China planners hear preliminary information on second solar development

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by Mary Grow

At their first virtual meeting April 28, China Planning Board members heard preliminary information on a second proposed solar development, this one on Route 3 (Belfast Road), and scheduled a site visit and a public hearing.

SunRaise Development of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the company that previously received approval for a solar array off Windsor Road (Route 32 South) north of Erskine Academy, proposes a smaller similar project on about three-quarters of Dan Ouellette’s lot. The lot is the site of a loam-mining operation that Codes Officer Bill Butler said will be reseeded when the ground is dry enough.

On Jim Wilkens’ recommendation, board members set a site visit for 9 a.m., Saturday, May 9. Anyone planning to attend is asked to notify Butler at the China town office promptly, because participants are limited to 10, including SunRaise representatives and board members. Social distancing will be practiced.

A public hearing is scheduled for the next planning board meeting, moved from the usual second Tuesday of the month to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 19. People with questions will need to sign up to participate in the meeting or submit the questions in advance. The meeting will be available for viewing at the China website.

At the April 28 meeting, Kevin Corbett, vice-president of Construction at SunRaise, Lisa Vickers, senior project manager with Atlantic Environmental in Woolwich and Joe Marden, of Sitelines, a Brunswick engineering and surveying firm, explained that the new project will be a smaller version of the Windsor Road one.

SunRaise plans to lease most of the property – Ouellette is keeping the northeast part with Route 3 frontage. A gated access road will run south off Route 3 to about the middle of the lot, where batteries and related equipment will be grouped. A line of trees running roughly east-west will be cut.

Because the lot is smaller than the Windsor Road one, solar panels will be farther apart and slightly more tilted to reduce impervious surface. Once the ground under them is reseeded, the project will meet China’s lot coverage and phosphorus run-off requirements. The panels will have a non-glare coating.

Board members discussed questions raised by abutting landowner Neil Farrington related to run-off in the China Lake watershed and other issues. They voted that the application is complete, ready to be reviewed against China’s land use criteria after the site visit and hearing.

China group organizing gardeners to support local food pantry

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Marie Michaud’s two loves in one picture: her garden and her grandchildren. (contributed photo)

by Eric W. Austin

Marie Michaud doesn’t have any experience addressing local food shortages, but that hasn’t stopped her.

“I just feel something in my heart and I do it,” she says to explain the current project encouraging local gardeners to plant a few extra rows to support China Community Food Pantry.

Well known in China for her work on the LakeSmart initiative, Michaud researched and developed the idea of a new gardening committee to address potential food insecurity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and presented her plan to the Greater Neck Road Neighborhood Association (GNRNA), the local group sponsoring the effort.

“We are seeking volunteer gardeners to increase their garden plots and provide fresh vegetable donations,” she says. “The pandemic has caused problems in the food distribution system, so we are organizing gardeners to ensure that we can deliver harvested carrots, corn, cucumbers, potatoes, green beans/wax beans, summer squash, Swiss chard, zucchini and tomatoes to the China Food Pantry later in the summer when they are likely to need it the most.”

She also brought her idea to the China for a Lifetime committee, a town committee dedicated to supporting community activism. The plan was embraced with enthusiasm. “We support Marie’s effort one hundred percent!” says committee chairman Christopher Hahn.

Those without gardens are not being left out. “We are also looking for people willing to help tend the extra rows,” says Michaud. “We’ll need people to help harvest the veggies, and transport the items to the food pantry. We happily invite all ages to join us in this worthwhile activity. Help us spread the word by sharing this information with your family and friends!”

Those interested in participating, either by planting extra rows or by helping those that do, can contact Marie Michaud, garden chairman, at 242-0240 or by email at mmtmfarm@gmail.com.

“Please join the Greater Neck Road Neighborhood Association in our effort to plant more in our gardens,” says Michaud, “and donate fresh produce to supplement the food supplies of the China Food Pantry. As the only food pantry in our town, this worthy charitable organization has dedicated 27 years to helping address food insecurity for residents of China.”

