Fairfield election results from November 3, 2020

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

The following are the unofficial election results from the town of Fairfield, as submitted by Fairfield Town Clerk Christine Keller.

President: Trump/Pence, 1,845; Biden/Harris, 1,428; Jorgensen/Cohen, 71; Hawkins/Walker, 36; DeLaFuente/Richardson, 9.

U.S. Senator: Susan Collins, 2,001; Sara Gideon, 1,110; Lisa Savage, 207; Max Linn, 70.

Representative to Congress District 2: Jared Golden, 1,758; Dale Crafts, 1,605.

Maine Senate, District #16: Scott Cyrway, 2,137; Hilary Koch, 1,203.

Maine House of Representatives, District #108: Shelley Rudnicki, 1,727; Nathaniel White, 1,560.

Somerset County Judge of Probate: Robert M. Washburn, 2,965.

Somerset County Register of Probate: Victoria M. Hatch, 2,957.

Somerset County Commissioner: Robert Sezak, 2,999.

Fairfield Town Council, 3-year term: Mark Cooper, 1,487; Veronique Carrier, 914; Daniel Kissinger, 550.

MSAD #49 School Board, 3-year term (2 seats): Rachel Hachey, 2,920.

Kennebec Water District: Bruce Williams, 1,970; Caroline Toto-Lawrence, 1,007.

In China, 2 incumbents, newcomer gain selectboard seats

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by Mary Grow

In Nov. 3 local elections, China voters re-elected two incumbent selectmen and chose Blane Casey to fill the seat vacated by Donna Mills-Stevens.

Results of the five-person race for three positions, reported by Town Clerk Angela Nelson well after 11 p.m. on Election Day, were as follows: Blane Casey, 1,445 votes; incumbent Janet Preston, 1,148; incumbent Ronald Breton, 1,030; Brent Chesley, 722; and Jeanne Marquis, 719.

The rest of the candidates’ ballot had no contests. Voters re-elected four incumbents: Toni Wall and Jim Wilkens to the planning board, with 1,901 and 1,778 votes respectively; and Tim Basham and Tom Rumpf to the budget committee, with 1,928 and 1,864 votes respectively.

There were numerous write-in votes for three positions without listed candidates: Planning board District 4, Budget Committee secretary and budget committee at-large member. Nelson said town office staff will determine that those who received the most votes for each position live in the proper district and are willing to accept election.

Two amendments to China’s solid waste ordinances passed by generous margins,1,380 to 782 and 1,360 to 793. Both replace references to stickers for admission to the transfer station with references that cover the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system now used.

Complete China results, including votes for national and state elective positions, are available on the town website, china.govoffice.com.

Nelson said voters started arriving before 6:30 a.m., half an hour before the polls opened, and kept coming all day; the average time waiting in line was an hour. “People were patient,” she said, though some complained when election officials did not hand out the usual “I Voted Today” stickers.

China TIF committee reviews past, future activities

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by Mary Grow

Members of China’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Committee spent most of their Oct. 27 virtual meeting reviewing a list of past and planned future activities.

Pending items include proposed amendments to the town’s TIF document that, if approved by voters, will make the list longer, for example by authorizing funding assistance to out-of-town projects that benefit the town. An example given was the Alewife Restoration Project (ARI). The project goal is to allow alewives access to China Lake to improve water quality, by removing or modifying dams on Outlet Stream in Vassalboro.

Town Manager Becky Hapgood intends to have questions about upgrading the TIF document on the warrant for the 2021 annual town business meeting, currently scheduled to be held in May.

Expanding broadband access in China is one project the TIF Committee is helping finance. Committee members approved recommending that China selectmen appropriate $5,750 from TIF funds toward the project.

Four Seasons Club President Tom Rumpf asked for continued TIF funding in the 2021-22 budget, and presented information on the financial benefits users of Four Seasons Club trails bring to town businesses. The trails, he added, are open to everyone, not just for snowmobiling and four-wheeling, but for walking and other recreational uses.

Committee members postponed action on the club’s request until their next meeting. Committee Chairman Tom Michaud said the trails are well regarded by town and area residents.

Michaud gave an update on the causeway project at the head of China Lake’s east basin (see The Town Line, Oct. 29, p. 1). The new bridge and the planned walkway and other related improvements are a major TIF expenditure.

An issue involving the Revolving Loan Fund subcommittee was on the Oct. 27 agenda, but most of the subcommittee members have resigned from the TIF Committee. No action was taken.

