China selectmen move quickly through short meeting

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by Mary Grow

At a short March 15 meeting, China selectmen:

  • Elected Wayne Chadwick acting chairman in Ronald Breton’s absence;
  • Held a public hearing, which drew comments only from board members, on the proposed Ordinance Restricting Vehicle Weight on Posted Ways, modeled on the state ordinance;
  • Adopted the ordinance, which applies while roads are posted in the spring; and
  • Appointed Alaina Murray to the Recreation Committee.

Town Manager Becky Hapgood delivered monthly reports from town departments, including her notice that the audit report for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2020, is available and will be posted on the town website, china.govoffice.com.

Hapgood issued reminders from Town Clerk Angela Nelson that the second half payment of local taxes is due by the close of business Friday, March 26; and from assessor’s assistant Kelly Grotton that applications for legally-allowed tax exemptions must be filed before April 1.

She reported that Central Church, on Route 3, has offered to welcome meetings, like the board of selectmen’s, in its meeting room when more space is needed. The town office and the church will cooperate on an Easter egg drive-through at the town office the morning of Friday, March 27, she said.

The next regular China selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 29.

China broadband committee narrows list to one

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by Mary Grow

China Broadband Committee members have narrowed to one the list of companies they will negotiate with, for now, about offering expanded and improved broadband service town-wide.

At their March 11 meeting, they unanimously asked consultant Mark Van Loan, of Mission Broadband, to invite representatives of Machias-based Axiom Technologies to meet with them virtually at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 18.

They also asked Van Loan to notify Sertex Broadband Solutions that they are starting with Axiom, but would appreciate Sertex remaining available in case they and Axiom cannot reach agreement.

A week earlier they asked Van Loan to send a similar message to Spectrum Community Solutions. Van Loan reported the Spectrum representative with whom he spoke said the company would renew discussions if invited.

Spectrum, the company that provides service to many China residents, fell off the list first because of a legal issue. Their proposal includes the town issuing a bond to contribute to costs of expanding and upgrading service, but they would retain ownership of the network. Committee member Jamie Pitney, a lawyer, thinks state law does not allow a municipality to issue a bond to finance something it will not own.

Axiom and Sertex both propose they or a subcontractor will build the broadband network; they or a subcontractor will be the Internet Service Provider (ISP) that runs it; and they or a subcontractor will maintain it. The town will own it.

To committee members town ownership offers many advantages. Chairman Robert O’Connor opened the March 11 meeting with a short Institute for Local Self-Reliance video listing them, including local control, local jobs and cost savings.

Pitney expressed a preference for negotiating first with Axiom because he found that company’s proposal and its representatives’ answers to committee questions better organized and more understandable than Sertex’s.

Costs, as estimated at this early stage, are comparable between Axiom and Sertex: better town-wide service will cost between six and seven million dollars.

Committee members divide costs into construction, which will be repaid within a fixed number of years, and on-going operations. They have made no recommendations on dividing the payment obligation among user fees, local taxes and possible other sources, like grants.

Committee members prepared a list of questions they asked Van Loan to send to Axiom in preparation for the March 18 meeting.

China emergency preparedness group meets monthly

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by Mary Grow

China Emergency Preparation Committee members are holding monthly meetings, with assignments in between, as they update China’s Emergency Action Plan. The most recent meeting was March 11; the next meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. Thursday, April 15.

The draft Emergency Checklist Plan, including some of the updates, is on the town website, china.govoffice.com, under the Emergency Preparedness Committee tab.

The version committee members are reviewing has statistics from the 2010 census. They discussed waiting until 2020 census data are available to complete the final draft, so they will not need to update figures within a year.

Discussion at the March 11 meeting began with plans for an emergency in a town building. That section is nearly final.

It includes designation of people in charge at the town office complex, the transfer station and the public works building; a list of alternates in case the designee is on vacation, on the road or otherwise unavailable; each person’s duties; designated gathering places if one or more buildings need to be evacuated; and other aspects of a plan to avoid chaos.

Turning to the plan intended to be town-wide, committee members briefly summarized information on available resources each had collected since the previous meeting. They talked about two communications issues: how to send out a town-wide emergency notice so that all residents get it promptly, and how to share notifications and information among neighboring towns so they can help each other in emergencies.

Town Manager Becky Hapgood said her predecessor, Dennis Heath, tried to set up a hyperlink notification system, but not enough residents signed up. Some towns have sirens, whistles, horns or other old-fashioned systems, committee member Stephen Nichols said.

Another option, Nichols said, would be to have fire department members drive fire trucks around town delivering loudspeaker notices.

China’s three volunteer fire departments have mutual aid agreements with departments in neighboring towns, so that a major fire in one town brings firefighters from miles around. Committee members do not know whether town governments could make similar arrangements.