Eric W. Austin writes about issues important to central Maine and can be reached by email at ericaustin@townline.org.

Town manager presents China COVID-19 recovery plan

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Town of China – COVID-19 Recovery Plan 4/27/20

Town of China plan for returning the municipal government to full operations

Recommended to the Select Board 4/27/20 by the COVID-19 Response Group

– The following is a plan and should not be regarded as set in stone. We will remain vigilant and ready to adjust appropriately to the guidance of the Maine CDC and executive orders of the Governor.

– Phased approach for return to full operations after Governor lifts stay-at-home order and responsive to the Maine CDC guidance for protective measures.

– Notice that the different departments are separated in the plan. This gives us the ability to implement the different phases independently, according to the needs of the individual departments and consistent with the Maine CDC guidance and Governor’s orders. The timelines for the differing phases may be changed in response to Maine CDC guidance. An example might be that Phase 1 for the Transfer Station only takes one week to complete, while it may take one month for another department.

– During Phases 1 and 2, staff and residents entering municipal buildings will be required to wear protective masks. If a resident is not in possession of a mask, a disposable mask will be available.

– The expectation is that Phase 1 for all departments will begin when the Governor lifts the “Stay Healthy at Home” order.

– In the event that use of N95 masks is possible and required, the Town will comply with OSHA and Maine Bureau of Labor Standards regulations as may be required. If the Town is not required to comply with OSHA or Maine BLS regulations, employees who elect to use the N95 masks will comply with the donning instructions that accompany the mask each day of its use.

– Reverse of process that got us to where we are now

(Phase 1—) Drive-through only

• Partial return from work-at-home; maintain social distancing
• Protective masks required for staff
• Meetings permitted in portable; protective masks required; users disinfect premises after use; follow checklist (chair responsible)
• Meetings permitted in conference room; protective masks required; users disinfect premises after use (chair responsible)

(Phase 2—) Appointment and drive-through only

• Only one person at a time; if more than one person needs to sign something, only one at a time in the office
• Protective masks required for staff
• Plastic barriers in place at counter
• Must wear a protective mask for entry to building

(Phase 3—) Walk-in service available without appointment

• Full return from work-at-home
• Protective masks required for staff
• Plastic barriers in place at counter
• Urge residents to wear protective mask

Transfer Station

Town of China – COVID-19 Recovery Plan – 4/27/20

▪ (Phase 1—) Maintain 3-day schedule
• Allow demolition debris
• Allow whitegoods
• Free-for-taking remains suspended
• Recycling remains suspended
• Staff wear protective mask
• Maintain social distancing

(Phase 2—) Return to 5-day schedule

• Allow demolition debris
• Allow whitegoods
• Free-for-taking remains suspended
• Recycling remains suspended
• Staff wear protective mask
• Maintain social distancing

(Phase 3—) Return to full operation

• Allow all disposal
• Allow whitegoods
• Free-for-taking open
• Allow recycling
• Allow redemption drop-off
• Maintain social distancing
• Urge residents to wear protective masks

PublicWorks

(Phase 1—) Return to full schedule

• Staff only; no resident contact
• Only one person per vehicle
• Protective masks required for staff inside office area

(Phase 2—) Limited access

• Only one person per vehicle
• Protective mask required for staff inside office area
• Essential resident contact only; must wear protective mask ▪ (Phase 3) Full operations

Code Enforcement Officer

(Phase 1—) Work from home with possible site visits as determined to be
necessary by CEO

• Phone/email contact only with customers
• Protective mask required for staff when in office

(Phase 2—) Appointment only

• Return from work-at-home
• Only one customer at a time; protective mask required
• Protective mask required for staff

(Phase 3—) Walk-in service without appointment

• Urge residents to wear protective mask

Vassalboro solar projects on planning agenda

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by Mary Grow

The Vassalboro Planning Board meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, virtually, with two preliminary discussions of applications for solar projects on its agenda. Neither project is related to the discussions among selectmen and school board members about buying solar power from an out-of-town project, although ReVision Energy, the company working with town officials, will present one of them.

