work in the park to $25,000 (see the Feb. 16 issue of The Town Line, p. 3) and had asked for a revised application indicating how the money would be spent. The next TIF Committee meeting is scheduled for March 8.

Thurston Park Committee member Steve Nichols protested that getting estimated costs to fix, maintain and improve trails would be impossible with snow on the ground.

As of Feb. 16, Smith was still waiting to hear whether Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) money would be available to repair the entrance road, washed out in the Dec. 23 storm.

People who want to snowshoe, ski or walk can still get into the park, Smith said; but until the washed-out road is fixed, access for work crews is difficult. The Yorktown Road coming from Albion south into the park goes down a steep hill, with parking areas at the top and bottom; the worst washout is at the bottom of the hill.

Smith said with spring work pending, the committee has available a little over $6,000 in the current year’s budget; a little over $32,000 in TIF money, intended for a storage building; and a little over $9,000 in the park reserve fund.

Nichols would like to see spring maintenance work done by Friday, May 26, the beginning of Memorial Day weekend.

Thurston Park is listed on some Maine trail websites. Committee members discussed more ways to publicize it.

Options for long-term funding they mentioned included creating a Friends of Thurston Park fund-raising organization; working with a land trust; or selling memberships or otherwise charging for use of the 400-acre parcel.

Possible future improvements include buying picnic tables and siting them not only in the picnic area, but at stopping places along trails; and installing a canoe rack at the pond, so repeat users would not have to bring their canoes in and out every time.

Another discussion topic was the role of the committee. Smith thinks the group should be advisory, and that town officials should find someone other than committee members to do trail maintenance work, outhouse cleaning, tree trimming and other physical labor.

Smith said she found one other Maine town with a large forested park: Shapleigh, in York County, has Williams Town Park, 300 acres with three miles of trails. (A 2018 description is on line on the mainebyfoot.com website, which also has a 2020 description of Thurston Park: almost 400 acres, 5.2 miles of trails and footpaths.)

The next Thurston Park Committee meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Match 16, in the portable building behind the China town office. New committee members are welcome; those interested can contact the town office or email thurstonpark@outlook.com.

Eldon McLean presented with Boston Post Cane

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Eldon McLean

Eldon McLean, 93, was honored as the oldest resident of North Anson by the presentation of the ceremonial Boston Post Cane by Anson Historical Society, at the Anson Town Office, on February 9, 2023. President Sharon Mellows, Vice President Charlotte Withee, Chairman Ralph Withee and Anson Administrator Tammy Murray and Michell Quint, a member of the society, and Eldon’s wife Laurie, were present.

Eldon was born June 9, 1929, in North Anson, to Kenneth and Alberta McLean. He attended Mark Emery and North Anson Academy. Eldon served in the U.S. Army and served in Korea. He worked at Wings Mill, on construction and later was manager of Sampson’s, in Rockland, and later manager of Hannaford, in Madison. Eldon is a member of the Lions Club and the Lexington Highland Historical Society and past member of the North Anson Grange, Mason’s, and Lexington Highland Snowmobile Club.

Eldon married Laurie Howes and they had three children, Wendy, Larry, and Michael. They have five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Eldon’s mother, Alberta, was presented the Boston Cane in 2001 at the age of 96.

Sen. Pouliot visits with Vassalboro select board

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by Mary Grow

Matt Pouliot

District #15 State Senator Matthew Pouliot visited the Vassalboro select board’s Feb. 16 meeting to speak briefly about legislative issues and to ask what’s important to Vassalboro officials and residents.

He began with the state-wide need for affordable housing and the problem of balancing responses to state issues with local control. The example he gave is the 2022 Maine law allowing auxiliary housing and duplexes on lots zoned for single-family residences.

In response to an earlier email from board member Chris French about the difficulty of finding licensed codes enforcement officers, Pouliot said legislators have no proposals yet, but there is talk of an incentive to Maine community colleges to provide training.

Board members, town manager Aaron Miller and audience members told the senator local issues include upgrading the transfer station (Miller suggested a state infrastructure grant); municipal staffing, as town employees retire or deal with health issues; and ambulance service, as Delta Ambulance joins others in Maine in asking municipalities for an annual payment.

Pouliot said one bill about ambulance service has been introduced.

He added that he has introduced legislation about siting solar farms. The purpose, he said, is to encourage solar development on sites like capped landfills, ledgy areas and PFAS-contaminated land, rather than on good farmland.