While considering communications, committee members agreed the directory of FAX machines could be deleted from the plan, because few FAX machines remain in use.

China planners continue work toward solar ordinance

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by Mary Grow

At their March 9 meeting, China Planning Board members continued working toward a new solar ordinance to be added to the Land Use Ordinance. When completed and approved by voters, it will give board members definitions, rules and standards to review applications for solar installations in town, both commercial and private.

The board has approved three commercial solar installations in China, adapting other sections of the ordinance to carry out its review. Both commercial projects and installation of solar panels for individual homes need town approval.

Codes Officer Jaime Hanson explained in an email after the meeting that pending a town ordinance, he is authorized by the 2015 International Residential Code to review residential solar projects, issue an accessory-structure permit when he is satisfied with the plans and charge permit fees based on the size of the installation.

The focus of the March 9 discussion was a 2015 ordinance from the Town of Washington, Maine. Board members found concepts and paragraphs in that ordinance that they asked Hanson to add to their draft.

Board members are working on another proposed ordinance addition that would govern shoreland stabilization projects. Chairman Randy Downer said a Colby College faculty member, who is also a trustee of the Kennebec Water District, will help with that ordinance; he expects her to join the board’s next meeting.

The Kennebec Water District draws the water supply for Waterville, Winslow, Fairfield, Vassalboro and Benton, and for wholesaling to Maine Water Company, in Oakland, from China Lake’s west basin.

Board members hope to present one or both ordinances to China voters in November 2021.

The next China Planning Board meeting was scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 23.

Vassalboro committee discusses transfer station renovations

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by Mary Grow

Vassalboro Budget Committee members met March 11 to decide what questions they need to ask town selectmen when the two groups meet March 18.

On March 18, selectmen are scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. in the Vassalboro Community School gymnasium. The budget committee is to join them at 7 p.m.

The selectmen’s agenda includes two items that budget committee members talked about: plans to renovate the transfer station, and town employees’ wages and salaries.

Selectmen are scheduled to discuss whether to contract with a wage consultant. Budget Committee members have questions about town wage and salary policies.

Selectmen have been discussing plans for improvements at the transfer station with Waterville engineer Al Hodsdon, of A. E. Hodsdon Engineers. Some of the budget committee members have a suggestion for funding the project.

The March 18 selectmen’s agenda further includes the annual investment report from Matt Weaver, senior vice-president at First National Wealth Management’s Damariscotta branch, and review of the Vassalboro investment policy; discussion of a land agreement with Kennebec Water District; scheduling a public hearing on the proposed new town marijuana ordinance, a substantial revision of the current document; and continuing preparations for the June 7 and 8 town meeting.

Budget committee member Michael Poulin, who regularly listens to selectmen’s meetings, said selectmen have a cost estimate of more than $300,000 for transfer station updates and are talking of spreading the work over several years.

Committee member Douglas Phillips recommended advising selectmen to issue a short-term – five or six year – bond and get the improvements done quickly. He said the compactor has broken down frequently; the open-top trash containers fill with snow and rainwater that the town pays to have hauled away with the trash; and the traffic pattern, which requires backing up to disposal containers, invites accidents.

Several other committee members supported the bond idea. The committee did not vote on it.

The public works budget also raised questions to be discussed at future meetings, as did Vassalboro’s use of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds.

Poulin said selectmen have allocated TIF money almost entirely to two projects, extension of the Vassalboro Sanitary District’s sewer to connect to Winslow, and the Alewife Restoration Project (ARI) that involves removing or modifying dams on Outlet Stream. He would like to see the town’s TIF document amended to spread funds more widely.

His comments sparked discussion of where to draw the line between budget and policy. Policy is the selectmen’s responsibility, not the budget committee’s, members agreed.

Poulin asked whether the committee’s goal is to hold the tax rate down, or to advise selectmen on needed expenditures. The answer from other committee members was, “Both.”

After the March 18 meeting, budget committee members are scheduled to discuss the 2021-22 school budget with the school board on Tuesday, March 23 and to meet with selectmen on Thursday, April 1. Both meetings will be at Vassalboro Community School at 7 p.m. The school board will meet at 6 p.m. March 23 and the selectboard at 6 p.m. April 1.

Vassalboro school board proposes expanded paving of school parking lot

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Vassalboro Community School (contributed photo)

by Mary Grow

Vassalboro School Board members heard more good news than bad news about the sections of the proposed 2021-22 budget they reviewed at their March 9 special meeting.

They heard a proposal for a major expenditure – and not only supported it, but suggested expanding it.

