Maine Gov. Mills attends alewife restoration ribbon cutting

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Maine Gov. Janet Mills, left, with Vassalboro resident Ray Breton. (photo by Mary Sabins)

by Eric W. Austin

It was drizzling lightly on Thursday, May 19, at the Box Mill Dam, in Vassalboro, as a good-sized crowd gathered behind the Olde Mill Place to witness a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of the Alewife Restoration Initiative’s project to bring migratory fish back to China Lake.

Over the course of two centuries, numerous dams were constructed along Outlet Stream to power a growing paper and textile industry in central Maine. Although built to generate power, those dams had the unintended effect of blocking migratory fish passage into and out of China Lake, principally river herring, also known as alewives. This had a significant impact on the local ecology throughout the watershed. As the years passed and companies moved operations from hydro to electric power, these dams were abandoned, but their environmental impact remained.

The Alewife Restoration Initiative was a cooperative effort formed to solve this problem, involving the towns of China, Vassalboro and Benton, local organizations like the China Lake Association, China Region Lakes Alliance, and the Sabasticook Regional Land Trust, with support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Maine Department of Marine Resources. It was led by the Yarmouth-based nonprofit Maine Rivers.

The project has worked the past seven years to remove dams or install fishways at six locations along Outlet Stream. Lombard, Masse and Morneau dams were dismantled, while fishways were installed at the head of Outlet Stream (behind the Vassalboro Historical Society) and at Ladd and Box Mill dams. It was one of the most ambitious projects of its kind in New England.

Speakers at the event included Landis Hudson, Maine Rivers Executive Director; Mary Sabins, Vassalboro Town Manager; Rick Jacobson, the Assistant Regional Director for Fish and Aquatic Conservation in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Northeast Region; Patrick Keliher, Commissioner with the Department of Marine Resources; and Governor Janet Mills, who also performed the titular ribbon cutting.

A special emphasis during the speeches was placed on the efforts of the many organizations and individuals who contributed to the project, including, aside from those already mentioned, local land owners who worked closely with the ARI team, especially the Cates family, owners of the property adjacent to the head of Outlet Stream, and Ray Breton, owner of the Olde Mill Place where Box Mill Dam is located. Nate Gray, a Vassalboro resident and scientist for the Maine Department of Marine Resources, and Matt Streeter, project manager for Maine Rivers, were among those also singled out for their essential contributions to the project.

The new fish ladder at the Box Dam that will allow alewives to migrate naturally toward China Lake. (photo by Eric W. Austin)

Ahead of the event, I caught up with Landis Hudson, Maine Rivers’ Executive Director, who said the next few weeks will be the best time to come and watch the alewife runs. The fishways at the Box Mill and Ladd dams were specifically designed for visitors to observe the migratory fish passage. Box Mill Dam, in particular, is a popular spot with a small park for local residents to visit and enjoy the ambiance.

Nate Gray told me they have counted around 500,000 fish that have passed up the fishway at the head of Outlet Stream so far this season. He expects China Lake will support a population of about one million alewives each year.

“I’m just here to cut a ribbon,” said Governor Mills, closing out the ceremony. “I know these fish have been waiting 200 years to get up to China Lake and we’re not going to delay them any further. A million alewives: welcome home!”

[See also: After 200 years, alewives set to return to China Lake]

China planners take solar field trip: pleased with results

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by Mary Grow

CHINA, ME — Three China Planning Board members took a field trip to Three Level Farm community solar farm on Route 32 (Vassalboro Road) before their May 24 meeting, and were pleased with what they saw.

The visit was part of board members’ preparation to write a solar ordinance to submit to China voters in November. The solar farm was approved several years ago, under the current land use ordinance; provisions intended for buildings were adapted to regulate solar panels.

“This one sets the standard,” board member Walter Bennett said of Three Level Farm. He and others agreed a new solar-specific ordinance should include as requirements many of the things done at the South China site.

