CHINA: Only half dozen attend first broadband committee information meeting

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by Mary Grow

Only half a dozen residents came in person to the China Broadband Committee’s (CBC) first public informational meeting July 11, with three or four more watching virtually; but discussion was lively and varied during and after the committee’s slideshow.

The purpose of the meeting was twofold: to explain what the committee, created by China selectmen in 2017, is doing and plans to do, and to enlist support for the expanded and improved broadband service committee members hope to offer.

Sharing the explanations, committee members said their goal is to provide affordable, reliable, high-speed internet to every China householder who wants it. They talked about the need for adequate bandwidth so students can do schoolwork while parents manage their office work from home, without computers slowing.

A main advantage of the plan, in committee members’ opinions, is that the town will own the fiber network. The committee has worked for months with Mark Ouellette, President of Machias-based Axiom Technologies, and plans to contract with his company to run the system.

Replying to questions from resident Brent Chesley, Ouellette said his standard contracts run for 10 to 15 years, with “kick-out clauses” at three-year intervals in case China officials become dissatisfied. Axiom will be the internet service provider, will be responsible for all needed repairs and will hire a local service technician to provide speedy customer service.

To make the system work, a new fiberoptic network needs to be built throughout the town. The first steps in building the network are surveying existing infrastructure, notably telephone poles, and obtaining construction money.

CBC members are ready to contract with Hawkeye Connections, based in Poland, Maine, to do the survey. The cost is estimated at $10,000. So far, an application for a state planning grant has failed, and China selectmen have postponed action on using town funds to their July 19 meeting.

Until the survey is done, the construction cost is a rough estimate: $5 to $6 million. Committee members intend to ask selectmen to ask voters to approve a bond issue on Nov. 2 to cover the cost – or maybe only part, if the CBC can get one or more construction grants, committee member Jamie Pitney suggested.

Grants are definitely a possibility, ex officio committee member and Selectman Janet Preston said, because “Broadband is the buzzword right now, with federal and state governments.”

Ouellette agreed. Municipally-owned broadband is “a movement” in Maine, he said, partly because of the pandemic increasing the need for reliable service and partly because many residents are tired of the inadequacies of their commercial providers.

Another point committee members made repeatedly is that their plan will not increase taxes. User fees will cover Axiom’s costs and profit and the bond repayment. After the first two years, fees will generate revenue for the town, which will increase when the bond is fully repaid (presumably after 20 years).

The present plan is for tiered levels of service at different prices. Ouellette and committee members have repeatedly said they hope to price the lowest tier, 50 over 50 (50 megabits download and 50 megabits upload), at around $55 a month and the highest tier, gig over gig (one gigabit down and one gigabit up), at no more than $200 a month.

The construction phase is expected to last up to two years and to include free connections and hook-ups for all immediate subscribers. People who build a new house or decide they want broadband later are likely to be charged to connect; but grants, broadband revenue or some other source might control costs.

The system will have excess capacity to accommodate growth, Ouellette said.

Committee members did not ignore the uncertainties in their projections and plans. One unknown is how many China residents will sign up for Axiom’s service. Revenue projections are based on an initial rate of 35 percent, or 835 households – conservative, committee members said – and a five percent a year increase.

Construction costs are another unknown, not only because of lack of information about current facilities, but also, committee members said, because growing interest in broadband expansion could lead to higher materials prices, supply bottlenecks, contractors’ delays or all three.

Committee member Tod Detre pointed out that if voters approve the bond issue on Nov. 2, selectmen can postpone acting if too few residents have signed up, prices have gone too high or other unforeseen difficulties have arisen.

