New food pantry opens in Winslow

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A new food pantry has opened at the Winslow Congregational Church, on Lithgow St. (photo courtesy of Bruce Bottiglierie)

by Dave Carew

A new food pantry, Winslow Community Cupboard, is launching operations at Winslow Congregational Church, 12 Lithgow Street, Winslow, to assist those struggling with food-insecurity during these extremely difficult times, and beyond. The new food pantry is a partnership with Good Shepherd Food Bank.

Food will be available at Winslow Community Cupboard the second and fourth Thursday of each month, from noon to 3 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Each individual seeking assistance must register with the food pantry. To ensure proper social-distancing during pick-up, food will be distributed car-side.

“We decided to open Winslow Community Cupboard to serve families who have had ongoing food- insecurity issues, as well as those who are new to this, having recently lost a job or having been forced to stop working as a ‘non-essential business’ owner or worker,” said Anna Quattrucci, assistant operations manager of Winslow Community Cupboard.

Scott Taylor, a member of Winslow Congregational Church involved with the launch of the food pantry, said the “Cupboard” is directly linked to the mission of the church. “We serve God by serving our neighbors in Winslow. Just as we believe Jesus is with us in the midst of our struggles and difficulties, we try to be with our neighbors in theirs.”

While Winslow Community Cupboard is now being launched in an official sense, the food pantry has been less formally open at various times during the past week, as formal operations were being ramped up. During that time, the food pantry served over 130 people needing assistance. Predictably, the food pantry has received solid support from businesses and individuals in Winslow.

“We are extremely appreciative of area businesses and residents who have supported us with monetary donations, food donations, and much-needed freezers and refrigerators,” said Ms. Quattrucci.

Organizations or individuals wishing to support the new food pantry may send much-appreciated checks to Winslow Community Cupboard / 12 Lithgow Street, Winslow ME 04901 or donate online at: https://winslowucc.org/winslow-community-cupboard/

For more information, please call Winslow Congregational Church at (207) 872-2544 or send email to WinslowCupboard@gmail.com.

Water works planned for downtown Waterville

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Downtown Waterville

Kennebec Water District (KWD) is scheduled to begin updates of the existing water main infrastructure in downtown Waterville in partnership with the City of Waterville’s upcoming Downtown Revital­ization Project. With an anticipated start date of April 20, 2020, KWD will begin replacement of pipes originally installed in 1905 and earlier, moving service from old cast-iron mains to modern cement-lined ductile iron pipes. The streets affected by this construction project will be: Main, Front, Appleton, Temple, Common, Hathaway, Leighton, and Deeb. No water rate increases are expected as a result of this project for KWD customers, and the project is estimated to be completed in November 2020.

Maine Department of Labor announces new alphabet system for unemployment claims

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Maine Department of Labor

After receiving an unprecedented number of unemployment claims due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) announced a new alphabetical-by-last-name call-in schedule for Maine people filing for unemployment benefits. The new schedule will help reduce phone line congestion as the Department ramps up its capacity to receive and process claims.

Starting Monday, April 6, Maine people seeking to file for unemployment by calling the 800 number with last names beginning with A-H should call on Monday; I-Q on Tuesday; R-Z on Wednesday. Thursday and Friday will be left unassigned for those who miss their alphabetical day or need to call at that time.

Unemployment insurance: Online (available 24/7) at https://www.maine.gov/unemployment/

By phone: 1-800-593-7660 (8 a.m.-12:15 p.m.)

TTY users call Maine Relay 711

For password resets and basic questions, contact a Career Center: https://www.mainecareercenter.gov/locations/index.shtml.

For more information and resources, visit the Department’s COVID-19 page: https://www.maine.gov/labor/covid19/, and follow the Maine Department of Labor on Facebook @MElabor and Twitter @maine_labor.

Federal Family First Leave Policies: On Wednesday, April 1, the new Families First Coronavirus Response Act went into effect. This federal Act requires some employers in Maine to provide their employees with paid sick leave and expanded medical leave for reasons related to COVID-19. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) is responsible for implementation and enforcement of the Act. For more information: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic, including answers to a wide range of anticipated questions from both employees and employers. The website also includes posters that employers will be required to display at their worksites.

As always, our frequently updated FAQs on unemployment insurance and COVID-19 measures—we update them several times a week — can be found: https://www.maine.gov/labor/covid19/.