Specifically, they liked:

  • The limited impact on the natural environment. Only a few trees were cut; an existing wetland and drainage into it seem not to have been affected; minimal changes were made to the terrain.
  • The fact that the solar panels are almost invisible from the road. Board members pointed out that not all sites would be naturally screened, suggesting the need for a screening requirement.
  • The footings for the panels, three-inch diameter augurs that should be easy to remove when the solar farm is decommissioned.
  • The elevated panels – Codes Officer Jaime Hanson estimated the lower edges are about four feet from the ground and the top edges 10 feet – and the generous spacing, allowing a luxuriant growth of grass and clover.

With the minimal disruption to the site, it should return to its natural state soon after the facility is decommissioned, Bennett said.

Natale Tripodi said he had had reservation about solar farms, but after the visit is more enthusiastic.

The only concern discussed was how to allow wildlife into a fenced-off solar farm without also letting people in. Fencing and signage are essential, board members agreed, both to inform people that the area is private property and to avoid possible injury to trespassers.

The May 24 agenda called for discussion of the draft solar ordinance and proposed amendments to the Land Use Ordinance, the latter mostly to incorporate changes required by the state Department of Environmental Protection. With only three members present, acting board chairman James Wilkens postponed both topics.

Hanson said state officials are reviewing currently protected areas along lakes, streams and wetlands. Residents who question whether their property near any protected area is correctly zoned are invited to contact him; he will request a state review.

Wilkens thanked Hanson and Planning Board Secretary Dawn Kilgore for their work. He told Kilgore her diligence is appreciated (board members almost never suggest even a minor change in her detailed meeting minutes). And he told Hanson that he appears to have gained residents’ respect and to be managing codes enforcement smoothly.

Two days after the meeting, Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood reported that Hanson is resigning to accept a position with Kennebec County. China is advertising for a new codes officer.

Because the next regular planning board meeting would have fallen on Election Day, June 14, members agreed they will skip it and meet Tuesday evening, June 28, unless a special meeting is needed earlier.

VASSALBORO: Two reserve accounts have lost money in market

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by Mary Grow

VASSALBORO, ME — Vassalboro select board members discussed two main topics at a short May 26 meeting: plans to offer amendments to warrant articles at the June 6 town meeting, and two proposals from resident Amy Davidoff.

Town Manager Mary Sabins explained that because of the national economic downturn, two of Vassalboro’s reserve accounts have lost money. The town meeting warrant asks voters to appropriate a specified sum from each, and that sum might not be there on June 6 or later when the money is needed.

The first problem is with Art. 4, which lists anticipated revenue from sources other than taxation that would help fund the 2022-23 budget. Of the total of more than $2 million, the article proposes using $71,991 from the fire truck reserve, to make a lease payment due in July, and $200,000 from surplus (the town’s unassigned fund balance).

Sabins said the fire truck reserve fund has $70,954.90 in it. On the recommendation of the town’s investment advisor, it has been moved from investment to savings so it won’t lose any more.

The manager recommended taking another $1,036.10 from surplus (for a total of $201,036.10) to make up the difference. Select board members agreed, and plan to offer an amendment to Art. 4 at the meeting.

The other article that will likely need amending, for a similar reason, is Art. 11, which calls for $125,000 from the plow truck reserve to help buy a new plow truck. Again, select board members approved Sabins’ recommended amendment, which would add a note authorizing use of surplus funds if needed (see also the article on the Vassalboro town meeting in this issue of The Town Line).

Davidoff’s first request concerned broadband service. She wants Vassalboro officials to join representatives of other Kennebec County towns in asking county commissioners to “facilitate” a county-wide assessment of broadband needs. Determining how many residents are underserved or completely unserved on a county-wide basis, instead of town by town, might make it easier to take advantage of federal funds for expanded service, she said.

Davidoff assured the board signing a letter of request would not create any financial obligation for the town. Select board members voted unanimously to approve Vassalboro’s endorsing the request.

