China Broadband Committee (CBC) continues talks with Unitel

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by Mary Grow

China Broadband Committee (CBC) members met again with representatives of Unity-based Unitel to talk about a cooperative project expanding broadband service to China residents who currently have no service or inadequate (by 2022 standards) service.

The focus was on expanding service to homes that are currently underserved (have slow internet speed, unreliable service or other issues) or unserved (have no broadband access at all). This extension of a fiber network might be the first phase or phases of a multi-year town-wide upgrade.

Joining the discussion with CBC members at a June 15 meeting were Unitel representatives Michael Akers, Director of Network Operations, and Jayne Sullivan, Director of Internal/External Support; and consultant John Dougherty, Vice President and General Manager at Bangor-based Mission Broadband.

Unitel is now part of Direct Communications, a company based in Rockland, Idaho, that supports broadband service in rural areas.

To develop the planned China project into a proposal to present to town officials and residents, group members agreed they will need two things: specific locations of underserved and unserved areas to be upgraded, and money.

They had a colorful map of China identified as a Connect Maine Map, with a web address: https://maps.sewall.com/connectme/public/. The website has a lengthy note that says, among other things, that most of the map information was reported by internet service providers and that most of it dates from September 2019, with some updates to September 2021.

CBC members Tod Detre, Janet Preston and Jamie Pitney all said the map showed full service in areas they knew to be at best underserved.

In a follow-up email, Detre questioned whether Yorktown Road, which runs through Thurston Park, really has full service, as the map shows. Thurston Park Committee Chairman Jeanette Smith replied that there are no utility poles or lines anywhere in the park, and therefore no internet service.

“The map is the gospel” for funding, Sullivan said, so it needs to be accurate. Akers thinks it is up to a local group – like the CBC – to provide correct information.

Akers presented a preliminary cost estimate of around $1.2 million to provide service to the areas mapped as unserved or underserved. The group agreed that up to half the money might come from Connect Maine grants specifically designated to provide new or improved service to unserved and underserved areas.

Dougherty and Akers talked about Unitel and Direct Communications providing perhaps as much as $300,000. These very tentative estimates would leave the Town of China with about another $300,000 to pay, which Pitney suggested might come from the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) fund. The TIF document currently in effect appropriates $30,000 a year for broadband for 10 years.

Another possibility, committee chairman Robert O’Connor said, is to allocate the next installment of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to broadband expansion.

Akers’ plan includes a new service building in South China near the junction of Routes 32 and 202. The building would be about 15-by-15-feet, or smaller, he said, and would house electronic equipment. If plans come to fruition, CBC members may well be looking for a building or a lot to lease or buy.

O’Connor made a short presentation to China select board members at their June 21 meeting. On June 15 CBC members tentatively scheduled their next meeting for 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 6; on June 21, O’Connor tentatively rescheduled it to 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 5, before that evening’s select board meeting.

Help by doing speed check

China residents who want to help update the Connect Maine map, or only to find out how good their internet service is, are invited to do speed tests. The link to do them, provided by Jayne Sullivan of Unitel, is https://www.mainebroadbandcoalition.org/. To complete the test successfully, residents must carefully check even what seem like unnecessary boxes, like the one that says “check address.”

Transfer station committee shares updates

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by Mary Grow

China’s Transfer Station Committee members held a short June 17 meeting to share updates on various projects, with acting committee chairman Mark Davis (former chairman Lawrence Sikora has resigned from the committee) presiding virtually.

One job is done, Palermo representative Robert Kurek reported. He and China Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood updated the contract between the two towns that lets Palermo residents use China’s transfer station; China select board members approved it; two of Palermo’s three select board members did the same, and he expects the third, who was absent from the meeting, to have no objections (see The Town Line, June 16, p. 3).

A second project, making more use of information obtained from the Radio Frequency ID (RFID) tags issued to transfer station users, is about to get a boost, Director of Public Services Shawn Reed said. Former town employee and committee member Ashley Farrington plans to see what can be done to make the tags more useful.

Palermo member Chris Diesch, who has compiled information from RFID records, plans to share her results with Farrington. Committee members again emphasized that RFID data do not identify individual users.