The proposal was from Shelley Phillips, Director of Maintenance and Grounds, talking about the 2021-22 proposed budget for work at Vassalboro Community School (VCS). She recommended spending an estimated $114,500 to repave the school parking lot for the first time since 1992, plus up to $1,500 for striping.

Within the last half-dozen years, Phillips said, storm drains and curbs have been repaired and the worst holes patched, partly in preparation for a complete repaving.

She said she discussed the project with Eugene Field, Vassalboro’s municipal Public Works Director, and plans to save money by piggybacking on the town’s paving contract for the coming summer.

The immediate reaction from board members was to add more paved parking, maybe 20 or 30 new spaces. There is not enough parking for sports and other events that draw large crowds, they said.

Phillips said she will review the VCS site plan to see if there is an appropriate area free of underground tanks and utilities. If additional parking seems feasible, she will again consult with Field; perhaps the town public works crew could do some of the preparatory work.

Other parts of the maintenance budget are slated to be reduced by a few thousand dollars in 2021-22, Phillips said. Recommendations include less for electricity, because the school, like the town, is getting solar power from a Skowhegan installation; less for fuel, as both price and usage are expected to be below the current year’s; less for custodial supplies, because Covid funds helped stock up; and only $158 more for interior maintenance, because no major renovations seem needed.

Phillips said the VCS air handling system has been maintained and upgraded over the years and is adequate to meet health requirements during the pandemic.

Asked about future major projects, she named two to be kept in mind: seal and repoint as needed the brick exterior of the building, and replace the flat roof on the gymnasium. G & E Roofing, by contract, inspects and reports on the roof every year, she said.

The other budget areas discussed March 9 were transportation; the central office, which used to be the Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS) #92 office serving Vassalboro, Waterville and Winslow; and food service.

Transportation Supervisor Ashley Pooler said Covid funds were used to buy four new buses. They come with five-year warranties; the updated fleet should need fewer repairs; and the new buses will be more fuel-efficient. With purchase, repair and fuel costs lowered, she proposes a budget that is more than $45,000 below the current-year budget.

Superintendent Alan Pfeiffer said he, Waterville Superintendent Eric Haley and Winslow Superintendent Peter Thiboutot are reworking the interlocal agreement that replaced the former AOS. Consequently, Vassalboro will replace some of the shared central office personnel with a part-time Vassalboro employee, saving money

Pfeiffer will go from being officially employed two days a week – he claims the pandemic has put him and his colleagues on a seven-day-a-week schedule – to three days a week.

Finance Director Paula Pooler (who is Ashley Pooler’s mother) said the Vassalboro school department continues to reduce the deficit in the food service program. (See Regional School Unit #18 Superintendent Carl Gartley’s explanation of this state-wide problem in the Feb. 25 issue of The Town Line, p. 3.)

Pooler reported that the audit for the previous (2019-20) fiscal year, delayed by Covid-related complications, is now available. School board members intended to accept it formally at their next meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 16, at VCS.

Public hearing scheduled for March 15th in Palermo

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The Planning Board will be holding a Public Hearing on March 15th at 6:30 p.m.

The Public hearing is for the Murphy Subdivision Revision of Nelson Lane/Marden Hill Road.

Due to COVID restrictions we are limited to how many people can be in the office.

ZOOM meeting info will be posted on the town’s website: www.townofpalermo.org

For more information, contact:

Mary Andrews
Town Clerk, Treasurer, & Registrar of Voters
Town of Palermo
45 N. Palermo Rd
Palermo, Maine 04354
207-993-2296/ fax 207-993-2938
Email: topclerk@fairpoint.net

Waterville Creates to receive 2021 Excellence in Arts Advocacy award

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Waterville Creates (WC) will receive the 2021 Excellence in Arts Advocacy Award from the Maine Art Education Association. A formal, state-wide recognition ceremony will take place virtually on Saturday, March 13, 2021, and will be hosted by the Portland Museum of Art. The Maine Art Education Association is a statewide professional organization whose members are committed to excellence in visual arts education.

“This is a testament to your exemplary contributions to support visual arts education. We applaud your leadership, commitment and service to the support of arts education,” says Lynda Leonas, president of the Maine Art Education Association of Portland.

Waterville Creates develops and delivers a wide array of arts education and outreach programs that serve Waterville area residents and their families. WC works with a host of organizational partners to maximize its reach and ensure access for a broad array of community members. “Waterville Creates envisions a community where everyone has access to – and takes part in – high quality and lifelong learning experiences in the arts. This recognition from the Maine Art Education Association is a tremendous acknowledgment of our programmatic efforts,” says Shannon Haines, President + CEO of Waterville Creates.