Davidoff’s second proposal was that select board members approve creation of a Solid Waste Sustainability Committee whose members would offer them advice on solid waste issues. This committee, too, she presented as something that might increase Vassalboro’s eligibility for federal solid waste management funds, by providing information and looking into grants and application requirements.

Transfer Station Manager George Hamar has been involved in discussion of the proposed committee, Davidoff said. Select board members postponed a decision until they, too, talk with Hamar.

In other business May 26, select board members, by unanimous decisions:

  • Approved a marijuana business permit for Hayden Poupis, at 63 Old Meadow Road, as recommended by codes officer Ryan Page.
  • Adopted the updated Kennebec County Hazard Mitigation Plan (as their compeers in China did on May 23; see The Town Line, May 26, p. 2). Theodore Marshall, of the Kennebec County Emergency Management Agency, told board members the only listed hazard in Vassalboro is an area on Cook Hill Road with a potential for wash-outs.
  • Set their summer meeting schedule, subject to amendment if needed, as follows: regular meetings Thursday evenings June 9, June 23, July 14 and Aug. 11. They further agreed to skip a meeting that would have fallen on Sept. 1, leaving their September meetings on the 15 and the 29.

Vassalboro residents prepare for June 6 town meeting

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by Mary Grow

VASSALBORO, ME — Vassalboro voters who assemble in person at 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 6, at Vassalboro Community School will decide on the 2022-23 town budget and numerous other issues, including whether to establish a new fund, whether to let select board members buy a new town truck and whether to amend the town’s Marijuana Business Ordinance.

The part of the annual town meeting warrant to be decided June 6 consists of 39 articles. The final 15 of the 39 are the proposed 2022-23 school budget.

The meeting will continue by written ballot on June 14, with polls open at the town office from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Town issues to be decided June 14 are local elections and ratification or rejection of the school budget approved at the open meeting.

State primary elections are also on June 14.

The first action June 6 is election of a moderator to run the meeting. Town Manager Mary Sabins said veteran moderator Richard Thompson has agreed to serve, if he is elected.

The second article asks voters to elect five budget committee members for two-year terms. Current members whose terms end this year are Richard Bradstreet, Rick Denico, Jr., Douglas Phillips, Michael Poulin and Frank Richards.

Most proposed municipal expenditures are in Art. 5, with a total of $2,582,004 for 14 accounts. The three largest are $593,925 for public works; $577,835 for administration; and $558,290 for road paving.

Select board and budget committee members both recommend these expenditures. In spring meetings, the two groups discussed how much road paving Vassalboro can afford at current prices and how generous salary increases for town employees should be.

Select board members are considering adopting a salary scale for town employees, based on information collected by consultant Laurie Bouchard, of Jefferson. They postponed a decision until after voter action on the budget and election of a new board member.

The library budget got more attention than usual at select board and budget committee meetings. Library supporters ask for $60,500 next year, up from $35,000 in the current year, to continue the town’s contribution to salaries and to provide more community programs.

Three more expenditure requests are in Art. 6: $156,000 to add to the capital improvement reserve, $106,000 for roadside mowing equipment and $20,000 for streamside park development. Officials discussed the latter two repeatedly.

The “roadside mowing equipment” started as Road Foreman Gene Field’s request for a specific piece of equipment and was rewritten to cover more options; at that, budget committee members endorsed it by a one-vote margin, five in favor and four opposed. Alternatives discussed by select board and budget committee members included leasing equipment, a method Field said would be more expensive.

The streamside park is proposed for the town-acquired lot between Route 32 and Outlet Stream, a short distance north of East Vassalboro. Eventual plans include a parking area, picnic tables and probably a pavilion or other shelter, enough to open the land for nature-watching, picnicking and fishing.

