Erskine Academy student to participate in Poetry Out Loud State Finals

Erskine Academy

As Poetry Out Loud celebrates its 20th anniversary, Maine’s most talented high school students took the stage at the Poetry Out Loud State Finals, on Monday, March 3, at 5 p.m., at the Waterville Opera House. This milestone year honors two decades of inspiring students across the country to explore poetry through recitation, building confidence, public speaking skills, and a lifelong appreciation for literature. This year, 11 outstanding student poets from across Maine have advanced through school and regional competitions to compete for the state title. Erskine Academy is pleased to announce that freshman Stella Martinelli, of Whitefield, has advanced to the State Finals competition.

The Maine State Champion will receive a $200 prize and advance to the National Finals in Washington, D.C., where they will compete for $50,000 in scholarships and school stipends. The state champion’s school will receive $500 to support poetry materials, while the first runner-up will be awarded $100, with $200 for their school. The Poetry Foundation administers all monetary prizes and travel arrangements for national finalists.

This free and public event was live streamed by Portland Media Center on the Maine Arts Commission Facebook page, with a final produced broadcast available later in the year.

China planners review town’s subdivision ordinance

by Mary Grow

Four China Planning Board members spent a short Feb. 25 meeting reviewing preliminary updates and clarifications to the town’s subdivision ordinance.

Board chairman Toni Wall had suggested mostly minor changes throughout the document, and other board members recommended others. Milton Dudley proposed adding a time-line to help would-be subdivision developers navigate the document.

Codes Officer Nicholas French wants to add regulations for cluster developments, which are prohibited in the current ordinance. A cluster development, he explained, requires the same total land area for the number of houses built as a conventional subdivision; but the houses are closer together and more of the area is left undeveloped.

The result, in French’s opinion, is housing that requires less road-building and road maintenance, minimizes sprawl and preserves larger natural areas.

Wall shared copies of two Maine towns’ cluster development rules for the other board members to review. Dudley said the veterans’ housing at Togus is an example of a cluster development.

Types of changes Wall recommended included updating references to outside sources, like state regulatory documents whose titles had changed since the China ordinance was last substantively revised in 1993; and deleting phrases that give the planning board discretionary authority.

The first example of the latter she highlighted was a sentence allowing the board, “where it deems it necessary,” to require a minor subdivision to meet some or all of the more comprehensive application requirements for a major subdivision.

Cluster development regulations will be the main topic of the next discussion. Board members canceled their March 11 meeting, because at least one board member will not be available and to give themselves more time to consider the issue. Their next meeting is now scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, in the town office meeting room.

China’s Thurston Park committee continues planning future activities

by Mary Grow

China’s Thurston Park Committee members continued planning future activities, undeterred by bad weather having canceled their February China Ice Days plans.

At the committee’s Feb. 20 meeting, chairman Jeanette Smith said the owl prowl scheduled as part of the Feb. 14-16 weekend events was not held. She added that she has not yet heard owls, perhaps because the cold weather has delayed mating.

Committee members discussed plans to maintain and improve trails in the park and events to schedule in warmer weather. They seek to expand handicapped opportunities, including accessible and interesting trails and parking. At their January meeting, they proposed adding a handicapped-accessible toilet.

Also under consideration is making some trail sections usable by mountain bikers.

Smith raised a new issue: now that the town-owned lot south of the town office building is to house the relocated ice rink and the new community garden, is there still room for the planned dog park? (Recreation Committee chairman Martha Wentworth proposed the dog park that China select board members first discussed at their July 1, 2024, meeting.)

Smith intends to ask Wentworth about building the dog park in Thurston Park. Many local people already walk their dogs there, committee members said.

Another new project, with which China Historical Society member Tim Hatch is helping, is finding names of people who lived in the park decades ago. Hatch said he is checking 19th-century maps of the town for names of former residents whose homes are marked only by cellar holes.

More trail signs are needed. Smith said she visited a company from whom she hoped to order some and found it had closed. Discussion of alternatives included mention of an Oakland company.

Committee members again discussed the problem of improving the southern access to the park over neighbors’ opposition (see the Jan. 23 issue of The Town Line, pp. 2 and 3). The Haskell family uses for a driveway the south end of Yorktown Road (which the town discontinued years ago, maintaining a right of way).

Committee member Scott Monroe recommended continuing to try to talk with the Haskells, with approval from Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood. Smith thought she might be able to get a legal opinion supporting the town’s right to use the road, at a cost the committee’s fund from past timber sales could cover.

The next Thurston Park Committee meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 20, in the portable building in the town office complex. Committee members agreed their April meeting should be a workshop, to include repairing picnic tables and benches.

Local central Maine Town Meetings schedule for 2025

Town meetings 2025

ALBION

Municipal Election
TBD
Besse Building
Town meeting
TBD

CHINA

Town meeting (election format)
TBD

FAIRFIELD

TBD
Fairfield Community Center

PALERMO

Town meeting

Saturday, March 8, at 9 a.m.,
Palermo School, Route 3

Town voting for town officials

Friday, March 7, 3 – 7 p.m.
The town office.