China’s TIF is funded by taxes Central Maine Power Company pays on its power line running north-south through town and its substation in South China. Under state law, money can be used for economic development, with voters approving expenditures for different projects. Yet another job of the TIF Committee is recommending changes in allocations of funds among projects.

Committee members scheduled their next meeting for 6 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 17. Michaud hopes they will be able to meet in person.

Vassalboro ballfields discussed, final action possible Nov. 12

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by Mary Grow

Vassalboro selectmen got rid of one item of continuing business at their Oct. 28 meeting: they learned that the Vassalboro Conservation Commission seems on the way to reviving itself, and decided they did not need to discuss its future again.

An issue raised at their Oct. 15 meeting, use of the town ballfields during the coronavirus epidemic, was rediscussed, with final action possible at the Nov. 12 selectmen’s meeting.

Town Manager Mary Sabins had drafted a policy for selectmen’s review. Board members suggested three changes, including making it clear that management of school fields is up to school officials, even though the school is now a town department.

Melrose, who had been listening to news on his way to the meeting, shared information on the alarming increase in Covid-19 cases in Maine provided during a hastily-scheduled Oct. 28 news conference by Dr. Nirav Shah, director of Maine’s Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Governor Janet Mills.

At Sabins’ request, board members reviewed the draft request for bids on the Gray Road culvert prepared by Calderwood Engineering of Richmond. Most questions they left to Sabins and the firm’s representative to resolve.

An issue of particular local importance is how long the Gray Road will be closed. The bid specifications say 30 days; board Chairman John Melrose wondered whether giving the chosen contractor less time would be possible, and if possible, would increase the price.

Current plans are to seek bids early in 2021, with the work to be done in the summer. State regulations limit in-stream work to the period from mid-July to the end of September, Sabins said.

Sabins’ financial report for the first quarter of the fiscal year that began July 1 indicated the town is “doing okay,” with revenues slightly higher than expected, Melrose summarized.

Melrose raised two issues related to plans for Vassalboro’s 2021 semiquincentennial (250th) anniversary celebration. Fellow board members Robert Browne and Barbara Redmond endorsed his plan to look for a safe place for a fireworks display. No one could suggest a historic place, he said, because no one could remember a public fireworks display in town.

The Vassalboro Historical Society has talked with a craftsman who will begin restoring the damaged statue of a Civil War soldier in the East Vassalboro park beside the Historical Society building (formerly the East Vassalboro school), Melrose said. Historical Society members have a design for the project and a source of matching granite (in Rhode Island). Melrose said they plan a fundraising campaign and probably a request for town funds in the 2021-22 municipal budget.

Sabins presented the initial schedule of selectmen’s and budget committee meetings leading up to the 2021 annual town meeting, scheduled for Monday evening, June 7, and Tuesday, June 8. June 8 will also be the state voting day; in Vassalboro, voters will elect local officials, approve or reject the school budget approved at the open meeting the night before and act on any local referendum questions selectmen might propose.

If coronavirus restrictions remain in place, public meetings with 10 budget committee members, three selectmen and the town manager, plus a potential audience, might have to be virtual.

As selectmen prepared to adjourn, Melrose asked if Sabins, Browne and Redmond are comfortable with in-person meetings. The answer was yes, with the hope they can continue to open windows in the town office meeting room when the weather gets colder.

The selectmen’s meeting, held – unusually – on a Wednesday afternoon, was followed by a tour of the town’s two fire stations.

Grant request made for school generator

The day after the Vassalboro selectmen’s Oct. 28 meeting, Town Manager Mary Sabins submitted a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant request for a generator at Vassalboro Community School. The purpose is to make it possible to use the school as an emergency shelter when needed due to extreme weather or other disruptive events.

Sabins said the expected cost of a generator large enough to power the entire building is $115,000. Vassalboro will be expected to provide 25 percent of the cost, or $28,750. Voters at the June 2019 town meeting appropriated $28,000 for the project; Sabins said the money is still available, and the additional $750 could be taken from elsewhere in the budget or from the $15,000 contingency fund voters grant selectmen each year.

The town manager expressed thanks to Anne Fuchs, Director of Mitigation, Planning, and Recovery/State Hazard Mitigation Officer at the Maine Emergency Management Agency, for help in preparing the application.

Sabins does not know when she will hear whether FEMA has awarded Vassalboro a grant.