Art. 7 asks if voters want to establish a “Property Cleanup Fund,” using $25,000 in tax money plus a $40,000 grant from the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. The cleanup fund would be used for two purposes: removal of “vacant, dangerous or abandoned” buildings, after appropriate legal procedures; and removal of “junk, waste, unregistered vehicles or similar offending materials” from an unlicensed junkyard or a property deemed to violate “public health or nuisance laws,” again with appropriate legal safeguards.

The immediate target is the former church on Priest Hill Road, in North Vassalboro, which has been declared a dangerous building. State law says the property-owner is to pay for demolition, but Chad Caron has told select board members he does not expect to be able to reimburse the town.

The request to buy a new town truck is in Art. 11. Select board members ask authorization to spend not more than $288,000 for a “new truck, plow and sander,” and to sell or trade the town’s 2009 Volvo truck. They expected to use $125,000 from the truck reserve fund and $108,000 carried forward from the current fiscal year, and are asking for a 2022-23 appropriation from taxes of $55,000.

Field would prefer to keep the old truck as a spare, in case two newer trucks break down simultaneously, as happened this past winter.

At the May 26 select board meeting, Sabins said the truck reserve fund is currently below $125,000, due to the national economy. Board members agreed that if the fund is not adequate by June 6, they will offer an amendment to the article that, if accepted, would allow use of surplus money (from the town’s unallocated fund balance) to make up the difference.

The proposed amendment would leave the total to be spent on the truck at $288,000. It would only change the source of the money, if a change were needed (see also the article on the Vassalboro select board meeting in this issue of The Town Line).

The proposed amendments to the Marijuana Business Ordinance, in Arts. 12 and 13, clarify licensing requirements and amend the definition of a cultivation facility.

Articles that will be familiar to regular voters deal with tax due dates (four are proposed, as usual); harvesting alewives; the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) program; and a request for a $15,000 contingency fund select board members can use for emergencies and unanticipated expenses.

The total school budget request for 2022-23 is $8,722,176.29. Two parts of the total come from town taxpayers: $2,410,095 as the required matching money for the state’s Essential Programs and Services grant, plus $1,313,915 in additional local funds. A note in the warrant says the school board recommends the additional town money to contribute to costs for “special education, salaries and benefits, and tuition.”

The budget recommended by the select board and the budget committee is expected to cause no change in the local property tax rate. The 2021-22 rate of 14.48 mils ($14.48 for each $1,000 of valuation) should remain in 2022-23, barring major economic changes.

In June 14 local and state elections, there are no contests on any ballot, although there is a line for a write-in candidate for each office.

On the town ballot, Frederick L. Denico II is unopposed for a three-year term on the select board, succeeding Robert Browne, who is not running for re-election. Frederick L. Denico II is the same man as budget committee member Rick Denico, Jr., in Art. 2.

For two three-year terms on the school board, Jessica Clark is unopposed for re-election and Amy M. French is unopposed for the vacant seat left by Kevin Levasseur’s retirement.

Party primary ballots list, for local Democratic candidates, Storme Jude St. Valle, of Augusta, for District #15 state senator and Amy J. Davidoff, of Vassalboro, for District #61 state representative. For Republicans, District #15 State Senator Matthew Gary Pouliot, of Augusta, and District #61 State Representative Richard Bradstreet, of Vassalboro, are unopposed for re-election.

The municipal ballot asking if voters want to endorse the school budget includes a second question, identified as a non-binding straw poll intended to offer guidance to select board members. It asks if voters want town officials to write a solar ordinance “that would regulate where and how many solar arrays could be constructed in town, and also provide rules about decommissioning the arrays after their useful life.”

The final version of such an ordinance would become effective only with voter approval.

The annual Vassalboro town report for the year ending June 30, 2021, is now available. Printed copies are at the town office; the report is also on line.

On-line access to the town report, the town meeting warrant and all the separate ballots and Sabins’ budget summary is found in the center column on the website, Vassalboro.net, under the heading TOWN MEETING INFO.