ReVision’s proposal is for a solar array on the east side of Main Street (Route 32) near the former Vollmer’s Nursing Home.

The other solar plan is presented by Stantec Consulting Services, Inc., of Topsham, on behalf of Boston-based Longroad Energy Management, LLC. Longroad plans a 4.1 megawatt unit at 2579 Riverside Drive.

Project Manager Kara Moody, in her April 20 letter asking for the May 5 preliminary meeting with the planning board, says the solar array will be on about 20.6 acres of agricultural land.

Interested people will be able to watch the planning board meeting on-line via the Vassalboro school’s website at vcsvikings.com. Online meetings are the first item under information; the list already includes the May 5 planning board meeting, with instructions on sending comments or questions in advance.

Vassalboro school board joins town to buy out-of-town solar power

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Vassalboro Community School. (source: jmg.org)

by Mary Grow

At a special meeting April 28, Vassalboro School Board members voted to join with town officials in a plan to buy solar power from an out-of-town development.

Board members had information and advice from attorney Aga Dixon, of Drummond Woodsum, who is acting for the school and town jointly. Selectman John Melrose attended the virtual school board meeting.

The main advantages cited were stabilizing electricity costs and saving around $11,000 a year – not a big part of an $8 million school budget, but over 25 years a substantial amount.

The main hesitation was over the length of the contract, 25 years with extensions that could bring it to 40 years. During that time there will be many technological changes, board member Jolene Gamage pointed out; Vassalboro might regret the commitment.

Melrose replied that many other Maine schools and municipalities are making similar arrangements.

“If we end up screwing up, we’ll have lots of company,” he said.

Gamage was not completely reassured, but she voted in favor of the plan.

Vassalboro selectmen have accepted the solar plan, subject to legal review. A final decision is on the agenda for their Thursday, April 30, virtual meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m. and can be viewed at vcsvikings.org under “Information.”

Superintendent to China selectboard: Local school budget to have minimal impact on taxes

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photo source: JMG.org

by Mary Grow

China selectmen got some good news and some encouraging news at their April 27 meeting. They also accepted Town Manager Dennis Heath’s offer to have town office staff develop background for reviewing China’s town meeting system, a potential discussion topic at their May 11 meeting.

The good news was from Regional School Unit (RSU) #18 Superintendent Carl Gartley: the 2020-21 school budget, as now proposed, will have a minimal impact on local taxes.

Gartley said China’s share of the RSU’s almost $40 million budget will be $5,048,702, an increase of $5,628.11. Those additional dollars will increase the mil rate (tax rate for each $1,000 of valuation) by 0.11 percent, Gartley said, “almost a flat budget.”

Voters from the five RSU #18 towns (Belgrade, China, Oakland, Rome and Sidney) will approve the budget at the annual open meeting scheduled for 6 p.m., Wednesday, June 17, at Messalonskee High School, in Oakland. The decision made that evening will be subject to ratification by written ballot in each town; voting is scheduled for July 14, along with the state referendum and primary elections.

The encouraging news is that selectmen approved a plan for gradually reopening town services. However, the reopening date is undetermined and out of the town’s control. The plan is to be implemented after Gov. Janet Mills lifts the state-wide stay-at-home order and in accordance with Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations.

During discussion of the delayed resumption of recycling at the transfer station, Heath said environmentally concerned residents may add recyclables to the trash they put in the hopper, because at the Fiberight facility recyclables are separated and sold or reused. Recyclables put in the hopper will not be landfilled, he emphasized.

China gets no revenue from recyclables that Fiberight processes. Once recycling can resume without possible danger to transfer station employees, the manager expects China will again earn money from recyclables.

Selectman Janet Preston proposed the discussion of China’s town meeting format, which covered two topics: whether to eliminate the requirement for a quorum (currently 118 voters) at the annual open town meeting, and whether to eliminate the open meeting altogether and replaced it with written-ballot decisions.

Board members offered arguments on both sides of both issues.