Vassalboro school closed for two weeks

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Vassalboro Community School (contributed photo)

Alan Pfeiffer, superintendent of schools in Vassalboro, issued a letter on November 1, to inform the community that the spouse of a staff member at Vassalboro Community School recently tested positive for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID 19). The letter was sent to notify the public of the closing of the building for the next two weeks, per a strong recommendation from the Maine CDC (November 2 – November 15). “We are going to do full remote learning for the next two weeks. Our in-person learning will plan to resume Monday, November 16 – a BLUE cohort day,” said Pfeiffer. “You will be updated more as we hear from the Maine CDC.”

Maine CDC or a school representative will contact you directly if you are identified as a close contact to an individual who tested positive. Close contacts will be asked to quarantine for 14 days after the last exposure to the positive individual. A negative test result does not get an individual out of quarantine.

Maine CDC recommends measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These measures include proper hand washing with soap and water, which is especially important after using the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. When soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, and avoid close contact with people who are sick. Cover your cough or sneeze into a tissue, and then throw the tissue in the trash. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray and wipe.

Vassalboro Community School will be cleaned according to the federal CDC guidelines.

For general COVID-19 questions, dial 211 (or 1-866-811-5695). You can also text your zip code to 898-211 or email ​infor@211maine.org​, ​www.maine.gove/dhhs/coronavirus​ or www.cdc.gove/coronoavirus​. The letter can be read in its entirety at vcsvikings.org.

China manager, selectmen discuss continuing newsletters

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by Mary Grow

The Covid-19 grant that is paying for the weekly newsletters from the China Town Office has run out, but Town Manager Becky Hapgood and a majority of the selectmen would like the newsletters to continue.

Hapgood told selectmen at their Oct. 26 all-zoom meeting that mailing the newsletters costs about $520 a week. She proposed cutting back from weekly to bi-monthly mailings for November and December; paying the approximately $2,100 from the $55,000 contingency fund voters gave selectmen at town meeting (it has a balance of about $54,966 to last until June 30, 2021, Hapgood said); and reviewing the situation in January.

She said residents tell her they read and appreciate the newsletters, which report on town business, including things like town office and transfer station hours and upcoming events, pandemic updates and other useful information. Selectman Irene Belanger thought it “a nice touch” to remind people shut in their houses that town office staff have not forgotten them.

Board Chairman Ronald Breton and member Wayne Chadwick were concerned the contingency fund might be needed more urgently for other things. Breton commented that the situation was not unusual: grant funding starts a project and then drops it. He recommended if the newsletter were to continue beyond December it be discussed as part of the 2021 municipal budget, a suggestion Hapgood agreed with.

Ultimately, the board voted 3-1 for four more newsletter issues. Breton, Belanger and Janet Preston were in favor, Chadwick opposed and Donna Mills-Stevens not present.

China’s town office and transfer station will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 11, in observance of Veterans’ Day, and Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26 and 27, for Thanksgiving. On Saturday, Nov. 28, the transfer station will be open as usual, 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The other main issue discussed Oct. 26 was Codes Officer Bill Butler’s report on three dangerous buildings, on Fire Road 9, Fire Road 58 and Lakeview Drive. As legally required, he had notified the owners that he had determined the buildings to be dangerous and requested action.

No owner had replied, he said. Under the law, the next step is to refer the matter to the selectmen, who should consult with the town attorney. After that, the property owners and the codes officer would testify at a public hearing and the selectmen would decide whether to order the structures repaired or demolished – “not a fun thing,” in Butler’s opinion.

If an owner still takes no action, the law allows the town to remedy the dangerous situation and bill the owner. The bill, if unpaid, could become a tax lien; the lien, if unpaid, could result in the town owning the property.

“They’re not safe, so we have to address them,” Breton said of the three buildings. He asked Hapgood to consult with town attorney Amanda Meader.

In response to Breton’s inquiry at a previous meeting, Butler explained China’s penalty assessment guidelines for violations of town ordinances. He said they are based on state Department of Environmental Protection guidelines and therefore deal mostly with environmental issues.

With fines of up to $1,000 a day authorized, Butler considers the guidelines adequate to deter would-be violators.

The main use of the guidelines is not to impose huge fines, but to suggest appropriate figures for negotiating consent agreements between town officials and violators of town ordinances, in Butler’s view. If selectmen want to amend them, he suggested expanding them to include the building code and other not-strictly-environmental ordinances.