Uncertainties persist as Vassalboro selectmen, budget committee prepare budget

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by Mary Grow

In a normal year, Vassalboro selectmen and Budget Committee members get increasingly reliable figures as they move through the municipal budget process, from initial requests in January to definite figures in April for town meeting voters’ action in June.

In 2020 uncertainties are increasing as fast as they’re decreasing, on both the revenue and the expenditure side.

Selectmen held a virtual budget workshop in March 31, and on April 2, after their regular meeting (see below/above/p. ), they and budget committee members talked virtually for another hour and a half.

The goal shared by both committees, but not necessarily with the same specifics, is to provide for municipal needs at a price taxpayers can afford.

In addition to property taxes, revenue comes from excise taxes on motor vehicles, fees, the state and federal governments and other sources. The school budget, which selectmen do not control, is the major annual expenditure. Revenues also support town government and the county tax.

On the revenue side, a major uncertainty is the effect of the economic downturn on state and federal aid to towns and cities.

Another question raised at the municipal budget meetings and earlier among school board members was the effect of unemployment on taxpayers’ ability to pay 2020-21 taxes.

On expenditures, selectmen recommend increasing town support for the First Responders, on the ground of increased need, and increasing the total for firefighters’ stipends, based on current-year expenditures.

They expect the Kennebec County budget request, and therefore Vassalboro’s county tax, will increase, because of additional local responsibilities (see The Town Line, Feb. 27, and March 12). Selectman John Melrose, Vassalboro’s representative on the county budget committee, said budget discussions haven’t yet started.

The draft 2020-21 budget calls for increased funds for road paving, because, Melrose said at the March 12 selectmen’s meeting, after several years of too-little repaving, Vassalboro has begun to catch up. Road Foreman Eugene Field thinks it possible that if oil prices stay low, the price of paving will be lower than expected.

Selectmen reached consensus on reducing several suggested or requested expenditures, including lowering estimated insurance costs; not increasing their own stipends; and eliminating a proposed part-time public works position and not supporting Field’s requested pay increases for veteran employees (see The Town Line, March 19).

The last item led to a recommendation for a later review of longevity provisions in the town’s personnel policy.

Also to be discussed at a later meeting are the Historical Society’s request for a $5,000 donation toward a $45,000 metal storage building (see The Town Line, March 19,).

Selectmen did not delete a request for $2,000 to continue plans to observe Vassalboro’s 250th anniversary (sestercentennial) in 2021. Melrose, with assistance from Fieldstone Gardens, has started anniversary improvements at the East Vassalboro memorial park.

Two major timing questions not yet resolved are when to buy a new town truck and a new fire truck.

No final decisions on municipal budget amounts were made, primarily because budget committee members want to see the final school budget first.

Town Manager Mary Sabins reported that Vassalboro’s overall property valuation has fallen below the level acceptable to the state. Therefore, she said, assessor Ellery Bane intends a town-wide valuation of at least five percent, perhaps 10 percent.

In addition, Sabins proposes asking Bane to begin the first of four quarterly reviews in 2020-21, during which he and his staff will visit about a quarter of the properties in town looking for changes that will affect individual valuations. The review will cost money, she said, but on the basis of past experience, it will bring in more money, from previously-unrecorded changes that increase valuation, than it will cost.

Board Chairman Lauchlin Titus favors proceeding with the quarterly review.

As of April 2, Sabins did not know whether Vassalboro’s June 1 town meeting can be held as scheduled. On the assumption that it will, budget committee members tentatively scheduled April 7 and April 9 meetings, the former to follow a tentatively-scheduled school board meeting.

Vassalboro’s virtual public meetings are announced on the school website, vcsvikings.org, under Information and can be watched there. As of April 6, the website listed the April 7 school board and budget committee meetings and the April 9 budget committee meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m.

Agricultural producers eligible for SBA paycheck protection program

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The Department of Treasury and Small Business Administration (SBA) has released an interim final rule on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Agricultural producers are eligible to participate in the program and should reach out to their bankers and/or agricultural lenders to apply. While SBA still needs to confirm some administrative details, loans will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis and producers can get started on the application now.

Vassalboro selectmen approve several projects during virtual meeting

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by Mary Grow

Demonstrating their increasing comfort with virtual meetings, Vassalboro selectmen resolved several issues and consulted with their consultant the evening of April 2.