Reed said he is making progress toward buying the new Volvo loader that select board members authorized. He has a locked-in price – higher than when the select board acted – and might get the machine this fall.

The loader will come with a bucket. Reed said he is looking for reasonable deals on two other attachments discussed with select board members, a snow pusher and a grapple, the latter to help pile brush, metal and similar materials. Kurek endorsed investing in a grapple – very useful, he said.

Reed reported no progress on siting a new concrete storage pad; codes officer Jaime Hanson resigned before he finished advising on possible locations. Davis reported no progress on finding a cover for the second compactor.

Prices for recyclables remain low, Reed said. China’s transfer station currently accepts number two plastic, clear and colored; cardboard; and magazines and newspapers.

Committee members do not plan to meet again until September, with the date to be determined.

Voters pass all articles but one at ballot business meeting

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by Mary Grow

As reported last week (see the June 16 issue of The Town Line, p. 12), China voters at their June 14 written-ballot annual town business meeting approved all but one of the articles presented by their select board.

The rejected article would have imposed a temporary moratorium on new commercial solar development. Proponents wanted to give planning board members time to develop and present a new ordinance to regulate such developments.

Opponents, whose arguments proved more convincing, did not want to prevent China landowners from taking advantage of potential offers to sell or lease their property for solar arrays. The vote, as reported by Town Clerk Angela Nelson, was 283 in favor to 368 opposed.

Many articles dealt with appropriations for the 2022-23 fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2022. The most popular appropriation coming at least partly from local taxes was $166,755 for China’s three volunteer fire departments and China Rescue. Funding was approved by 614 voters; 52 voted no.

Least popular was the request to raise and appropriate $872,895 for administration (mostly town office and related services) plus $25,000 for accrued compensation (to pay money owed to a town employee who retires or resigns). That expenditure was supported by 437 voters; 243 voters opposed it.

Voters were presented with six proposed expenditures from federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. All were approved, by widely varying margins.

Most popular was the request to use up to $20,000 for new emergency generators in the old town hall and the current town office, approved by 551 voters with 117 opposed.

The article asking for up to $38,000 to put emergency 911 signs on every house was almost as well received: 497 voters liked it, 170 voted against it.

Two proposals to benefit people directly also won by generous margins. A request for up to $5,000 for senior events and activities was approved, 540 votes to 132 votes.

A request to use up to $16,200 to give extra compensation to town employees who worked with the public during the worst of the pandemic got 452 votes in favor, with 215 opposed.

Two proposals to use ARPA money to buy new digital signs were least popular. The $33,000 sign to go on Route 32 South (Windsor Road) got 387 votes in favor to 282 opposed. The $20,000 portable sign for speed control and announcements was approved by a 50-vote margin, 352 to 302.

The June 14 voting did not include local elections, which will be held Nov. 8. This year China voters will choose three select board members, three planning board members, four budget committee members and one representative to the Regional School Unit (RSU) 18 board.

In the only contest on either the Democratic or the Republican state primary ballot in China, Katrina Smith, of Palermo, defeated Jennifer Tuminaro, of China, for the Senate District #62 nomination with 207 votes to Tuminaro’s 194. In the whole district, which includes Hibberts Gore, Palermo, Somerville and Windsor, Smith gained the nomination by a 524 to 316 margin, according to June 14 results reported in the Central Maine newspapers.

In November, Smith will face Pamela Swift, of Palermo, who was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

The November contest for state Senate District #15 will pit Republican incumbent Matthew Gary Pouliot against Democrat Storme Jude St. Valle. Both are from Augusta; neither had a primary opponent. Senate District #15 includes Augusta, China, Oakland, Sidney and Vassalboro.

China voters also had the chance to answer a straw poll after they left the voting room. The question was whether they want to continue the annual town business meeting by written ballot, as they had just done, or go back to the pre-pandemic open meeting with voting by show of hands. Town Clerk Nelson said the answers were 162 residents preferring the traditional open meeting and 111 residents preferring the written ballot method.

There were also suggestions written on two of the ballot slips, she said: “Want both” and “Let the Select Board do it.”

Vassalboro election results (Spring 2022)

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by Mary Grow

Vassalboro Town Clerk Cathy Coyne reported the following June 9 local election results.