In other business Oct. 26, resident Tom Michaud, speaking for the Tax Increment Finance (TIF) Committee, said work is starting on installing shoreline protection and a walkway and improving the boat landing at the head of China Lake’s east basin. He is optimistic that the project will be done by the end of November as scheduled.

Selectmen unanimously approved Hapgood’s suggestion they use another approximately $800 from the contingency fund to hire a consultant to review the town’s personnel policy. Covid-related operational changes have outdated parts of it, the manager said.

After an executive session with Meader, Hapgood reported selectmen voted to authorize Meader to sign a settlement agreement with Brent Chesley. Chesley’s permit application for a retaining wall to control erosion along his China Lake waterfront was denied by Butler in May, leading to a split Board of Appeals vote upholding the codes officer and legal discussions.

The consent order resulting from the Oct. 26 discussion, approved in Kennebec Superior Court, allows Chesley to build the wall as approved by an Oct. 2019 state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) permit, without additional town permits. The court decision says the DEP permit specifies that the retaining wall is “to be constructed upland from the existing normal high water mark of China Lake.”

The next two China selectmen’s meetings are scheduled for Monday evening, Nov. 9, and Monday evening, Nov. 23.

WINDSOR: Shoulder work complete on all roads; assessors grant abatements

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Compiled by The Town Line staff

The September 29 meeting of the Windsor Board of Selectmen opened with the board voting to adopt the MMA Model Ordinance GA Appendices (A-H) for the period of October 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021.

Public Works director Keith Hall reported that all shoulder work in the town has been completed, with the roads still needing to be marked so the center line can be painted. It was also suggested that the electronic speed sign be placed on Coopers Mills Road, Griffin Rod, Weeks Mills Road or even at the Windsor School area, as these areas typically experience high traffic with excessive speeds. It was believed that the state Department of Transportation may need to be contacted for any state road.

Hall also reported that public works hours have gone back to Monday through Friday, eight hours a day.

Transfer Station director Timothy Coston said the compactor was scheduled for servicing on October 14. All fluids to be drained and filters and screens checked.

Reporting on the cemetery, Sexton Joyce Perry indicated that 61 stones in North, three in Resthaven and nine others in the cemeteries need to be raised and cleaned, at an estimated cost of $1,870. The selectmen approved the expenditure. The cemeteries will be closed on October 30. Money, from the cemetery maintenance account was also unanimously approved for four to six inches of loam to be spread to help the grass grow.

Three junkyard permits were unanimously approved to Allen Rogers, Stanley Pelletier and Millard Nicker III.

The board then suspended its meeting and convened as the board of assessors.

The assessors unanimously accepted tax abatement requests by Oxford Property Management for $244.48, and to Scott Thibodeau for $128.

A tree growth penalty was assessed to Donna and Paul Pinkham in the amount of $1,420 by a unanimous vote.

The board of selectmen then reconvened and adjourned. All members of the board of selectmen were present for the meeting.

The next regular meeting of the Windsor Board of Selectmen took place on October 13.

China planning board approves two requests after more detailed explanations

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by Mary Grow

Both items on the China Planning Board’s Oct. 20 agenda needed some explaining, but once the situations were clear board members quickly agreed on unanimous approvals.

The first issue dealt with a subdivision on Fire Road 51, off Lakeview Drive (Route 202), originally established by Rick Fischer’s parents and, Board Chairman Tom Miragliuolo said, approved in 1971. Fischer believes it might have been the first subdivision in China.

Over the years, he explained, part of the subdivision was developed and planned interior roads were built. In the part left undeveloped, the roads were not built and became what he referred to as “paper streets.”

During a 2014 transaction, ownership of the paper streets was mistakenly assigned to abutting landowners. They should belong to the Fischer family, Fischer explained. To eliminate future confusion, he needed – and received – approval of an Oct. 14, 2020, revised plan that made no changes in anyone’s land ownerships or access rights, but restored the streets to their previous situation.

The second permit request was for repair work on Fire Road 11, off Neck Road, in shoreland and resource protection zones. The China Region Lakes Alliance (CRLA) is supporting the work under its Gravel Roads Rehabilitation Program (GRRP). Fire Road 11 Association President Danny Boivin and member Mickey Wing explained the plans via speaker-phone.