Committee members and audience member Paul Blair, a Winslow native who now lives in Silicon Valley and vacations on Three Mile Pond, hope all will go smoothly. They listed some of the benefits if China had one of the best broadband systems in the state, including offering gig over gig service:

— Part-time residents like Blair could spend more time – and money – in town, because they could work from their vacation homes, visit their doctors via telemedicine and generally be geographically more independent.
— Full-time residents, especially those currently poorly served or not served at all, would have faster, more reliable internet for work, education, socializing, entertainment and other on-line activities.
— New businesses, especially high-tech businesses, might consider locating in China, making the CBC plan “an investment to develop the community,” Pitney said – but not to turn China into a city, Blair and fellow audience member Jeanne Marquis added.

The July 11 community meeting was recorded and is available for viewing on the town website, www.china.govoffice.com, under the Live Stream heading on the left side. The Live Stream page includes lists of previous and future meetings.

Detre has the assignment of developing a CBC website on which information can be posted between meetings. He invites anyone with website experience who would like to help to get in touch with him at tod@tod.net.

CBC members scheduled their next virtual committee meeting for 5 p.m. Thursday, July 15. One topic on the agenda will be planning future informational events.

Windsor selectmen make appointments at short meeting

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by The Town Line staff

The Windsor Board of Selectmen unanimously approved the contract with Vern Ziegler in the amount of $19,080 at their abbreviated June 7 meeting, attended by a handful of residents.

The selectmen also unanimously agreed to write off personal property taxes for 2020 in the amount of $573.92 for David Choate, Inc., because he has not been in business for quite a few years.

Also, Deputy Clerk Tammy Bailey submitted her resignation letter to town manager Theresa Haskell, because she has been hired as a full time deputy clerk in the town of China.

Selectmen also authorized chairman William Appel Jr. to sign a release deed regarding 53 Barton Road, which has shown old tax liens going back to the 1980s that were not discharged. Haskell, acting as tax collector, said the town does not have any liens on this property at this time and she was unable to find the old files to see why these were never discharged. The vote was unanimous.

There were several certificate of appointments approved: Theresa Haskell as tax collector, treasurer, General Assistance administrator, Emergency Management Manager and health officer, Kelly McGlothlin as the MOSES licensing agent, MOSES registration agent and BMV municipal agent, Arthur Strout as the Emergency Management manager, and Kim Bolduc-Bartlett as the animal control officer and Peter A. Nerber as back-up animal control officer. All were approved unanimously.

The selectmen were updated by the town manager regarding Avery Glidden Construction finishing work at the town garage and shoulder work being completed on the Maxcy’s Mills Road.

The next board of selectmen meeting was scheduled for July 6.

Vassalboro selectmen’s meeting rescheduled

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by Mary Grow

The Vassalboro selectmen’s July meeting has been rescheduled to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 14. It had been planned for July 15.

China comprehensive plan revision – comments due by July 13, Nov. 2 vote pending

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by Mary Grow

China’s revised comprehensive plan is scheduled to be submitted to voters at the Nov. 2 local election.

The plan is on the town website, under Comprehensive Planning Committee. The title of the 169-page document is “China 2020 COMP PLAN submitted Dec. 23, 202 Final.” Another copy is on line at maine.gov/dacf/municipalplanning/comp_plans/.

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry is accepting comments on the document through Tuesday, July 13. The purpose of the department review is to make sure the plan is consistent with the state’s Growth Management Act.

Comments should be submitted to ruta.dzenis@maine.gov (Senior Planner Ruta Dzenis) or to the Municipal Planning Assistance Program, Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, 22 State House Station, Augusta ME 04333-0022.

The 2021 China Lake watershed based survey completed

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by Jeanne Marquis

China Lake Association has announced the China Lakes Watershed-Based Survey has been completed and available to the public on their Website at https://www.chinalakeassociation.org/news.

The China Lake Watershed Survey systematically documented areas of soil erosion, ascertained the level of severity at each site and recommended viable solutions. The watershed survey is part of the Watershed-based Management Plan currently in development that will identify strategies for improving the water quality of China Lake over the next ten years.

