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

/0 Comments/in , , /by

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

/0 Comments/in , , /by

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

/0 Comments/in , /by

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

/0 Comments/in , /by
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

/0 Comments/in , , /by

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

/0 Comments/in , /by
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.”

Gov. Mills reschedules primary to July 14

/0 Comments/in , /by

photo: Janet Mills, Facebook

Order also allows for absentee ballot applications up to and including Election Day

As Maine implements strategies to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Governor Janet Mills today signed an Executive Order moving Maine’s primary election from Tuesday, June 9, 2020, to Tuesday, July 14, 2020. The Order, which is effective immediately, also allows applications for absentee ballots to be made in writing or in person, without specifying a reason, up to and including the day of the election. It also extends the deadline for qualifying contributions under the Maine Clean Election Act to May 19, 2020.

The delay in the primary election will provide additional time for Maine people to request absentee ballots in order to minimize in-person interaction at the polls and will allow the Secretary of State’s Office additional time to develop guidelines to help municipalities conduct in-person voting in as safe a manner as possible.

“A person’s right to vote is the foundation of our democracy, and I take seriously government’s responsibility to ensure that every Maine person has the opportunity to have their voice heard and to do so in a way that protects their health and safety during this unprecedented pandemic,” said Governor Mills. “This postponement will provide Maine people with more time to request an absentee ballot and will allow the Secretary of State’s Office to work with municipalities to ensure that in-person voting can be done in as safe a way as possible. I recognize the ramifications this has both for voters and those running for office this year, and I appreciate their flexibility as we work to protect our elections and the health of our people.”

“The action taken by the governor gives assurance to all Maine voters that the primary and referendum election will be available for every qualified citizen who wishes to participate,” said Secretary of State Matt Dunlap. “Even in this time of civil emergency, our democracy will be our guide for the decisions of the future, and the Governor’s actions here will further ensure the legitimacy of our unique form of self-governance.”

In addition to rescheduling Maine’s primary election, the Executive Order allows applications for absentee ballots may be made in writing or in person up to and including the day of the election in order to allow voters to obtain an absentee ballot and return it prior to the closure of the polls on July 14, 2020. Absentee ballots issued more than three months before June 9, 2020 remain valid for use in the July 14, 2020 election.

The Order also extends the Maine Clean Election Act submission deadline for qualifying contributions to 5 p.m. on May 19, 2020 instead of April 21, 2020. To become eligible for Clean Elections funding, candidates must collect a minimum number of checks or money orders of $5. Governor Mills’ Stay Healthy at Home Order effectively prevents candidates for public office from traveling door to door to collect such contributions. Candidates can and should obtain these contributions online.

North Pond Watershed Protection plan phase one a success

/0 Comments/in , , /by

photo: Google satellite view

by Linda Rice,
Secretary of North Pond Association

The North Pond Association, in partnership with the Seven Lakes Alliance, received a 319 Grant awarded in the fall of 2018 for $80,000. This grant money along with matching funds was to be used in 2018 and 2019 to implement projects initially recommended in the North Pond Watershed-Based Protection Plan. The NPA is proud to say that it has successfully completed the Phase I projects. Charlie Baeder from Seven Lakes Alliance was, and is, the project manager and without him, the following accomplishments would not have been possible.

In 2018, the Maine Department of Transportation matched funds to add riprap and pre-seeded erosion control blankets along Rte. 137, specifically on the shoreline property belonging to 170 Lake View Drive. The DOT was also tasked in repairing or replacing some culverts along Lake View Drive. Continuing the 2018 projects, the town of Smithfield matched $15,000 to stabilize a 300-foot-long embankment on North Shore Drive with riprap, seeding and hay. Approximately 225 feet was completed. Finally, in 2018, a thorough survey was conducted by Seven Lakes Alliance Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) and NPA at Pine Tree Camp to confirm erosion sites that could be mitigated with Best Management Practices (BMPs) beginning in 2019.