The work includes improving ditches and other run-off controls, Wing said. It is supported by all members of the road association, whether or not their property will be affected, and residents on nearby Fire Road 10 have been consulted. The desired end result is a road that is environmentally improved, easier to keep passable year-round and narrower (because material that has been graded out to the sides will be turned into a grass buffer).

Wing expected work to begin promptly after planning board approval. Board members approved with one condition, putting up appropriate signs to warn and direct delivery-truck drivers during construction.

The next China Planning Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday evening, Nov. 10.

China residents discuss Causeway improvements at hearing

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Work continues on the Causeway at the head of China Lake. Phase 2 of the project is scheduled to be completed in mid-November. (photo by Roland Hallee)

Causeway construction in China to last through mid-November

by Jeanne Marquis

The completion of the Phase II Causeway Road bridge will provide a more walkable, accessible and family friendly area for residents and visitors. As with any renovation project, this one comes with a degree of inconvenience and mess, but this project also has generated a good deal of anticipation.

Photo depicts the type of guardrail to be installed in Phase II. (provided by Mark McCluskey of A.E. Hodsdon Engineers)

Mark McCluskey, of A.E. Hodsdon Engineers, of Waterville, provided a schematic and photo for a preview of the completed project. The new guardrails will be placed further away from the roadway to allow for wider shoulders. A walkway will be added for pedestrians and a platform added for fishing. Erosion barriers will be added to protect from the wear and tear from the natural elements.

The photo that McCluskey provided shows the new guardrails which will replace the temporary rails placed during Phase I. These wooden rails will be more aesthetically pleasing and easier for parents to get their young children over to access their favorite fishing spots.

Mark McCluskey said, “We are extremely excited about getting the work done and feel it will be a substantial improvement to the shoreline stabilization, safety for the public and will provide much needed improvements.”

The planning for the Causeway Road bridge renovation project began when the Maine Department of Transportation had determined the bridge, built in the 1930s, would only last for another five or 10 years. Phase I work began in the Fall of 2018 when the old bridge was demolished. During Phase I, the remaining foundation was reinforced by stone, the culvert was raised, the new road was laid and a temporary guardrail was installed. Phase II is projected to be completed by mid-November 2020.

Schematics for the work at the Causeway. (provided by Mark McCluskey of A.E. Hodsdon Engineers)

According to China Town Manager Becky Hapgood, the work is being done by McGee Construction, of Gardiner. They will be installing a redi-rock retaining wall, rip-rap, a sidewalk on the lake side with improved guardrails and lighting, and improving the boat launch. There was a slight delay with the redi-rock retaining wall, but the redi-rock is now being delivered at a cost below budget. Hapgood said, “Residents can expect a boat launch that is safer and easier to navigate with a pleasant area to walk along the Causeway.”

Hapgood went on to say that she is not aware of any more that will be done but there has been some mention of a Phase 3.

China selectmen candidates explain their position on local topics

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Louisa Barnhart moderated the discussion.

by Mary Grow

The five candidates for three seats on China’s Board of Selectmen answered questions at an on-line Oct. 18 forum sponsored by the Albert Church Brown Memorial Library in China Village.

When ballots are counted after the polls close Nov. 3, three people will be elected to serve two-year terms as selectmen. The ballot choices are, in alphabetical order, Ronald Breton (incumbent), Blane Casey, Brent Chesley, Jeanne Marquis and Janet Preston (incumbent).

Moderator Louisa Barnhart first asked each person to summarize his or her qualifications for the local office.

Ron Breton

Breton cited his 12 years as a planning board member and then a selectman, including chairing both boards. In his military career, he learned leadership skills and how to communicate, and he managed large budgets.

Casey, an independent businessman and second-generation China resident, said dealing with lots of people has taught him to listen, to compromise and to solve problems.

Chesley, co-owner of a large highway construction business, cited his knowledge of public works projects. He said he listens to his employees to get information he needs to make good decisions and appropriate compromises. Born in Lincoln, he has lived in China for 16 years.

Jeanne Marquis

Marquis, who returned to China to take care of her elderly father in the house the family has owned for five generations, said her journalism training at Northwestern University taught her to research issues and to listen. She encouraged selectmen to initiate more communication with residents.

Preston, formerly a China School Committee member, cited her unique perspective as an educator, which she said helps her work with varied people, listen well and explain things clearly. She described herself as open-minded, non-judgmental and, as a math teacher, focused on problem-solving. She and her family have lived in their house in China for 30 years, she said.