Led by Education + Outreach Coordinator, Serena Sanborn, WC reimagined existing programs and developed new initiatives to keep the community connected and engaged in the arts through the pandemic. Sanborn virtually hosted numerous art classes and camps through WC’s Facebook page, spearheaded the collaborative Art Kits for All program, which has distributed over 3,500 art kits to area families, and hosted WC’s video series, On the Road.

Specialty crop grants now available

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The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry’s (DACF) Bureau of Agriculture seeks Specialty Crop Block Grants (SCBG) program applications from Maine’s specialty crop industry to present for funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). DACF anticipates awarding at least $500,000 in 2021.

The SCBG program is specifically designed to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture.

Funds are awarded to programs through a competitive review process. Grant awards are for a one-year term. Applications may be resubmitted for consideration for additional funding in subsequent years.

Priority areas for the 2021 SCBG program include: enhanced food safety education, primarily concerning FDA rules regarding improved handling and processing of specialty crop; soil and biotic health to improve pest management and biodiversity; marketing Maine specialty crops to diversified and expanded markets, or that research potential market expansion efforts and strategies; or improving adaptation and increased resilience to climate-related crop disturbances in support of long-term farm business vitality and productivity.

“Our goal with this grant program is to help strengthen and grow Maine’s specialty crop production while nurturing local farming and food businesses,” said DACF Commissioner Amanda Beal. “During the pandemic, demand for Maine-grown and produced food products increased markedly. This competitive grant opportunity will help farmers and food producers continue to meet ongoing demand.”

“The SCBG is also an excellent vehicle to advance important research about Maine crops, whether it be cropping systems or resiliency in the face of climate change,” said Nancy McBrady, Director of the Bureau of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources. “We are excited to see what this new round of applications brings forward for advances in research.”

Agricultural organizations, educational institutions, commodity groups, municipalities, producers, and state agencies may download the 2021 SCBG application online. The application deadline is March 30.

Maine’s 2020 SCBG awards supported numerous projects, including expanding Maine’s berry industry to improve farm profitability, integrated pest management for Maine’s $500 million potato industry, using foliar fertilizers and soil amendments to enhance wild blueberry production and resilience, and others.

Please consult the RFA for more information, and contact Leigh Hallett, Agricultural Resource Development Director, at SpecialtyCropBlockGrant@Maine.gov with questions or for additional information.

https://www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/index.php?topic=Portal+News&id=4256435&v=article-2017

Windsor selectmen deny request for community food sovereignty ordinance

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by The Town Line staff

At the February 16 Windsor selectmen’s meeting, Windsor resident Sherri Talbot sent an inquiry about the possibility of having a food sovereignty ordinance drafted for the town. She provided information for the board to review. Town manager Theresa Haskell read the proposal and stated that if the board had any question, they could call Talbot during the meeting.

Haskell then distributed information she received from the Maine Municipal Association legal department which included details about local food sovereignty and what the municipal liability could be. Selectman Ronald Brann made a motion, under the advisement of legal counsel, that creating the ordinance could potentially put the town at an unnecessary legal risk. The board denied the request to put the issue on the upcoming town meeting warrant.

The board also stressed they are very supportive of local agriculture. It was noted the town is not qualified to see if it is safe and they do not have the training or skill sets, nor the desire to do this. They suggested a farmers market.

In other business, the board was informed that the transfer station has started using coin trays to help with the close out at the end of the night. It seems to help with organizing the counting of all the coins collected that day.

Sean Teekema, interim transfer station supervisor, said he will seek measurements for a new bucket for the salt container. They may also get a cover the container. Other possibilities at the transfer station include new lights and a new sign.

Haskell said the town received a snowmobile reimbursement in the amount of $1,039.34. That amount will be divided between the WJW Snowmobile Club, 75 percent or $779.51, and the remaining 25 percent, in the past, has been divided between the Windsor Boy Scouts, Windsor Brownie Troop and the Windsor Youth Association. That amounts to $86.61 for each of the three organizations.

Discussion on the employee manual was wrapped up with the finalization of the retirement match. The board unanimously passed the motion as presented with changes being made to the Valic Retirement match.

At the previous meeting, the board of selectmen were given a draft of COVID procedures to be followed by the best of everyone’s ability. That measure passed by a vote of 4-1, with Selectman Richard Gray Jr. the lone dissenter.

Nomination papers became available on February 26.

The new office space caused the town hall equipment account to be overspent, however, it will not affect the town overall budget because there were other funds available in other town hall expense accounts that were underspent.

In another matter, Selectman Andrew Ballantyne shared that Elwin Hussey gave him information about the town of Windsor, dating back to the 1700s. He has offered it to the town office to make a copy for public viewing.

The next board of selectmen meeting was scheduled for March 2.