In 2019, second year of the Phase I Protection Plan, at least 19 erosion sites at Pine Tree Camp were repaired by the YCC including adding erosion control paths, crushed rock drip lines, armoring drainage ditches and a rain garden. The NPA’s financial support of the YCC as well as Pine Tree Camp’s monetary contribution for materials for those projects were the grant match needed to set Pine Tree Camp on the right course to slowing down erosion and runoff and protecting the water quality of North Pond. Also, the NPA contracted Lynch Landscaping to finish the 170 Lake View Drive project by planting 57 plants along the open guard-railed embankment and stabilizing the new plantings with erosion control mulch (ECM). Affectionately referred to as the “guard rail garden,” by the end of the summer of 2019, a once eroding bank was covered with common juniper, service and snowberry shrubs, sweet fern, fragrant sumac along with wildflowers including morning glories and ornamental grasses. Meadow Lane on the Serpentine Stream in Smithfield was perhaps the largest project in 2019. Significant areas of this private road were repaired. Rick Labbe donated heavy equipment and was the contractor on this project. The road itself was crowned and resurfaced and multiple ditches and culverts were repaired or added. The property owners on that road along with the East Pond Association and the NPA contributed thousands of dollars in matching grant funds to mitigate some of the erosion and run-off issues on Meadow Lane. Last but not least, the town of Smithfield was able to riprap the last 75 feet of the embankment on North Shore Drive.

The last two years yielded remarkable results thanks to the participation of the Maine DOT, town of Smithfield, and the Seven Lakes Alliance YCC. Above and beyond those accomplishments, dozens of property owners on the shores of North and Little ponds also played an important part in helping to control erosion. Over four dozen BMPs were installed on private properties either by YCC, landscaping contractors or by the owners themselves including rain gardens, buffer plants, ECM, riprap, dripline edges, infiltration steps and much more. With a little help from the NPA through their Watershed Financial Award program, thousands of dollars were contributed by these lakeside landowners to help protect the water quality of our pond.

Great news! The NPA has been awarded a second DEP Grant of $118,758 as part of our Phase II North Pond Watershed Protection Project to be implemented in 2020 and 2021. The NPA Watershed Steering Committee along with our Project Manager, Charlie Baeder will be meeting this winter and spring to plan erosion control projects throughout the North Pond Watershed. This second grant (as well as the first) was made possible in part because the NPA hired Jennifer Jespersen from Ecological Instincts to write the grant proposal to the DEP.

Funding for this project was provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act. The funding is administered by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in partnership with the EPA.

China selectmen reschedule town meeting to June 6

/0 Comments/in , /by
by Mary Grow

China selectmen made three major decisions at their April 13 virtual meeting. All were by unanimous vote of the four board members participating; Irene Belanger was absent.

The action voters need to know about first is that the annual town business meeting, initially scheduled for early April, is postponed for the second time. The new date is Saturday, June 6.

Planned informational meetings to answer voters’ questions about warrant articles are also rescheduled, to Sunday, May 31, and Wednesday, June 3.

China’s fiscal year ends June 30, and the budget approved at the 2019 town business meeting expires. Town Manager Dennis Heath said if town voters have not approved a new budget by July 1, the current budget continues in effect until voters act on a new one.

Voters could approve the 2020-21 municipal budget any time after June 30, Heath said, adding the words “retroactive to July 1” to spending authorizations.

That information led to a discussion of China’s open town meeting with a quorum of 118 registered voters needed to begin it. On the theory that people may continue to be reluctant to assemble in large groups, board members talked about trying again to eliminate the quorum requirement and about former Selectman Neil Farrington’s petition to hold future town meetings by referendum (written ballot, with polls open all day).

When voters were asked in November 2018 to eliminate the quorum requirement, they rejected the idea by a more than two-to-one margin, 505 in favor to 1,241 opposed.

Heath said he will find out whether Farrington’s petition has been submitted with enough signatures to put it on a local ballot.

The selectmen’s second decision was to authorize Heath to spend up to $25,000 from the equipment reserve fund to upgrade the telephone and computer systems at the town office complex, including the office building and two former portable classrooms behind it, one in use and one to be moved in.

Heath and Scott Fossett, president of Gardiner-based API Technology, explained the improvements, the ways they will simplify interconnections (and, Heath said, make working from home easier) and the ways the new system will save money. For example, the men said, the current system requires paying for upgrades when needed; the new system charges a monthly fee ($12.50 per user per month; Heath has signed up 17 town employees) that includes updates as Microsoft introduces them.

The third decision was to authorize an appeal of a Superior Court decision against the town regarding the former Gilman property and the abutting LaMarre property on Lakeview Drive. To summarize Heath’s summary, in 2018 former China codes officer Paul Mitnik approved what he considered a recreational vehicle on the former Gilman lot; the LaMarres appealed; Superior Court Justice William Stokes ruled the item was not a recreational vehicle and should be removed.

Heath said the decision was made without hearing oral arguments from China’s attorneys. He believes had they been heard, Justice Stokes might have interpreted the definition of “recreational vehicle” in China’s land use ordinance differently.

The manager reported town employees are working near-normal hours during the shutdown, but working together as little as possible. Town office staff take turns working in the office; public works employees do as much as they can alone, like checking road conditions and working on equipment; no more than two people are on duty together at the transfer station.