Asked about taxes and the town budget, Breton and Preston agreed the current board studies expenditures carefully and does not waste taxpayers’ money. Chesley’s opinion is that “People are pretty well maxed out on taxes.” Marquis said compared to other Maine towns of comparable size, China’s tax rate is about in the middle.

Neither Chesley nor Casey had had time to review the budget looking for specifics, but Casey believes a town can always save money – and perhaps increase some allocations. Marquis pointed out that China currently contributes more to FirstPark, the Oakland business park, than the town gets in return, though the new park manager might improve the balance; and she suggested China’s Emergency Preparedness Committee should have money available for things like pandemic supplies and generators residents could borrow.

Brent Chesley

Chesley recommended inviting more homeowners and especially more business owners to town, to increase the property tax base. Marquis, who advocated repeatedly for open space and China’s natural environment, disagreed with “overdeveloping China” and preferred seeking grants and other funding sources.

Moderator Barnhart’s broad questions about additional community facilities and services brought a variety of answers from the five candidates. Several cited recommendations in China’s comprehensive plan.

Casey and Chesley were least enthusiastic about expanding services. Casey said he is unaware of additional services residents are looking for, but invited suggestions. Chesley’s wording was that he is unaware of additional services residents need, versus what some might want.

Both men would consider elderly housing, if it were provided by private developers and, Chesley added, if there were community support. Casey said one service he recommends is more flexible town office hours to accommodate working residents.

Marquis endorsed expansion of broadband service, now being sought by the town’s broadband committee, and said more solar power would save money. She favors the comprehensive plan recommendations for more youth recreational programs and programs for the elderly.

Janet Preston

Preston favors elderly housing with services, though she has no specific plan yet. She would also like to see more bike paths, especially around China Lake, pointing out that cyclists now have Lakeview Drive with paved shoulders and heavy traffic on one side and back roads without shoulders the rest of the way.

Breton said China has a committee looking into elderly housing possibilities. He too favors more recreational areas. He would also like more law enforcement coverage, though voters at the 2020 town meeting did not approve hiring a full-time police chief.

The idea of a town community center, rejected by voters in June 2019, brought varied reactions.

Marquis proposed, in present circumstances, using the town-owned 40-acre lot on Lakeview Drive opposite the former Candlewood Camps for an outdoor pavilion with a firepit, a farmers’ market and perhaps later a community center building. She suggested funding the building through donations (with major donors offered naming rights), not taxes.

Chesley could see the Lakeview Drive property being used for an amphitheater, hiking trails and/or a farmers’ market – but he is concerned about the cost. China has already invested in recreational facilities like Thurston Park and the causeway project at the head of China Lake’s east basin, he reminded the audience.

Breton favors an earlier plan that he realizes was and is unpopular: a building on the Lakeview Drive land that would house a community center, the current three fire departments and perhaps China Rescue and a police office. He approved the farmers’ market idea; the town office parking lot might be another possible site, he suggested. If voters don’t want to use the Lakeview Drive land, he recommends selling it; town-owned land does not pay property taxes, he pointed out.

Neither Marquis nor Preston is currently willing to sell the lot. Both favor public access to outdoor areas, for dog-walking (Preston) and other quality-of-life reasons (Preston and Marquis).

Preston favors a community center somewhere in town. She sees the tentative plan to consolidate China’s two schools and free the present middle school for town use as no longer a possibility and suggested possible use of the large building at the China Baptist Conference Center on Neck Road.

Blane Casey

Casey and Chesley listed multiple underutilized buildings in town and opposed adding a community center. If there is to be a community center and central fire station, it should be close to the center of town, not at the north end of Lakeview Drive, Casey said.

Another previously-controversial issues, public access to China Lake, found the majority of the candidates favoring the idea, at least in principle. Preston, who served on the committee that proposed buying the Candlewood lakefront property and had its recommendation rejected by voters, still strongly supports a public beach.

Marquis agreed, and Breton hopes China’s revised comprehensive plan will include lake access as a goal. Chesley would not oppose a town beach at the right price, in the right place and with a maintenance plan. Casey does not know of available land, and is concerned about costs and potential liability.

The China library’s first on-line forum ran smoothly, thanks to the organizational and technical skills of librarians Carla Gade and Miranda Perkins and trustees Jim Hart (computer expert) and Barnhart (Zoom hostess and forum moderator).

To view the video of the China selectperson candidates’ forum, please click here.