The reason why the 2021 survey is relevant is the water quality of a lake is determined to a large extent by its watershed – the land that drains into the lake. The China Lake watershed extends 26 miles in Albion, Vassalboro and the towns of China. What happens on property anywhere in this area, even if the property is not in view of the lake, can eventually drain into the lake and impact water quality.

Scott Pierz, president of the China Lake Association, explains, “Historically, China Lake has been on the Department of Environmental Protection’s list of impaired waterbodies for such a long time. Algae blooms started to appear in the early 1980s.”

Soil erosion is a major contributor to quality issues because soil contains the nutrient phosphorus. Much of the phosphorus is naturally occurring in the soil from leached minerals or decaying organic materials. However, some phosphorus enters the soil from human practices such as phosphates in laundry detergent or from the application of fertilizers, both organic and chemical additives. Why phosphorus is potentially harmful to the quality of a lake is it feeds the algae causing a bloom depleting the water’s oxygen content. The lower oxygen level upsets the eco-balance, decreasing the overall water clarity and creating a dead zone that is not habitable by fish life.

The survey was conducted on October 3, 2020, as a project partnered by the China Lake Association (CLA), the Kennebec County Soil & Water Conservation District, China Region Lakes Alliance (CRLA), Kennebec Water District, Town of China, and Maine DEP. A team of local volunteers and technical leaders from the partnering organizations identified and prioritized 161 sites that were current sources of soil erosion and stormwater runoff on developed land within the watershed area.

They used standardized field data sheets and maps to indicate roads, buildings, driveways and stream crossings that were sources of soil erosion contributing to the polluted runoff into China Lake.

Each site was rated with a risk assessment of low, medium to high and recommendations for solutions were identified. Twenty sites were considered a high impact to the lake, 59 were medium impact, and the remaining 82 were low impact. The majority of the sites, 67 percent, were found in residential areas.

These sites tended to have less severe erosion issues that could be easily fixed at minimal cost. Seventeen percent of the sites were identified on private, state or town roads. The remaining sites were at lake accesses, commercial property, construction sites, driveways, public land and on trails. The China Lakes Association will reach out to all identified sites with recommended solutions. Project partners will seek grant funding to help cover costs, and the Youth Conservation Corps programs may be able to assist in erosion correction projects.

Pierz reminds us, “Every one of us, in some way, is impacted by China Lake’s water quality, and it’s up to us now to take action and do our part to help reduce stormwater impacts so that in the future we can all enjoy the beauty of China Lake, our recreational opportunities, and the wildlife that is so special to the environment in which we live.”

Since the 1980s when the algae blooms were at their worst in China Lake, considerable progress has been made due to the work of local and state organizations.

Pierz reported, “Regarding most recent trends, during the summers 2017 through 2019, China Lake experienced the best water quality in 30 years! This fact was corroborated through ongoing water quality monitoring completed by the Kennebec Water District during each of those summers. In 2020 water quality was down a bit, but we’re hopeful that all efforts provided by the CLA and CRLA programs, across time, will help heal China Lake.”

Mr. E is moving on!

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Victor Esposito

Victor Esposito delivers message to the community

by Victor Esposito

As Bob Dylan once said during the ‘60s: “The times they are a-changing!”

However you want to look at it, everything changes, and change is good. You just have to be open to that change and when it is ready to happen and you’re ready to let it happen.

It is not a rumor, but a fact that I will be changing jobs. I will be finishing up 20 years here at Vassalboro Community School, and moving onto another JMG position. After 40-plus years in the classroom (I started in the mid ‘70s), I have been afforded an opportunity to be given a JMG position working out of the Alfond Boys & Girls Club, in Waterville. I will be working on a summer enrichment program, and during the school year will be developing an after school academic recovery program for both high school and middle school students. I am excited for the opportunity and yet saddened to be leaving Vassalboro and my students. It has been an amazing journey with so many great memories.