Bradstreet announces re-election bid

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Rep. Dick Bradstreet

Representative Dick Bradstreet is announcing that he is seeking re-election to the Maine House of Representatives. He has served three terms representing the people of House District #80, which includes the towns of Windsor, Somerville, the Unorganized Township of Hibberts Gore, part of Augusta and his home town of Vassalboro. Due to re-districting, the seat he is seeking is now District #61, which will include Vassalboro and most of Sidney.

Representative Bradstreet has previously served on the Judiciary Committee and for the past two terms has served as the Republican lead on the Labor & Housing Committee. He lives in Vassalboro with his wife JoAnne. They have three adult children and seven grandchildren, all of whom currently reside in Maine. Representative Bradstreet also serves on the Town of Vassalboro Budget Committee.

 

 

 

 

Vassalboro school board chairman stepping down

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Vassalboro Community School (contributed photo)

by Mary Grow

VASSALBORO, ME — The May 17 Vassalboro School Board meeting was Chairman Kevin Levasseur’s last, after 21 years on the board, and was marked by expressions of appreciation on both sides.

Superintendent Alan Pfeiffer and board members thanked Levasseur for his service, and Pfeiffer assured those present that, “I still know where he is” in case his experience is needed.

Levasseur thanked all those he’s worked with over the years, especially the present board members. “You’ve come through the worst two years we’ve ever had with flying colors,” he told them.

At Vassalboro’s June 14 local election, school board member Jessica Clark is unopposed for re-election and Amy French is unopposed to fill the vacancy on the board. One agenda item at the first post-election meeting, scheduled for Tuesday evening, June 21, will be election of a new board chairman.

Counselor Meg Swanson is also resigning. In an April 24 letter posted on the school website, vcsvikings.org, Pfeiffer said Swanson will move to the state Department of Health and Human Services and oversee a special program on school readiness.

Pfeiffer told board members at the May 17 meeting that the process of seeking new administrators and staff members to replace those resigning or retiring is going well. He is pleased that five new substitute teachers have qualified and been hired since the April board meeting, making it easier to maintain in-school classes despite staff illnesses.

Board members unanimously approved two new staff members, Ashley Smith as a custodian and Megan Sutherburg as school nurse.

Curriculum Director Carol Kiesman said Vassalboro Community School (VCS) has received a grant for a four-week summer school program. It is currently scheduled to start the last week in June; classes will be three days a week, with transportation provided and a field trip at the end.

The program will focus on reading and mathematics. Student enrollment is by teacher recommendation or parental request.

Finance Director Paula Pooler said it appears that both the overall school program and the school meals program will be within budget when the fiscal year ends June 30. Pfeiffer anticipates no unusual building and grounds maintenance issues over the summer. School grounds have been treated for ticks, he reported.

For the June 21 meeting, Pfeiffer has invited the executive director of the Maine School Management Association to discuss responsibilities of superintendents and school board members.

CHINA: Committee will not recommend new storage building

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by Mary Grow

CHINA, ME — China Transfer Station Committee members decided at their May 17 meeting they will not recommend a new building to shelter the second compactor just north of the main trash hopper, because cost estimates are too high.

Instead, they plan to investigate a cover to protect the controls and container contents from rain and snow, both to extend their useful lives and to avoid paying to truck away water as well as trash for disposal.

Committee Chairman Lawrence Sikora said he had an estimate of $238,000 for a 20-by-20-foot metal building – to protect an $80,000 piece of equipment. Such an expenditure would make sense only if the building were multi-purpose, in Sikora’s opinion, and neither he nor others present suggested other uses.

Sikora asked committee member Mark Davis to see about prices for waterproof tarps from an Augusta source. Director of Public Services Shawn Reed commented that town truck bodies have canvas covers; the only problem is that they’re hard to roll up when covered with snow.