Eliminating the quorum requirement would make it easier to hold an open meeting; but it would allow an even smaller minority of voters to make decisions for the whole town.

Eliminating the open meeting would probably encourage more participation, by giving people the option to vote at their convenience during the day; but it would make it harder for voters to get information on ballot questions. Heath said before a written ballot there would be at least two informational meetings that voters could choose to attend.

The selectmen accepted Heath’s offer to explore with town office staff the possibility of changing from an open meeting to a written ballot.

Eliminating the quorum or changing from an open meeting would each require voter approval.

The April 27 meeting was virtual, broadcast and archived at the China website. The May 11 meeting is likely to be virtual as well.

WATERVILLE: Main Street construction update

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Downtown Waterville

Waterville Works crews from Ranger Contracting began on Monday, April 20, at the south end of Main Street, at the intersection of Main, Front and Water streets, by removing necessary trees and completing the connection to the existing water main. Looking ahead, crews will continue excavating with 12” water main replacement heading towards Lockwood Hotel, up Main Street. Ranger Contracting also has a two-man crew pre-fabricating temporary water piping along Main Street for installation as needed. Another excavator is expected to arrive to assist in additional earthwork.

Courtesy of Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce.

Solar energy, Vassalboro transfer station fixes top agenda

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by Mary Grow

In addition to the 2020-21 budget, Vassalboro selectmen made progress on two other ongoing issues, solar energy and transfer station improvements, at their April 16 meeting.

Plans to add a large amount of solar energy to the town’s energy mix started as a voter-approved proposal to develop a solar array in town. After only two companies reached the point of submitting specific proposals, and one proposal was not to build in town, the plan changed to buying energy from an out-of-town project.

The decision where to buy energy has been and still is an administrative decision, selectmen said, and they can proceed without asking voters’ endorsement of the plan.

Consequently, on April 16 they unanimously authorized Town Manager Mary Sabins to sign an agreement to buy power from a planned development engineered by ReVision Energy, once the proposed contract has been reviewed by an attorney, the school board has agreed to participate and the Solar Committee has approved.

ReVision representative Andrew Kahrl said the contract the town will sign will be with the project owners/financiers, not with Revision. ReVision will build the solar array and will continue to be a contact for power buyers.

Vassalboro reschedules town meeting

Vassalboro selectmen have rescheduled the annual town meeting from Monday, June 1, to Monday, June 22, with municipal elections to follow Tuesday, June 23, instead of Tuesday, June 9. Selectmen might postpone both parts of the meeting again if the state shutdown has not ended by June 22.

The June 22 open meeting includes electing budget committee members and acting on policy issues and 2020-21 school and municipal budgets. The June 23 elections are for one seat on the board of selectmen – Barbara Redmond is unopposed – and two seats on the school board – Zachary Smith and incumbent Erin Loiko are unopposed.

The June 22 open meeting includes electing budget committee members and acting on policy issues and 2020-21 school and municipal budgets. The June 23 elections are for one seat on the board of selectmen – Barbara Redmond is unopposed – and two seats on the school board – Zachary Smith and incumbent Erin Loiko are unopposed.

The next project in line is planned in Skowhegan, he said. Output will be sold on a first-come basis, and several other municipalities are considering contracting. Kahrl hopes the Skowhegan project will be producing power early in 2021; if Vassalboro does not join, the next opportunity will probably be in production by the summer of 2021.

On his advice, Vassalboro will buy enough solar power to cover about 80 percent of local needs, to avoid buying an oversupply if needs decrease. The plan is to include the school’s electrical needs as a separate account, an arrangement acceptable to ReVision.

Kahrl said the proposed contract, which board Chairman Lauchlin Titus called “mind-boggling,” has been reviewed by attorneys for other municipalities.

Estimated savings over a 20-year contract are projected at around $600,000, and Kahrl said power production should continue beyond 20 years. Titus estimated more than half the savings would accrue to the school department, based on education’s share of the total town budget.

Selectmen expected the school board to give final approval within a few days, so the contract could be signed the week of April 20.