There has been our JMG core program with the best of the best kids and what they were able to achieve over the 20 years; The sixth grade Page Day at the State Capitol, Leadership trip, Scavenger hunts, and career visits to businesses in Portland during Urban Adventure. Students running the concession stand, outside snack shack, and numerous local community service projects. The Career Exploration that taught students how to fill out job applications, research future careers, write resumes, cover letters, listen to the many guest speakers, and take part in mock interviews.

The many Ski/Snowboard trips, and kids and families that learned or relearned how to ski. The rock climbing program and kids who competed at the state level. The golf program with never ending support from Natanis Golf Course. The students who learned how to tie flies, and fly fish, along with the many kids learning to play chess; along with most recently this year fifth graders learning to build model boats.

So many great memories.

This is not only a letter going out into the Vassalboro Community, but also to the surrounding towns; Waterville, Winslow and any of the other surrounding. This is also meant to be a very heartfelt thank you to everyone, my students, parents, guardians, civic folks, business people, and beyond. There have been so many people who have helped me to do the kind of things I was able to do at Vassalboro Community School, as a JMG Master Specialist.

The support of students, parents, guardians, grandparents, the three amazing Principals I have had the honor of serving under; (Kevin Michaud, Dianna Gram, and now Dr. Megan Allen). The supportive VCS staff, and all my JMG family members. All the surrounding high schools that our kids can attend.

In the community there were people like town manager Mary Sabins, Ray Breton, business entrepreneur, and numerous business people. In the outer lying towns there were people like Tom Davis (Are You Ready To Party) Chris Guance (Central Maine Motors), Ann Lindeman (Bangor Savings), Kim Lindolf (Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce), Mary Dyer (FAME), Jill Jameson (Junior Achievement), Angie Miers (Army Recruiter), Tanya Verzoni (New Dimension Credit Union), Amy Leclair (Johnny’s Selected Seed), and the list could go on. Thank you to all!

My daughter Brittany wrote a paper while she was doing her master’s degree at the University of New England a long time ago. It was titled My Father, and it started with a quote from Emerson, “Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” I believe I have left a trail here at Vassalboro Community School, and at JMG (Jobs For Maine’s Graduates), one for which I am proud.

This is not goodbye, but rather see you all later.

Windsor town manager presents money saving news to selectmen

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by The Town Line staff

The June 7 meeting of the Windsor selectmen saw no one from the public attending the approximate one-and-a-half hour meeting.

Town managing Theresa Haskell informed the board that the roof at the transfer station had been completed under estimate. Mitchell’s Roofing Co., of Freedom, had estimated the cost to be $5,430 but only charged the town $4,700.

Also, due to the recent mild winter, there is money remaining in the salt account, and is being transferred to the undesignated fund balance (reserve).

Haskell presented a packet to Selectman Richard Gray Jr. to look over for an agreement of street lighting with Central Maine Power Co., that will potentially save the town of Windsor approximately $500 a year. The proposal is to convert all street lights to LED lighting.

It was reported the vault near the Reed Road has been removed. The base for the parking lot near the Veterans Memorial, on Reed Road, was completed on June 21. The cost was approximately $3,000 which was charged to the Cemetery expense line and not the Veterans Memorial. The discussion was whether to use a two-inch base or stone dust. The selectmen approved the use of stone dust as the base for the parking lot, by a vote of 4-0-1, with Ronald F. Brann abstaining.

A family who is non-resident of Windsor, but own two houses in town, requested to purchase cemetery plots at the resident rate of $1,200 for a six space lot, as opposed to the non-resident rate of $2,400. Following some discussion, selectmen voted 4-0-1, with Brann abstaining, to limit the lot rates of Windsor cemetery lots to residents only.

The issue of The Fusion customers parking in the cemetery was discussed, and the owner of The Fusion will be approached to post signs directing patrons to refrain from parking in the cemetery. A barrel full of flowers was damaged by a vehicle that was parked in the cemetery for an event at The Fusion.

The transfer station monthly figures showed it down by $346.60 from this time last May but is up $12,663,85 overall for the year. Acme Scale Company has recalibrated the scales and reported they were good.