Committee members again agreed to recommend that select board members buy a new loader as soon as possible. They took no vote because, Sikora pointed out, they already made a formal recommendation at their April 12 meeting (see The Town Line, April 21, p. 3).

Reed said the prices he had as of March 1 have already gone up, one by $14,000, another by $20,000.

Reed strongly recommended the new machine have a quick-connect bucket that can be removed and replaced with a 12-foot “pusher” to remove snow. That addition would have cost $10,000 and is now $11,790, he said; but the overtime money it will save over the life of the machine – which could be 25 years — makes it still worthwhile.

Another pending improvement at the transfer station is a cement pad on which to store appliances, tires and other items awaiting disposal. Reed, referring to a map of the transfer station on page 60 of the newly-printed China town report (for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2021), pointed out the shortage of unoccupied space. He intends to talk with Codes Officer Jaime Hanson about setbacks from boundaries and other regulatory issues before suggesting a site.

Robert Kurek, one of Palermo’s representatives, shared information compiled from RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags by his colleague, Chris Diesch. The pages show how often a given tag was recorded, without giving any information about the person to whom it was issued.

Committee members have previously discussed making fuller use of information the RFID system can provide. They have also considered scrapping it and returning to stickers on vehicles; and installing a “guard station” at the entrance.

Site Manager Tim Grotton said if there were a manned entrance, some type of placard or sticker would still be needed, unless newcomers were expected to produce a driver’s license to get in. Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood would like an annual renewal requirement for RFID placards, if they continued to be used.

Committee members again reached no conclusions.

The committee’s next regular meeting date would be June 14; since that is voting day, the committee will not meet June 14. Sikora announced his pending resignation from the committee, due to time constraints, and suggested others should choose a meeting day.

China select board moves to purchase new loader

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by Mary Grow

CHINA, ME — After a long discussion at their May 23 meeting, China Select Board members unanimously voted to buy a new Volvo loader from Chadwick-BaRoss, Inc., of Westbrook.

Director of Public Services Shawn Reed urged them to make an immediate decision. Prices are rising weekly, he said; if board members put off action until their June 6 meeting, he would need to ask for new bids.

The proposed price, $154,300, was the lowest of five bids received, and the Volvo was one of two loaders Reed recommended. Select board members authorized Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood to negotiate for a lower price.

Hapgood said the balance in the equipment reserve fund is just under $370,000.

The bids included, separately, prices for a snow pusher and a grapple. These auxiliary pieces can be attached to the loader in place of the bucket. Reed recommended buying the attachments, eventually: the snow pusher, he said, would save time cleaning up after storms, and the grapple would make piling brush more efficient.

Select board members expect Reed to continue investigating the attachments, for example evaluating new versus used (if available), and seeing if he can obtain one or both, with connecting links compatible with the Volvo, at a lower price from another dealer.

Board members discussed several options before their decision, including keeping the town’s 25-year-old loader a few more years, or leasing instead of buying a new machine.

Hapgood had asked board member Wayne Chadwick, who is familiar with heavy machinery, to try the loader. His comment: “It’s startin’ to show its age, more so than I thought it was before I drove it.”

William Terry, a representative of one of the unsuccessful bidders, warned of expensive repairs and extensive down time if China tried to keep so old a machine operating. Local resident Brent Chesley, another man with expertise, said leasing a loader would cost taxpayers more than buying one.

The other unanimous decision made May 23 was to adopt a resolution approving the Kennebec County Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Kennebec County Emergency Management Agency Director Sean Goodwin explained that the document is updated every five years, based on information towns supply. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has already approved the current draft, he said; municipal approvals are the final step.

Goodwin said the major advantage of adopting the plan is that it speeds relief funding in case there is a disaster in town. Towns are not required to deal with every listed risk, like a culvert that is likely to wash out; local officials are free to act according to their priorities and budgets.

The plan, dated 2021, is on the Town of China website, china.govoffice.com, the final item under the Emergencies tab at the left-hand side of the home page.