Frederick “Rick” Denico, Jr., was elected to the select board with 269 votes. He succeeds Robert Browne, who did not seek another term.

For school board, Jessica Clark was re-elected with 227 votes, and newcomer Amy French received 213 votes. French succeeds Kevin Levasseur, who is also retiring.

There were no contests for any position. Coyne said on the ballot for each board, there were seven write-in votes for various people and 15 voters turned in blank ballots.

Voters reaffirmed the 2022-23 Vassalboro school budget approved at the June 6 open town meeting with 235 votes in favor and 55 opposed.

On a straw poll question asking if voters want select board members to draft a new town ordinance to regulate future commercial solar installations, 239 voters said yes and 58 said no. Any ordinance would become effective only after voters approve it.

Fairfield election results (Spring 2022)

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Looking south down Main St., in Fairfield. (Internet photo)

Unofficial returns from June 14, 2022, primary election according to Fairfield Town Clerk Christine Keller:

Governor:

D – Janet Mills, 192
R – Paul LePage, 366

Representative to Congress, District 2

D – Jared Golden, 198
R – Bruce Poliquin, 231
R – Elizabeth Caruso, 146

Maine State Senate, Dist. 16

D – David LaFountain, 192
R – Mark André, 58
R – Kevin Kitchin, 208
R – Michael Perkins, 117

Maine House of Representatives, Dist. 67

D – Robert Sexak, 199
R – Shelly Rudnicki, 352

MUNICIPAL

MSAD #49 School Budget Validation Referendum

Yes, 472
No, 226

MSAD #49 Continue 3-year Budget Cycle

Yes, 524
No, 167

MSAD #49 School Board

Rae Davis-Folsom, 582
Marlisa Golder, 5
Karen Kusiak, 34
Blank/Other, 111

Question 1: Public Water Expansion

Yes, 282
No, 402

China election results (Spring 2022)

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by Mary Grow

China Town Clerk Angela Nelson reported that voters in China’s June 14 written-ballot annual town business meeting approved 37 of the 38 articles presented, by varying margins. The only one disapproved was Art. 37, asking if voters want a temporary moratorium on new commercial solar developments in town; 283 voters were in favor, 368 were opposed.

The business meeting ballot did not include local elections, which will be held in November.

Voters also approved three questions from the Regional School Unit (RSU) #18 board, on two separate ballots. They endorsed the 2022-23 school budget approved at an open meeting in May, by a vote of 491 in favor to 191 opposed; they voted to continue the annual written-ballot validation of the initial school budget vote for another three years, 507 in favor to 160 opposed; and they authorized the RSU to borrow state funds for building work, 443 in favor to 158 opposed.

In the only contest on either state primary ballot, for Republican state representative from House District 62, China voters gave Katrina Smith, of Palermo 207 votes to 194 for Jennifer Tuminaro, of China. The district includes China, Hibberts Gore, Palermo, Somerville and Windsor.

WINDSOR: Paving contract awarded to Maine-ly Paving for $471,985.50

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by The Town Line staff

At their May 24 meeting, the Windsor Select Board voted unanimously to award a paving bid to Jamie Ward of Maine-ly Paving Services, LLC, in the amount of $471,985.50.

In all, there were four bids submitted. Charlie Emerson with All State Construction, Inc., submitted a bid for $502,820.56, Jaeden Folster with Northeast Paving submitted a bid for $642,070 and Jeff Mullis submitted a bid of $584,850.

Keith Hall reported the repair or replacement of the pipe on the Jones Road could last another two to three years. It would be approximately $300,000 to fix the pipe which includes digging and the cost of the pipe. The select board agreed to hold off on repairing the pipe. According to Hall, work will continue on Shuman Road. The town recently received the Safety Enhancement Grant of $1,660 for public works signs, barricades and cones.

Also, Town Manageer Theresa Haskell noted the preventative maintenance work at the transfer station has been completed.

In other business, Haskell read a letter from Vern Ziegler, assessor’s agent, for the 2022 Ratio Declaration and Reimbursement Application, which is filed annual with the Maine Revenue Service to claim homestead reimbursement. The municipality declares a current year certified ratio of 88 percent. The board passed the motion unanimously.