The three board members made decisions on work on two big culverts, on Cross Hill and Gray roads; on adding solar power to Vassalboro’s energy mix; and on use of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) money in the next few weeks. With Town Manager Mary Sabins and consultant Garvan Donegan, of Central Maine Growth Council, they discussed future changes in the town’s TIF program.

Selectman John Melrose received board approval to proceed with applications for state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) grants for the culverts – $80,000 toward the estimated $116,000 cost of the Cross Hill Road replacement and $95,000 toward the Gray Road work.

Selectmen further voted to waive the bid process for the Cross Hill Road work and authorized Sabins to contract with Vanasse Hangen Brustlin (VHB), a Massachusetts-based engineering firm with Maine offices, to do the work for $17,000. They plan to have the culvert replaced this summer.

The Gray Road project is more complicated, Melrose said. Right now the culvert is a six-foot pipe. Red Brook that runs through it is potential alewife habitat when the Alewife Restoration Project (ARI) lets the small fish migrate from the Sebasticook River into China Lake. Therefore the DEP is involved, and so is the state Department of Transportation (DOT) and the federal Army Corps of Engineers (ACE).

The out-of-town agencies want the replacement culvert to meet various criteria which, Melrose said, could require a bridge 20 feet or more wide, with an earlier cost estimate of up to $400,000.

Selectmen voted unanimously to contract with Calderwood Engineering, of Richmond, a firm that Melrose said specializes in bridge engineering and with which DEP staff are “comfortable,” to negotiate a design that would satisfy the state and federal agencies and the fish, and that the town could afford.

In June 2019, town meeting voters authorized selectmen to arrange installation of a solar array on town land. Melrose said the original 20 interested companies dwindled to two bidders, one of whom recommended no in-town solar development because, Melrose said, Central Maine Power Company’s substation capacity is inadequate.

Consequently, the Solar Committee he chairs recommends instead contracting with Maine-based ReVision Energy to buy power from one of their existing solar developments in CMP’s territory.

Board members decided buying power and choosing a supplier was an administrative decision that did not need a new town meeting mandate. They unanimously authorized Sabins to negotiate a power purchase agreement with ReVision Energy that would save money for the town. The agreement is to be reviewed by the Solar Committee before submission to the selectmen.

Sabins said Vassalboro’s TIF fund stands currently at $166,930. The next income will come from taxes paid on the natural gas pipeline in the new fiscal year that begins July 1. There are two requests for the money: the Vassalboro Sanitary District (VSD) needs $72, 265 by July for a loan payment, and ARI has asked for $143,000 for continued work to let alewives get over dams on Outlet Stream.

VSD officials have also requested money to help new customers hook onto the expanded sewer system. Sabins said they estimated the need at $150,000, for 16 potential customers; they have $100,000 saved from an earlier TIF grant.

The manager obtained two legal opinions on using TIF money to help private individuals, she said. One attorney saw no problem, a second “said ‘Wait a minute,'” implying a possible legal roadblock.

Board Chairman Lauchlin Titus added that Donegan’s consulting fee comes from TIF funds.

Sabins said spending TIF money requires a public hearing in advance. There has been no hearing on the VSD request and she has no way to do a virtual public hearing, so board members cannot yet approve any money for the VSD.

Selectmen held a Feb. 11 public hearing on the ARI request.

After discussion, selectmen unanimously approved an immediate TIF grant of $83,000 to ARI, so the group can sign contracts for work this summer, with the remaining $60,000 promised in August or September. They plan to consider the VSD request after circumstances allow a public hearing.

The discussion with Donegan focused on whether Vassalboro’s TIF program should be amended to allow more and different sorts of projects in different parts of town, within state TIF guidelines. By consensus, selectmen authorized Donegan to recommend changes.

The next Vassalboro selectmen’s meeting is currently scheduled for Thursday evening, April 16.

Vassalboro Town Office COVID-19 Update (April 2, 2020)

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VASSALBORO TOWN OFFICE CLOSURE

COVID-19 STAY AT HOME ORDER

Effective, Thursday, April 2, 2020 and due to Governor Mills’ recent Stay at Home Order, the Vassalboro Town Office will be closed and unmanned through the end of April.  Every few days, staff will monitor messages on the Town Office answering machine and return calls as needed.  Call the town office at 872-2826 with questions. Thank you for your patience and understanding. The health and safety of the public and the town staff is of utmost importance to us during this challenging time.