Also joining the April 16 virtual meeting was engineer Al Hodsdon, of Waterville, to confirm his assignment: develop a plan for the transfer station that would focus on a new trash hopper on a secure footing, to replace aging components and improve efficiency.

Auxiliary assignments, if possible within the maximum $100,000 budget, would be to design a place for the old compactor to become a back-up and consider moving the entrance onto Lombard Dam Road farther east, to improve sight distance. The $100,000 includes the new compactor and Hodsdon’s fee for engineering.

Selectmen took two other non-budgetary actions:

  • They voted unanimously to postpone interest on taxes unpaid after the April 27 deadline (the fourth 2019-20 quarterly payment) until the end of the state emergency declaration or June 30, whichever comes first. Normally, interest begins to accrue seven days after each quarterly due date, by town meeting vote.
  • They appointed Meridith Cain a member of the Trail Committee.
    The next regular Vassalboro selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 30. It is expected to be another virtual meeting that can be viewed at vcsvikings.org.

Vassalboro school budget will not increase town’s tax rate

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Vassalboro Community School. (source: jmg.org)

by Mary Grow

Vassalboro School Board members have given preliminary approval to a 2020-21 school budget that, for the second year in a row, will not increase the town’s tax rate.

At the April 14 school board meeting, board members thanked Superintendent Alan Pfeiffer, who in turn thanked staff members at Vassalboro Community School (VCS) and in the regional school consortium and Town Manager Mary Sabins.

At the joint meeting with the budget committee that followed the school soard meeting, board member Jolene Gamage warned budget committee members and people watching the virtual meetings that the flat tax cannot last forever.

“It’s not fair to the kids,” she said, to postpone building maintenance, updated textbooks and other expenditures indefinitely.

Another budget-related issue was discussion of the decision to reduce the Gifted and Talented teacher’s position from five to three days a week. Gamage said she received an email questioning the balance between supporting gifted students and supporting those who qualify for the extra help provided by special education services.

Board Chairman Kevin Levasseur agreed with Gamage that families move to Vassalboro because of its high-quality special education program.

“That’s who we are. That’s who we’ve been for a number of years,” Levasseur said.

Pfeiffer estimates between three and five percent of VCS students are identified as gifted and talented. About 27 percent qualify for special education, he said.

The summary sheet for the overall budget shows almost $1.469 million for special education and more than $3.477 million for VCS (essentially, pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade regular education, including the Gifted and Talented program). The third major category in the $7.967 million dollar budget is tuition, at slightly over $2 million.

In addition to next year’s budget, board members made decisions and heard reports on various school-related activities.

They unanimously approved keeping VCS closed until further notice and resuming in-building classes only when recommended by Governor Janet Mills, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Maine Department of Education (DOE). They hope that classes can reconvene for a day or two this spring to ease the transition into summer vacation and fall classes.

Pfeiffer said after surveying staff members, he recommended that virtual teaching continue through what would have been April vacation. Skipping vacation and other schedule adjustments made it possible to move the last day of classes to Friday, June 5. Board members unanimously approved.

The preliminary 2020-21 calendar has classes beginning Tuesday, Aug. 25. Pfeiffer said the proposed calendar is coordinated with Waterville and Winslow high schools and Erskine Academy.

Principal Megan Allen described some modifications to the virtual learning schedule that started in March. The virtual learning is “basically refining skills” rather than adding new educational content, she said.

Plans for the near future include virtual parent-teacher conferences; making it easier for students to access computers; and distributing a newsletter, both in printed copies around town and on the VCS website. The pre-kindergarten screening originally scheduled for late April is postponed.

Vassalboro school buses are still delivering meals. Assistant Principal Aaron McCullough said on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays volunteers assemble in the VCS kitchen to pack 390 bags with two breakfasts and 390 more with two lunches. Other volunteers ride the bus routes to deliver the free meals wherever a student’s family is waiting.

School board members unanimously approved continued participation in the town’s solar energy project. First intended to create a solar farm somewhere in Vassalboro, the plan is now amended to buy power from a solar development outside town boundaries.