Edward Pollard III, Erica Ontiveros, and Monique Crummett were all presemt to introduce themselves and tell the board why they are interested in serving on the RSU #12 school board, and Moira Teekema explained why she has interest serving on the budget committee.

Also,

  • Haskell read a letter from Waste Management regarding a two percent increase;
  • There was a special meeting of the select board on May 31 to sign the RSU #12 warrant and notice calling Regional School Unit #12 budget validation referendum;
  • Haskell discussed the Kennebec County Hazard Mitigation Plan. She read it and presented it to the board for their consideration.

The select board then went into executive session to discuss personnel matters.

China assessor recommends second revaluation in two years

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by Mary Grow

China select board members held two meetings in succession June 6, first as the town’s board of assessors and then as the select board.

The assessors heard a presentation from professional assessor William Van Tuinen, who recommended the second property revaluation in two years to keep pace with rising real estate sales prices.

Calculating how much to increase values of different types of property will be complicated, he said, because some prices have increased more than others.

If China’s declared valuations lag too far behind actual prices, the state will impose penalties, in the form of reduced reimbursement for homestead, veterans’ and other exemptions.

Board member Wayne Chadwick pointed out that if valuations go up, the tax rate goes down, to generate about the same amount of revenue for the town.

“That’s correct,” Van Tuinen replied.

Board members postponed a decision until Van Tuinen has time to prepare a more specific proposal. He hopes to present one promptly, so that town assessors can approve and he can prepare information needed to set the 20223-23 tax rate.

Reconvening as the select board, members made made three decisions.

They unanimously appointed Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood as China’s codes officer and licensed plumbing inspector and Ryan Page as licensed plumbing inspector to work with her. Page is Vassalboro’s codes officer and plumbing inspector.

Both appointments are valid through June 30. Jaime Hanson has resigned from the China positions; Hapgood said June 10 was his last day, and as of June 6 she had no applicants to fill the position.

Hapgood has no certifications for her new job, but, she said, the state allows 12 months for someone to take the necessary courses to get certified, so appointing her is not illegal.

The second select board decision was to approve an updated contract with the Town of Palermo to continue to share the China transfer station. The minor changes are updating the fee charged Palermo residents for their trash bags and making the fee adjustable annually, without a contract amendment.

Hapgood and Robert Kurek, one of Palermo’s representatives on China’s Transfer Station Committee, negotiated the changes, which still needed approval by the Palermo select board. Working with Kurek was “awesome,” Hapgood commented, praising his consistently constructive suggestions.

Select board members’ third decision was to authorize Hapgood to continue negotiating for an easement that would allow access to Branch Pond for a dry hydrant for firefighters’ use.

In other June 6 business, Hapgood reminded those attending that nomination papers for Nov. 8 local elections will be available Aug. 1. This year voters will elect three select board members, three planning board members, four budget committee members and one representative to the Regional School Unit (RSU) #18 board of directors.

Mention of the RSU election led to a brief discussion of information-sharing between the regional board and the local select board. Hapgood said she plans to invite China’s RSU members to select board meeting four times a year, as proposed during an earlier discussion. Select board member Janet Preston recommended select board members attend RSU meetings, too.

Because of the Juneteenth and Independence Day holidays, the next two regular China select board meetings will be Tuesday evenings, June 21 and July 5. The town office will be closed Monday, June 20, and Monday, July 4.

On Thursday, June 30, the town office will close at noon so staff can complete end-of-the-fiscal-year accounts. The select board will hold a short special meeting at 4 p.m. June 30 for approval of final 2021-2022 bills.

China municipal building committee to make presentation to select board

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by Mary Grow

Three members of China’s Municipal Building Committee met June 9, for the first time since January, and agreed they need to make a presentation and two requests at the June 21 select board meeting.

After reporting to select board members on their plan for additional storage space at the town office on Lakeview Drive, they need to ask for funds to hire an engineer or similar consultant to refine the plan and add an up-to-date cost estimate. And they need to ask for appointment of additional committee members.

Committee chairman Sheldon Goodine shared his not-to-scale plan for a building to be connected to the east side of the present building. His proposed building is 34 feet wide; committee member Scott Pierz recommended 36 feet long as adequate to store town records for a reasonable time into the future.