Pouliot offered his email address, mpouliot57@gmail.com, and said he welcomes constituents’ emails.

Select board members’ main decision Feb. 16 was to create a new transfer station task force and appoint its seven members: Dan Bradstreet, Amy Davidoff, select board member French, Doug Phillips, Zach Smith, Maggie Stickle and Jim Webb.

Miller and transfer station manager George Hamar will be advisors to the task force. French said the group will examine facility operations and equipment, recycling options, grant opportunities and other relevant topics.

Vassalboro’s trash hauling contract was on the Feb. 16 agenda; the current contract expires in August, select board chairman Barbara Redmond said. Miller had two quotes. Action was postponed to the board’s March 16 meeting; Miller asked Hamar to see if he could get figures from additional haulers.

Also postponed for a month were further discussion of:

  • Changing the town office entrance to make it handicapped-accessible, while Miller gets more information on alternatives;
  • Bids for a generator at the town office, until other budget figures become more definite;
  • Revisions to Vassalboro’s Marijuana Business Ordinance, until Miller and board members make sure it matches state law and consider whether to recommend additional changes; and
  • Revisions to Vassalboro’s No Parking Ordinance, pending consultation with the state Department of Transportation.

Further discussion of the proposed 2023-24 town budget is scheduled for a March 9 meeting.

In other business, selectmen unanimously authorized road foreman Eugene Field to buy a $9,000 bush hog for roadside mowing, with the intention of adding to the 2023-24 budget another $9,000 for the currently-unavailable flail mower Field said does a better job. Field reported he was unable to find a roadside mower to rent this summer.

Select board members have canceled their March 2 meeting, because only one member was available that evening. The March 9 and March 16 meetings are scheduled to start at 6 p.m. in the town office meeting room.

Vassalboro planners approve re-use of country store

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East Vassalboro Country Store

by Mary Grow

At their Feb. 7 meeting, Vassalboro Planning Board members approved reuse of the East Vassalboro Country Store; continued discussion of the proposed solar ordinance; postponed two applications on their agenda because applicants were not present; and rejected an unusual request to pre-approve a new business.

Tim and Heather Dutton applied in January to reopen the store at the East Vassalboro four corners, initially as a pizza and sandwich shop (see the Jan. 12 issue of The Town Line, p. 3). Board members asked for additional information, which they received before the Feb. 7 meeting.

Parking was a major issue. Dutton’s revised plan shows three parallel parking spaces on Main Street (Route 32) in front of the store and head-in parking off Bog Road behind the store.

Board members found the proposal meets all town ordinance criteria and approved it unanimously and without conditions.

They spent almost an hour rediscussing the draft solar ordinance, intended to become a subsection of Vassalboro’s Site Review Ordinance.

Board member Douglas Phillips had reorganized suggestions from earlier discussions and incorporated the town attorney’s comments – “she thought it was pretty good,” he said.

After discussion of the time-line to the June town meeting (the complete warrant must be ready by Thursday, April 27, and the written-ballot voting that will include local elections and a vote on the ordinance is scheduled for Tuesday, June 13), board members scheduled a public hearing on the draft ordinance for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28.

Board chairman Virginia Brackett said the draft will be on the town website as soon as possible.

Several members of the Main Street Maine coalition, the group formed after a commercial solar project was proposed for an area between Route 32 (Main Street) and Outlet Stream north of Duratherm Window Company, asked when board members would heed their concerns.

Board members pointed out they had made several additions to the ordinance that the group had suggested. They will take testimony at the public hearing and can make changes that they consider appropriate after the hearing, Brackett said.

She and Phillips reminded the group that the ordinance, if approved by voters, will govern all future commercial solar developments in town; it is not site-specific. Testimony at the hearing about specific characteristics of the Route 32 area will be irrelevant.

North Vassalboro resident Ray Breton questioned whether requirements, like buffering around a solar array, will be enforced. The solar farm on Route 32 in East Vassalboro is supposed to be screened from the road by trees, he said.

Owner Bernie Welch said he planted trees; “it takes a while for them to grow.”

Main Street Maine members repeated their complaints to select board members at the end of that board’s Feb. 9 meeting. Jessica Murray, an environmental consultant and Vassalboro resident, talked again about wetlands protection, setbacks and other issues in the ordinance. Breton told select board members, “I feel like we’re going nowhere with the planning board.”

Select board chairman Barbara Redmond reminded the group that Vassalboro has no zoning ordinance to limit placement of commercial developments and recommended they bring their concerns to the Feb. 28 public hearing.