Haskell also read the letter of resignation by Ray Bates from his position as transfer station attendant, that was approved 4-0-1, with Bates abstaining.

The selectmen went into executive session for approximately half an hour to discuss personnel matters.

The next regular board of selectmen meeting was scheduled for June 22.

No quorum for China recreation committee, but discussions continue

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

by Mary Grow

With only Chairman Martha Wentworth and member Todd Dunn at the June 23 China Recreation Committee meeting, discussion could not lead to any votes, but they and an interested resident talked about program plans.

The town-owned ballfields for which the committee is responsible are being used for spring sports. Wentworth said the dugouts had been refurbished by volunteers from Central Church, after the committee bought materials.

The recreation committee plans to schedule two August movie nights. Dates and names of movies are to be determined. Wentworth said whatever is shown will be “family-oriented.”

The committee has up to $1,000 to buy a screen, projector and speakers, she said. The first two she expects to cost about $300 each.

There will be no charge for admission, and Wentworth sees no reason to limit attendance to China residents. Those who want to sit in the front rows need to bring their own blankets and sit on the ground; those who prefer chairs will set up farther back.

Dunn and Wentworth considered inviting a town nonprofit organization to sell refreshments during the movies, but were unable to make a decision.

They intend to ask movie audience members for suggestions for additional programs and to invite them to sign up to assist the committee. They discussed working with school officials, the China Days Committee or organizations like the Four Seasons Club that promote sports and recreation. Especially, they welcome suggested activities that would encourage children to exercise outdoors, after too much time indoors.

Wentworth and Dunn scheduled the next recreation committee meeting for Wednesday evening, July 28. Wentworth will try to find out in advance how many members can come, so she can cancel the meeting if there is no quorum.

China will not receive ConnectMe grant

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by Mary Grow

The China Broadband Committee (CBC) did not get a state ConnectMe grant that members had hoped to use to hire Hawkeye Connections, Inc., of Poland, Maine, to establish the cost of new broadband infrastructure for the town.

Meeting the afternoon of June 23, committee members and consultants who had watched part of the state meeting that morning agreed they had not heard China on the list of towns receiving grants.

CBC members had asked for $7,500, to be matched with $2,500 from town Tax Increment Financing funds. Their goal was to have Hawkeye engineers give them a firm figure for construction costs.

There was consensus no other possible grant could provide funds soon enough so that Hawkeye engineers could survey the town in July and the committee could report costs to the selectboard in August. Other possible sources of an immediate $10,000 were discussed, including asking the selectmen for money from the contingency fund voters approved at the June 8 town meeting.

The China Broadband Committee invites all residents to a public meeting to learn about the proposed broadband expansion in town. The meeting will be at 4 p.m., Sunday, July 11, in the China Middle School gymnasium. Committee members and consultants plan a short presentation followed by a question and answer session.

On June 25, committee member Jamie Pitney emailed that Ronald Breton, Chairman of the China Selectboard, agreed to add a request for $10,000 from contingency to the July 6 selectmen’s agenda, if committee members submit one.

The same day, Mark Ouellette, President of Axiom Technologies, the company CBC members plan to have as internet provider, reported that Hawkeye engineers plan to do a detailed survey that would result in a firm construction-cost estimate; but, he said, the work will take two months, not the one month CBC members had planned on.

CBC members plan to ask selectmen to put a construction bond issue on the Nov. 2 local ballot. Pitney said they should have information to the selectmen by July 29, in preparation for discussion at the Aug. 2 selectmen’s meeting.

The committee has discussed rough estimates of potential construction costs. Given the uncertainty, and, Pitney added, fluctuating costs of materials, members decided they had no “ceiling” figure they could use as they explain their proposal to town residents and officials.

The other major action at the June 23 meeting was a final review of the informational flyer the committee will distribute as widely as possible, to ensure residents are aware of their plan and have opportunities to get more information.