Also through the end of April, the Public Works department will be shut down except when road conditions warrant otherwise.  PW Staff will monitor the answering machine at the Public Works Garage every few days and return calls as needed.  Call the garage at 923-3985 to report road issues.

For the foreseeable future, the Selectmen’s meetings and the Budget Committee Meetings will be held remotely through video conferencing.  Use the following link to view the list of meetings and to observe them: https://www.vcsvikings.org/information/online-public-meetings.

At the Transfer Station, a few more changes have been implemented as well.  The Transfer Station will be closed all days EXCEPT Saturday.  On Saturdays for the month of April, only household trash will be received.  Please hold all other types of trash for disposal until regular station hours resume.  We are asking the customer to toss their own garbage in the compactor hopper.  If the customer is physically unable to lift their bag of trash into the hopper, we ask that the bag be left on the ground near the hopper, and George will toss it in while keeping an appropriate “social distance” from the customer.

For residents needing to reach the Code Enforcement Officer and Plumbing Inspector Paul Mitnik, during the month of April he will be working at home and can be reached at 923-3758 or on his cell phone at 313-2648.  Police Chief Mark Brown can be reached at 557-4601.

China Town Office COVID-19 Update (April 2, 2020)

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from Dennis L. Heath, CMM
China Town Manager

In light of the Governor’s latest order, I am informing you of actions we are taking to comply.  I have discussed this with our department heads first thing this morning, coordinated with the Chairman of the Select Board, then informed the entire staff via a Zoom meeting.

Here is your daily summary for April Fool’s Day, 2020:

  • Implementation of the Governor’s “Stay Healthy at Home” order is complete and takes effect tomorrow, with the exception of the Transfer Station, when it will take effect next Tuesday
  • New secure dropbox is mounted and ready for business; small white lock-box with mail slot at the top under a lid; non-sensitive items may still be placed in the mailbox if desired
  • Mail retrieval and bank deposits will be done daily; rotating between Becky and Julie
  • We are working with Consolidated to automatically forward the phones each day, but if necessary, we will manually forward them; we are also changing the outgoing message to reflect the current scenario

Transfer Station: Open Tuesday 7 am – 3 pm; Thursday 9 am to 5 pm; and Saturday 6:30 am to 1 pm; only two on duty at any given time

Public Works: Standby only; stay at home; unposting roads today; delaying install of docks until after Apr 30

Town Office: On call at home; main number forwarded to Becky and she will assign work; if a call-back is necessary, the individual requested will make the call; appointments for essential business only; no drive-through service; most have remote access capability; Becky will check mail daily; packages will be redirected to where they can be received and then brought to the Town Office

Code Enforcement: Continue working remote from home; appointments will be for essential services only; permits will be given a full 30-day review (per ordinance) prior to issuing

Public Notification: Sending out direct mail information sheet today to ensure everyone is notified

Meetings: We will continue to host Zoom meetings, so if there is a need, please let me know a day and time and we will work out the details; participants without a computer/smart phone can join with a regular phone; we have the ability to broadcast these meetings over LiveStream for those who just want to watch and listen

Vassalboro Community School honor roll spring 2020

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Vassalboro Community School. (source: jmg.org)

GRADE 3

High honors: Caylie Buotte, Emily Clark, Keegan Clark, Basil Dillaway, Baylee Fuchswanz, Zoe Gaffney, Allyson Gilman, Kaitlyn Lavallee, Cheyenne Lizzotte, Mackenzy Monroe, Kaylee Moulton, Callen Pooler and Ava Woods. Honors: Ariyah Doyen, Jack LaPierre, Elizabeth Longfellow, Mia McLean, Jaelyn Moore, Weston Pappas and Landen Theobald. Honorable mention: Devontay Austin, Samuel Bechard, Gabriella Duarte, Preston Duenne, Bayleigh Gorman, Jeremy Hawk, Lillyana Krastev, Hannah McMurtry, Elliot McQuarrie, Noah Rau, Colby Shults, Grace Tobey and Naseem Umar.