Miller offered them copies of the current draft of the ordinance.

The applications planning board members postponed on Feb. 7 were from James Ruby to open an auto inspection and light repair business in his garage; and from SunVest Solar to extend its permit for a solar farm on Webber Pond Road, and, codes officer Bob Geaghan said, to reduce power output.

Board members found that SunVest had received a first six-months’ extension in September 2022, because Central Maine Power Company had not acted on its application to connect to the grid.

Board members were not sure if the moratorium on solar projects Vassalboro voters approved in November 2022 allows them to do anything for SunVest. Phillips and Dan Bradstreet recommended seeking legal advice.

If the board can consider SunVest’s request, Brackett and Paul Mitnik want a written application with more information.

The final request at the Feb. 7 meeting was from a realtor with a client who wants to buy a Route 3 property, if he is guaranteed he can open a fencing company there. He also wants to add a mobile home – there is one on the lot already – with a well and septic system.

Brackett said the board cannot guarantee approval without reviewing an application. She advised the realtor to have his client provide as much detail as possible about his plans for a pre-application conference, which can be on the planning board’s March 7 agenda if the client is ready in time.

Local Town Meetings Schedule for 2023

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Town meetings 2023

ALBION

Municipal Election
Friday, March 17, 2 p.m.
Besse Building
Town meeting
Sat., March 18, 10 a.m.
Albion Elementary School

CHINA

Town meeting (election format)
Tues., June 13
Use Alder Park entrance

FAIRFIELD

Mon., May 8
Fairfield Community Center

PALERMO

Town meeting Fri., March 11, 9:00 a.m.
Palermo Consolidated School

VASSALBORO

Town meeting
Mon., June 5, 6:30 p.m.
Elections
Tues., June 13
Vassalboro Community School

WINDSOR

Municipal Election
Tues., June 13, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Town meeting
Wed., June 14, 6:30 p.m.
Windsor School gym

*   *   *

To be included in this list, visit our Contact Us page or send an email to The Town Line at townline@townline.org.

Vassalboro school board discusses various topics

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Vassalboro Community School (contributed photo)

by Mary Grow

Vassalboro school board members discussed various topics at their Feb. 14 meeting, excluding the 2023-24 budget. The budget will be the topic of a Tuesday, March 7, workshop, set to begin at 5:30 p.m. instead of the usual 6 p.m. at Vassalboro Community School (VCS).

Principal Ira Michaud reported on both ends of the student enrollment. Eighth-graders made their annual visits to high schools they might attend – Erskine Academy in South China, Waterville and Winslow high schools – and are excited about their prospects. Screening for next year’s kindergarten and pre-kindergarten classes is scheduled for May 3 through 5.

Michaud commented that since Feb. 14 was celebrated both as Valentine’s Day and as the 100th day of school this year, “to say the energy was boiling over is an understatement.”

On another in-school note, Superintendent Alan Pfeiffer reported that “Our lost and found is robust.” If students or parents do not claim their missing items by March 31, they will be donated to charity; board chairman Jolene Gamage recommended sending them to the Olde Mill, in North Vassalboro.

Pfeiffer said the school received a $10,000 gift willed by the late Mary Vannah, of Vassalboro. He recommended a committee be set up to recommend use of the money.

The overall budget remains in good shape, finance director Paula Pooler reported, and the school meals program, which ran in the red for several years, has a surplus of over $60,000 so far this school year.

During the extremely cold spell Feb. 3 and 4, water pipes froze and burst in three places, Pfeiffer said. Flooding was confined to the kitchen, where drains got rid of the water. After an immediate repair, more work was to be done over the February vacation week (Feb. 20 – 24), with the goal of preventing a recurrence.

Assistant principal Tabitha Brewer shared information on truancy and absenteeism. Attendance has not recovered fully from the covid-caused turmoil, but is improving, she said; school staff work with families to get students back to classes.

Pfeiffer and Michaud both praised the VCS Parent-Teacher Organization.

A VCS parent asked about the school’s Gifted and Talented Program. Pfeiffer recommended she talk with Brewer and curriculum coordinator Carol Kiesman.

Board members accepted the resignation of kitchen manager Mary Dumont. She and art teacher Susan Briggs are retiring at the end of the school year; Pfeiffer said both positions will be advertised soon.

Pfeiffer expects to need to schedule another budget-focused meeting after the March 7 one. The next regular Vassalboro school board meeting will be the evening of March 21.