by Mary Grow

In a half-hour meeting Nov. 25, China’s three remaining planning board members gave after-the-fact approval to a subdivision amendment and continued, briefly, discussion of China ordinances that need updating.

Hilda Gay explained that a year ago, her late son, David, divided one of the four lots in the Gay subdivision on Deer Hill Road into two lots. Family members recently learned the division needed planning board approval, but the town was not notified.

Planning board members found both lots met size requirements and unanimously approved the amendment. They told Hilda Gay that to finish the process, she needs to present a large mylar plan, with the surveyor’s seal, for them to sign.

The ordinance board members discussed is the 1993 Phosphorus Control Ordinance. Board chairman Toni Wall said the major updates needed are in references to outside documents (state Department of Environmental Protection standards, for instance) that have changed titles.

Since China voters adopted a revised Planning Board Ordinance in June 2024, select board members appoint planning board members (who used to be elected). The town’s Planning Board Ordinance says the board consists of five members plus an alternate.

The terms of the last two elected members expired Nov. 4. Members Natale Tripodi and Elaine Mather declined to continue to serve, leaving the board with a bare quorum: Wall, Dwaine Drummond and Milton Dudley.

Any resident interested in becoming a planning board member is invited to call or email the town office. The current ordinance eliminates the previous planning board districts, so members can live anywhere in town.

The ordinance directs board members to choose a chairman and a secretary at the first meeting of each calendar year. Wall continued as chairman Nov. 25, without objection.

The next China Planning Board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 9. The second December meeting would have been Dec. 23; board members cancelled it.

by Mary Grow

China Transfer Station Committee members and Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood spent part of the committee’s Nov. 18 meeting talking about future expenses, looking toward and beyond 2025-26 budget preparations.

Hapgood summarized the next several years’ capital expenditure plans, with station manager Thomas Maraggio nodding agreement. Meanwhile, Maraggio hopes operating expenses will increase, when he finds the additional part-time employee he needs to have the facility fully staffed.

Committee member Rachel Anderson said the free for the taking building continues to be busy. Popular items include canning jars and other glassware and wearable clothing. Worn-out clothing should go into the white cloth-recycling containers.

Bob Kurek, one of Palermo’s two representatives on the committee, led discussion of problems with Palermo residents who do not consistently use the required blue disposal bags. Maraggio said most are cooperative about paying the four-dollar penalty, but talking with them to collect is an unnecessary extra task for staff.

He suggested increasing the penalty, to encourage Palermo people to save money by buying and using blue bags. Blue bags are sold at the Palermo town office and at Tobey’s Grocery.

Committee chairman Benjamin Weymouth praised the Halloween decorations at the transfer station and said he looks forward to future holidays.

Maraggio said after Christmas, Christmas trees that have not been sprayed can be left at no charge. Gift wrap cannot be recycled. He and Hapgood plan to include post-Christmas information in the December issue of the monthly China Connected.

Hapgood said 2026 transfer station windshield stickers had just arrived. She expects them to be available at the China and Palermo town offices Dec. 1, for the usual $2 fee.

The next transfer station committee meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9.

by Mary Grow

China select board members offered the unusually large audience at their Nov. 17 meeting a preview of their Dec. 1 agenda.

On Dec. 1, they intend to discuss with members of the town’s three volunteer fire departments and China Rescue Unit when and how to begin consideration of creating a municipal emergency services department.

Several board members are concerned that the present system of private organizations is not sustainable much longer. For one thing, people said, municipal departments are eligible for federal grants that private ones cannot apply for.

Department representatives at the Nov. 17 meeting included South China Fire Chief Richard Morse, who urged board members to be aware that the rescue unit and the fire departments have different problems needing different approaches.

The bulk of the Nov. 17 audience were town employees, come to hear select board members talk about their health insurance.

China currently uses a Maine Municipal Association (MMA) insurance plan named Katahdin. Two lower benefit plans are named Moosehead and Pemaquid.

After MMA proposed a nine percent rate increase for Katahdin next year, Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood and Brent Chesley, former and newly re-elected select board member, looked into alternatives, including private companies, and adjustments.

Board members spent an hour and a half discussing options. Several employees, and at least one resident who is not an employee, suggested they were risking losing “the people who keep this town running” to save a trifling sum; they should instead start speaking up when the Regional School Unit #18 board discusses the annual school budget, which for China is almost $6 million.

The discussion ended with a vote to keep the present plan, increase and all. Board members Blane Casey, Natasha Littlefield and Thomas Rumpf voted in favor; Chesley was opposed; and Edwin Bailey abstained, because his wife is a town employee.

The nine percent increase amounts to a little over $31,000. After the meeting, Hapgood said China sends out about 3,500 tax bills, meaning the average cost of the increase per bill would be $8.88 (varying with the amount of the bill).

Chesley and other board members said they intended no disrespect to town employees. Chesley explained he was trying to balance employees’ welfare with taxpayers’ welfare, and Bailey thanked those present for their work.

Chesley and other board members said they intended no disrespect to town employees. Chesley explained he was trying to balance employees’ welfare with taxpayers’ welfare, and Bailey thanked those present for their work.

The meeting, the first since the Nov. 4 election, opened with election of board officers. Chesley was elected chairman and Rumpf secretary.

Chesley then opened a public hearing on Littlefield’s application for a liquor license for Nash’s Café, her new restaurant in South China. There was no public comment. Later in the meeting, the license was approved without discussion, with Littlefield abstaining on the otherwise-unanimous vote.

Hapgood listed the town committees on which there are vacancies: the planning board (three; Natale Tripodi and Elaine Mather have declined reappointment, and there was one vacant position); the budget committee (two vacancies, one caused by Chesley’s election to the select board); the appeals board (two vacancies, one Chesley’s former seat); the board of assessment review (one); the tax increment financing committee (three); and the comprehensive plan implementation committee (four).

The planning board is the only one of the six that meets regularly. Hapgood said the main requirements for a planning board member are “an open mind and logical thinking.” Audience members chuckled.

Select board members unanimously appointed Kevin Maroon to the budget committee.

Residents are invited to apply for any committee position. Information is available at the town office, applications there and on the website, chinamaine.org.

China municipal departments will be closed for Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday, Nov. 27 and 28; the town office will be open Saturday morning, Nov. 29. The next select board meeting is scheduled for Monday evening, Dec. 1.