After a special April 20 meeting that included information from and discussion with attorney Aga Dixon, of Drummond Woodsum, the Portland firm consulted by many Maine school officials, school board members did not take the final step of agreeing to a contract to buy solar power. Instead, they plan to hold another special meeting Tuesday evening, April 28.

The next regular Vassalboro School board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday evening, May 19, and is planned as a virtual meeting.

Vassalboro selectmen, school board, budget committee agree on proposed 2020-21 budget

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by Mary Grow

In successive meetings April 14 and 16, Vassalboro Budget Committee members reviewed and endorsed proposed 2020-21 school and municipal budgets. They reviewed an almost-final draft of the town meeting warrant and agreed with selectmen’s and school board members’ recommendations on proposed expenditures.

Because the annual town meeting at which voters act on the next year’s budget has been postponed to June 22 (tentatively), Town Manager Mary Sabins and the school department have extra time to put the warrant in final form.

The proposed budgets in their current forms will leave the Vassalboro tax rate where it is this year. The amount of money needed from taxation has increased; however, Town Manager Mary Sabins expects property valuation will also have increased due to new construction so that the money will come from a bigger base. If, as Sabins expects, the assessor increases all valuations by at least five percent, to come closer to state standards, each taxpayer’s valuation will increase but the rate should go down enough to balance the increase.

However, there are still budget uncertainties. For example, Selectman John Melrose said the Kennebec County budget might increase more than selectmen expect. Revenues from the state and federal governments are less certain than usual in the current economic situation.

Since school board members began budget review in mid-March, they have reduced the money needed from taxation by more than $295,000, partly by deleting items and partly by reallocating funding to other sources.

Major deletions from the initial proposed budget include reducing insurance costs, after the increase for 2020-21 came in at less than one percent; cutting two full-time positions, Gifted and Talented and librarian/media specialist, to 3/5 positions; and refiguring the tuition account.

The school department has transferred half a special education secretary’s salary and benefits to MaineCare.

Two new expenditures that board members consider essential are replacing the antiquated and unreliable telephone/intercom system and hiring a math specialist in addition to the reading specialist (a position VCS has had for years that will be filled by a new person in the fall as Kathy Cioppa retires). The budget approved April 14 pays for the first-year telephone/intercom lease with money saved during the current shutdown and for the math specialist from Title I federal funds.

Budget committee members have repeatedly asked how much money the shutdown is saving. Superintendent Alan Pfeiffer said the administration is keeping track but not yet totaling figures. He estimated up to $40,000 will not be spent on heating the building, using buses daily and for field trips, hiring substitute teachers, paying coaches’ stipends for spring sports and other items.

Regional school association staff now need to translate the budget accepted by the School Board into the warrant articles required by the state.

The draft municipal budget, like the school budget, should have no effect on the tax rate, assuming no major changes in non-tax revenues or required expenditures.

At their April 16 meeting selectmen made decisions on previously-discussed topics (see The Town Line, April 9 and also here).

They are not recommending a pay freeze for staff, nor are they recommending additional pay increases in the public works department based on length of service. Sabins polled five nearby towns and found their raises will proceed as planned, and Vassalboro school officials intend to honor contractual pay increases. Sabins said municipal employees are scheduled to get a 2.5 percent increase.

Board Chairman Lauchlin Titus said so far there is no sign that the world-wide drop in oil prices will translate into lower paving costs by summer. Selectmen added $16,000 from undesignated fund balance to the paving budget to reduce demand on taxes. If paving costs do drop, they hope to do additional work, for example, paving at least part of the town garage driveway.

The volunteer fire department’s request for a new fire truck is in the town meeting warrant, under terms that would postpone the first payment from taxation until the summer of 2023. However, the selectmen unanimously and the budget committee by a 6-2 vote (with two abstentions) advise voters to reject the article.

Titus said out of respect for the firefighters, he wanted the article presented to voters; but, he told budget committee members, he thinks “it’s a big commitment for the town to enter into in the current situation.”