Sections of the document cover four types of potential hazards: floods, severe winter storms, wildfires and severe summer storms. The plan provides historical information and evaluates risks for each town.

For example, in China there are no areas known to be at risk for wildfires. Albion, Belgrade, Benton and Chelsea are among towns in which wooded areas, especially those with houses among the trees, are considered at risk. Clinton, Monmouth, Oakland and Readfield officials consider areas along railroad tracks as at risk.

Hapgood reminded those present that the town office will be closed Saturday, May 28, and Monday, May 30, for the Memorial Day holiday. The town office will also be closed Tuesday, June 14, because staff will be at polls in the portable building, and Monday, June 20, for the new Juneteenth federal holiday.

Absentee ballots for local, Regional School Unit 18 and state voting are now available, and the ballot return box is outside the town office building.

Windsor select board OKs purchase of new tanker truck

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by The Town Line staff

WINDSOR, ME — At their April 12 meeting, the Windsor Select Board unanimously gave the go ahead for Town Manager Theresa Haskell to sign the contract with Greenwood Emergency Vehicles LLC for the purchase of the new E-One/Freightliner Tanker for the Windsor Volunteer Fire Department.

In other business, Road Supervisor Keith Hall informed the select board that the public works department is preparing to begin shoulder repair on town roads. They will be fixing the culvert on Coopers Mills Road and do some ditching on Legion Park Road. Hall will also be contacting the state Department of Transportation about repairs on the end of the Crosby Road, since it is a state road.

Public works also reported the posted road signs have been removed.

Haskell reported the transfer station numbers for the month. Revenues are down $278.80 from the same time last year, and up $863.84 for this time in April of last year for a monthly total of $5,961.70.

The select board approved a blood drive be scheduled by KVCAP this spring.

The town received a proclamation from the Maine State Senate congratulating the members of the Veterans Memorial Monument Committee on being honored with a 2021 Spirit of America Foundation Award.

The select board went into executive session for approximately 23 minutes to discuss personnel matters.

The next meeting was scheduled for April 26.

CHINA: Road paving plan to use chip seal process

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by Mary Grow

CHINA, ME — China Director of Public Services Shawn Reed has consensus support from the town Road Committee for his paving plans for this summer, which involve extensive use of chip seal rather than asphalt resurfacing (see The Town Line, May 12, p. 2).

Reed and Doug Fowler, representing All States Construction, of Richmond, the company to which select board members awarded the paving bid on May 9, explained the process to the committee

A road is first shimmed, given a coat that evens its surface. Fowler said sometimes as much as four inches of shim are needed where years of traffic have created ruts in the pavement. The shim coat cures for 30 days; then chip seal, an emulsion with hard rock embedded, is applied.

After a few days the road is swept to move any loose rock into the ditches. Fowler said All States will do the sweeping, twice if necessary.

China’s South Road is chip sealed, and Reed is pleased with the way it is holding up so far. He and Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood said they received two types of comments after the road was done.

Because the shim surface was so smooth, drivers questioned why the road was surfaced again after a month, Reed said. Hapgood added that until the loose rocks were gone, motorcyclists complained.

Reed plans this year to resurface all or parts of McCaslin Road, Dutton Road, Danforth Road, Pleasant View Ridge Road, Morrill Road (to the Winslow town line) Causeway Street, Canton Street, Peking Street and Neck Road.

He recommends asphalt resurfacing only on Peking, Canton and Causeway streets. Because Pleasant View Ridge Road is heavily traveled, he is considering a double coat of chip seal on the part scheduled, which runs east and then south from Lakeview Drive about to McCaslin Road.

Chip seal is less expensive than asphalt, so at present prices the planned work can be done within the proposed 2022-23 paving budget of $560,000. However, Reed and Fowler said, prices are rising weekly, and China’s contract with All States has an escalator clause allowing the company to raise its prices as its costs go up.

The paving budget includes road striping, and Reed commented that the price.