The next CBC meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, July 1.

Vassalboro recreation committee, selectmen talk about reorganized programs

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by Mary Grow

Members of Vassalboro’s Recreation Committee joined Vassalboro selectmen at their June 24 meeting to talk about a reorganized, post-pandemic recreation program, policy changes needed, town ballfields and related topics.

Town Manager Mary Sabins said she attended the recreation committee meeting earlier in the week at which committee members discussed issues to be brought to selectmen.

In the past, the committee has had a single chairman who received a small stipend. Talk of hiring a recreation director has so far gone nowhere because of cost considerations.

Sabins referred to Brian Stanley, who attended the selectboard meeting, and Becky Jenkins, who was not present, as the committee’s two point people. Stanley had a list of concerns and questions selectmen discussed, with assistance from committee members Mary Presti and Melissa Olson.

The first issue was providing security cameras at the ballfields, to deter or identify unwanted users. Selectmen and committee members came up with numerous options they will explore.

Committee members are also concerned about parents who smoke while their children play. Joe Presti said state law bans smoking in children’s recreation areas; his wife asked if the committee therefore cannot designate a smoking area.

Dogs are a lesser problem. Committee members asked about liability if a dog present during recreation-sponsored activities were to bite someone.

Stanley and Presti said ballfield signs banning smoking and dogs were stolen months ago.

The committee owns a gazebo, bought by the prior director as an auxiliary refreshment building. Current members said they do not share her purpose and have no plans to use the structure. They will send Sabins more information as they debate whether it could be part of the proposed streamside park on Route 32, should be returned if possible or might have another use.

The main financial issue Stanley mentioned was easy to resolve. Committee members want to save money by buying equipment and supplies at a variety of different places. They proposed a committee credit card; Sabins suggested instead opening committee accounts with more suppliers, and Presti promised an updated list of the places they shop.

Selectman Chris French asked Stanley to keep track of the hours he and Jenkins spend on recreation program business, to give selectmen an idea of hours and compensation for a future paid director.

One advantage of a paid director would be that he or she would presumably work for more than one year, providing continuity for the program. Presti suggested amending the committee by-laws to provide for directors elected for staggered multi-year terms, instead of a year at a time, would have the same benefit.

The director Sabins envisions would provide programs year-round for residents of all ages. Recreation committee members have lots of program ideas, Presti said; they need someone to implement them.

Their summer program, listed on the town website, includes three movie nights beginning at dusk at the ballfields. Twelve was presented June 25; Sonic is scheduled for July 16; and Jumanji: Next Level is scheduled for Aug. 13.

In addition to the recreation program discussion, selectmen heard an update from Codes Officer Paul Mitnik, with supplementary comments from Fire Chief Walker Thompson, on an ongoing construction project at the former church on Priest Hill Road, in North Vassalboro.

As the fiscal year drew to a close, selectmen reappointed board and committee members for 2021-22 and approved the additional lists of appointments made by Sabins and other town officers. French declined to be reappointed to the Conservation Commission.

Now that voters have approved Vassalboro’s Marijuana Business Ordinance, selectmen need to set licensing fees for existing marijuana businesses in town. After discussing the wide range of fees other area towns charge, and the amount of time they estimate Mitnik, Sabins and other officials will need to administer and enforce the ordinance, they postponed a decision to their July 15 meeting.

Mitnik said the deadline for owners of existing businesses to apply for a town license is Aug. 7, 60 days after voters approved the ordinance. He has developed an application form and notified those who need to apply.

Mitnik, who retired for the third time this spring, only to be rehired when his successor left after a week and a half, is working only two days a week. Sabins said she had received one application for the position so far.

The next regular Vassalboro selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 15.

On Thursday, July 1, the town office staff host a public retirement party for bookkeeper Jean Poulin; residents are invited to stop in that afternoon. Selectmen agreed on an appropriate retirement gift.