Goodine reported soil consultant Jack Lord had located the town office septic tank and leach field, to make sure the new building will not affect their functioning. Goodine had talked with town office staff and adjusted proposed interior details to meet their needs and preferences.

He plans next to ask someone from Dig Safe to check the proposed site, he said.

Committee members talked about windows (not many) and doors (at least two); how the roof of the new building would meet the existing roof; the electrical connection; putting the building on a slab with in-floor heating; and providing work space, so staff members would not have to haul documents from storage back to the main office to use them.

Pierz reminded the others that the building must comply with state and local building codes, China’s Phosphorus Control Ordinance, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and probably other regulations and requirements.

He and audience member Ed Bailey urged Goodine not to stress details of interior arrangements with select board members, but to focus on the overall plan and projected costs. There was agreement that a January cost estimate is no longer valid.

Goodine commented that the existing town office building needs repairs. The adjacent former portable classroom, used for voting, committee meetings, weekly senior citizens’ gatherings and other purposes, is close to the end of its useful life, in his estimation.

Bailey is interested in serving on the Municipal Building Committee. After the meeting, committee member and town clerk Angela Nelson said Dennis Simmons has also volunteered.

Vassalboro select board authorizes church demolition

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Following an executive session, Vassalboro select board unanimously authorized Town Manager Mary Sabins to negotiate and sign a contract to have the building taken down and the remains taken away. (The Town Line file photo by Roland D. Hallee)

by Mary Grow

Vassalboro select board members began their June 9 meeting with a party, recognizing retiring board chairman Robert Browne’s final meeting.

After the cake and cold drinks, they went into executive session with town attorney Kristin Collins to discuss demolition of the former church in North Vassalboro.

Vassalboro select board chairman Rob Browne was recognized at his final board meeting. (photo courtesy of Mary Sabins)

After the executive session, they unanimously authorized Town Manager Mary Sabins to negotiate and sign a contract to have the building taken down and the remains taken away. The focus will be on removing the building, which has been declared dangerous; accumulated items on the grounds will be moved as necessary to provide access to the building.

Board members discussed details like making sure property-owner Chad Caron is notified and providing a police escort for the demolition contractor. North Vassalboro resident Raymond Breton urged caution around the many sharp, heavy and damaged objects on the lot.

Caron reportedly has an alternative storage area on Reynolds Road. Select board member Barbara Redmond said he will be given reasonable time to move more things there if he wants to.

The land will remain Caron’s, Redmond said. The town will bill him for demolition costs.

In other business June 9, by a unanimous vote select board members adopted the Compensation Administration Policy they discussed earlier in the year, establishing a salary scale for town employees.

Sabins reported the contracts for hauling bulky waste and municipal solid waste (MSW) from the transfer station to disposal sites expire in August. She proposed either seeking new bids, or negotiating with the current contractors for one-year extensions.

Sabins said transfer station manager George Hamar is satisfied with the current haulers, and as far as she knows they are satisfied. Select board members unanimously authorized her to negotiate for one-year contract extensions.

North Vassalboro resident Lauchlin Titus asked Sabins to ask haulers to remind their drivers to obey speed limits. Sabins said she had done so once years ago without a problem.

Sabins shared another truck-related issue raised by fire department members: a tractor-trailer intermittently parked near the food pantry and the North Vassalboro fire station threatens to damage fresh pavement. Police Chief Mark Brown intends to talk with the driver.

Select board member Chris French asked Brown for statistics on crime in Vassalboro, leading to a discussion of whether it is time to repeat the neighborhood watch type program organized in North Vassalboro about a decade ago. Brown urged residents to report suspicious activities to law enforcement professional and to leave action to them.

Vassalboro Legion Post Commander Tom Richards raised another North Vassalboro question: who owns the flagpole that stands with the stone monuments in front of the former North Vassalboro school, former town office and former health center? Breton now owns the land and building.

Richards said the Legion Post replaced the flagpole recently. Having little money and no fund-raising plans – there are only about 25 members, “and you’re looking at about the youngest one,” Richards explained – the Post had billed the town.

At Sabins’ suggestion, select board members approved closing the transfer station Sunday, June 19, for the new Juneteenth holiday. The town office will be closed Monday, June 20, to observe the holiday.

The next regular Vassalboro select board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 23.