GRADE 4

High honors: Jasmine Garey, Drew Lindquist and Paige Perry. Honors: Benjamin Allen, Tristyn Brown, Logan Cimino, Dylan Dodge, Jennah Dumont, Ryleigh French, Drake Goodie, Zachary Kinrade, Gabriella Lathrop, Caleb Marden, Bentley Pooler, Trinity Pooler, Abigail Prickett, Sovie Rau, Kayden Renna, Judson Smith, Hannah Tobey, William Trainor, Alana Wade and Reid Willett. Honorable mention: Taylor Agost, Bentley Austin, Jackson Bailey, Cooper Lajoie, Katherine Maxwell, Brandon Neagle and Landon Sullivan.

GRADE 5

High honors: Madison Burns, Scott Fitts, Cody Grondin, Kelty Pooler, Natalie Rancourt, Taiya Rankins and Bryson Stratton. Honors: Kayliana Allen, Nataleigh Brown, Tyler Clark, Tallulah Cloutier, Sophie Day, Ryley Desmond, Eilah Dillaway, Wyatt Ellis, Madison Field, Xavier Foss, Adalyn Glidden, Bailey Goforth, Spencer Hughes, Mason Lagasse, Jack Malcolm, Harley McEachern, Josslyn Ouellette and Mackenzie Oxley. Honorable mention: Peyton Dowe, Caspar Hooper, Alexis Mitton, Noah Pooler, Kole Pratt and Grady Sounier.

GRADE 6

High honors: Emily Almeida, Madison Estabrook, Jacob Lavallee, Ava Lemelin, Paige Littlefield and Hannah Polley. Honors: Elisha Baker, Addyson Burns, Quinn Coull, William Ellsey, Seth Hansen, Talula Kimball, Brayden McLean, Alexandria O’Hara, Mylee Petela, Leahna Rocque amd Addison Witham. Honorable mention: Saunders Chase, Mckenzie Duenne, Aiden Hamlin, Taylor neptune, Daniel Ouellette, Emily Piecewicz, Lilian Piecewicz, Abigail Sims and Leah Targett.

GRADE 7

High honors: Noah Bechard, Allison Dorval, Ellie Giampetruzzi, Ava Kelso, Greta Limberger, Phoenix Mills, Ava Picard ad Wallace Pooler. Honors: Brooke Blais, Landen Blodgett, Sofia Derosby, Brady Desmond, Kailynn Houle, Josiah Hussey, Bodi Laflamme, Noah Marston, Alysha Opacki, Seth Picard, Grant Taker and Emma Waterhouse. Honorable mention: Evan Brochu, Kaylene Glidden, Echo Hawk, Kyran Kinrade, Ava Prickett and Sterling Williams.

GRADE 8

High honors: Elizabeth Brown, Gage Dorval, Cole Fortin, Meilani Gatlin, Tara Hanley, Nathan Polley, Tristan Samuelson, Lara Stinchfield and Lilian Taylor. Honors: Hunter Brandt, Connor Coull, Isaballa Day, Aleigha Gooding, Lucas Haskell, Ethan Lyon, Carlos Michaud, Ann Prickett and Logan Rockwell. Honorable mention: Nathalia Carrasco, Madelynn Cimino, Lexus Field, Tyler Hansen, Sophie Leclerc, Brody Loiko, Hannah Piecewicz and Brandon Wood.

Camp Bomazeen to break out new logo for 75th season

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Eagle Scout Dalton Curtis (left), of Skowhegan Troop 485, and Second Class Scout Zachary LeHay (right), of Sidney Troop 401, drew the two new patches. (photo source: Camp Bomazeen)

New patch design by Eagle Scout Dalton Curtis.

Camp Bomazeen this summer will have special patches designed by local Scouts to help commemorate its 75th season. Eagle Scout Dalton Curtis, of Skowhegan Troop #485, and Second Class Scout Zachary LeHay, of Sidney Troop #401, drew the two patch designs which will be used this summer at Camp Bomazeen. The Scouts will each receive a $75 campership to Camp Bomazeen from the Bomazeen Old Timers but Curtis may not need it as he has applied to be a part of the 75th anniversary staff.

In 1945, Waterville Scout Richard Chamberlain named Camp Bomazeen after the brave leader of the local Norridgewock Abenaki tribe.

For the 75th anniversary, Camp Bomazeen opened up the patch design to a Scout and had two top selections. Dalton’s design will be used for the 75th commemorative merchandise. The second design, rendered by Zachary will be used for the patch Scouts receive for attending camp this summer. Christopher Bernier, who runs the Bushcraft area at Camp Bomazeen, provided the finished renderings based on the two designs that will be used for production.

New patch designed by Scout Zachary LeHay.