Residents who need town services, or who want to participate in one of the selectmen’s virtual meetings, should send advance requests to the town office at 445-2014 or info@chinamaine.org. Anyone can observe the meetings, in real time or afterward, on the live stream on the town website.

The next regular China selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 27.

Vassalboro budget committee and school board members come to three conclusions

/0 Comments/in , /by
by Mary Grow

Two Vassalboro Budget Committee meetings April 7 and 9 plus an April 7 school board meeting led to three conclusions.

The first was that nobody had final figures for a 2020-21 school budget, and if the town meeting were to be postponed from June 1, both committees might have their April deadlines extended. Gov. Janet Mills’ April 10 announcement moving the primary election from June 10 to July 14 made a local extension more likely; selectmen will probably decide at their April 16 meeting.

The second conclusion was that under the circumstances, town officials must make every effort to limit spending and, if possible, hold the 2020-21 tax rate at or below the current year’s rate. Below is preferable, several budget committee members said, because of the planned town-wide valuation increase that will increase tax bills even if the tax rate is unchanged.

Town Manager Mary Sabins notified committees of the impending increase, needed to realign Vassalboro valuations with state valuations and avoid, or at least delay, a costly town-wide revaluation.

The third conclusion, primarily among school board members, is that no matter how tight the budget, cutting items essential for education and for safety is a bad idea. After this spring’s disruption, students will be likely to need more help than usual in the fall, Superintendent Alan Pfeiffer and Vassalboro Community School Principal Megan Allen agreed.

The school board has reduced two positions, the Gifted and Talented teacher and the librarian, from full-time to three days a week. One position was eliminated from special education earlier in the year, Pfeiffer said.

He, Allen and School Board Chairman Kevin Levasseur all strongly support the one new position planned, a math specialist who would work with the new literacy specialist (needed to replace Kathy Cioppa, who is retiring) to expand assistance to students needing extra help.

After discussion, school board members abandoned their earlier proposal to eliminate funding for a new telephone and intercom system, considering it necessary for safety. The current one is unreliable, Technical Systems Administrator/Teacher David Trask said, and the only way to tell it’s not working is to try to use it – not a good situation in an emergency.

When budget committee members joined the virtual school board meeting, school board members explained the importance of the additional staff member and the telephone/intercom. The former is budgeted at barely over $65,000 for 2020-21, the latter at about $16,000 for the first year of a five-year lease-purchase agreement.

Asked about deferring staff raises, Levasseur said the issue would require negotiation with staff unions, currently in the second year of a three-year contract.

Asked about potential savings from the current shutdown, Pfeiffer said they are being tracked. He foresees savings in several areas – building heat, bus runs, substitute teachers – but has no figures yet.

Levasseur proposed taking more than planned from the school’s undesignated surplus account to reduce the impact on next year’s taxes.

With no final figures on either school or municipal budget requests, and without the crystal ball Chairman Rick Denico wished he had, the April 9 budget committee meeting was short.

Fire department officials Walker Thompson, Bob Williams and Michael Vashon joined the beginning of the meeting to talk about the need for a new fire truck.

Thompson described truck #15, the oldest truck at the Riverside fire station, as “unreliable,” in need of close to $20,000 worth of repairs and mostly out of service already, except that it carries the department’s extrication equipment, which will be transferred to another truck soon. Department officials are making plans to acquire a replacement in the summer of 2021, on lease-purchase, at a total price of around 334,000. The timing of the need for a first payment from taxation will depend on use of the reserve fund and whether the department can get a grant toward the cost.

Between August 2020, when #15’s inspection sticker expires, and the arrival of a new truck in the summer of 2021, Thompson said Vassalboro will rely on mutual aid from Augusta to supply an attack truck for southern Vassalboro.

After the firefighters signed out, staff salaries were a major topic, with Budget Committee members asking whether town and school employees would consider a pay freeze for next year.

Trask, president of the Vassalboro Teachers’ Association, reminded his virtual audience that school staff went through several years of postponed raises early in this century that made their contractual pay scale a hollow shell. In recent years, he said, they have begun to catch up; but Vassalboro school salaries are still so far behind other area schools that hiring and keeping staff is a problem.

As of April 9, the future virtual meeting schedule was as follows Tuesday, April 14, school board at 5:45 p.m. joined by budget committee members at 7 p.m.; and Thursday, April 16, selectmen at 1 p.m. – note daytime meeting – and budget committee at 7 p.m. Interested residents may watch the meetings live on the website by clicking on Information.