VASSALBORO

Town meeting
TBD
Town Elections
TBD

WINDSOR

Municipal Election
TBD
Town meeting
TBD

*   *   *

To be included in this list, visit our Contact Us page or send an email to The Town Line at townline@townline.org.

PHOTOS: SAD #18 students busy with school projects

China Primary School: 2024 Maine Stem Film Challenge Winners: Second grader, Syar, from Ms. Kimmie’s class and his brother, Shya, from Mrs. Dunn’s kindergarten class recently participated in the 2024 Maine Stem Film Challenge held by the University of Southern Maine. They submitted a film on the topic of ecology – focusing on amphibians and won first place in the K-3 division!

China Middle School: Gifted and Talented Students Delve into Space Studies: Gifted and Talented students at both China and Messalonskee Middle schools participated in a space mission with the Bangor Challenger Learning Center. Both schools created a live 3D space timeline posted in their buildings. Students then learned how to use Canva to “digitize” their timeline and create a video. Some students used AI tools in and out of Canva to do voice overs. Mrs. Paquette and Ms. Fish teamed up for this technology piece.

Williams Elementary School: Challenger Learning Center of Maine: In an exciting educational initiative, Mrs. Pullen’s and Mr. Polley’s fifth graders teamed up with the Challenger Learning Center of Maine to delve into the mysteries of Mars and its moons. Through interactive simulations and expert guidance, students explored the unique characteristics of Mars’ moons. During their discussions, students connected to the science standard about Earth’s revolution and recognized that there is a critical window of landing opportunities on Mars, which is influenced by its orbit around the Sun.

Messalonskee Middle School: Seventh Grade Social Studies Colonization Simulation: Ms. Michaud’s social studies classes on Team Boothbay have been role playing life in Colonial America. Students have been journaling and acting out as though they are traders, explorers, governors, teachers, healers, blacksmiths, and Native Americans in class to gain first-hand experiences at life in the New World during the 1600-1700s. Students have enjoyed this engaging unit and exceeded expectations in their roles as colony members!

COMMUNITY COMMENTARY: Open meeting vs. secret ballot

by Sheldon Goodine
China resident

There’s a lot of talk around town about having a traditional town meeting with a moderator, with a required quorum in attendance to conduct business, or a day-long secret ballot meeting. Each has its pros and cons. Since I have been a resident of China for more than 60 years, during which the town has grown from less than 2,000 residents to more than 4,000, my perspective may or may not muddy the waters.

In those early years, town meetings were important social events where community business was conducted. Folks looked forward to getting together each spring at the end of a long winter. They could “catch up” with old friends as well as greet new neighbors. They discussed and decided warrant articles until lunch time, then recessed and enjoyed sharing a great lunch prepared by the ladies. After the meal, they completed the warrant articles to end the day. The meeting closed in peace and harmony, and everyone left happy.

At this time, town business was managed by a select board, which met at the home of town clerk Mary Washburn. As the town grew, the brick portion of the town office was built and the select board increased from three to five members. Soon thereafter, a town manager was hired, and the annual town meeting gradually became less important. Fewer voters turned out to conduct the community’s business, and many became upset that only a few people were making the decisions. even though these same people didn’t take the time to participate.

Although I was not in agreement to legislating participation, an article was approved that required 10 percent of town voters (quorum) to be in attendance to both open and conduct the annual meeting. For many years the town met in the multi-purpose room at the China Middle School. When the current RSU (Regional School Union) was created this venue was no longer used since many felt that it was too much of a disruption for the children.

As a result the current secret ballot form of conducting town business was instituted, resulting in many more residents voting on both the warrant articles and the election of town officers. I have been a regular annual participant in each of these legislative methods. During much of this time, it was difficult to stay informed of the ever increasing number of expense of managing town affairs. Fortunately, with new technology this information is now available to all in a variety of ways. Select board meetings are televised, with an opportunity for the public to participate. These are also recorded for anyone to access after the fact. The Town Line newspaper is printed and distributed weekly with excellent articles of each business meeting, prepared by Mary Grow, which are both accurate and comprehensive. The town manager has created a monthly newsletter with other details of town activities.

My question is how many voters are in favor of each of these most recent forms of conducting town business:

a) Return to the in-person annual town meeting, requiring a minimum number of voters in attendance and, possibly, the construction of a building large enough to accommodate the growing number of participants; or
b) Continue with the current system of voting by secret ballot during the day at the town office.

I hope this is useful and, at the very least, encourage more discussion on this topic and a form of government that will best meet the needs of our ever growing and changing community.

With my thanks to all.

China select board, budget committee, town employees hold long meeting

by Mary Grow

China select board members, joined by some budget committee members and several town employees, held a long four-part meeting Monday evening, Feb. 24.

They started at the public works garage on Alder Park Road, where Director of Public Works Shawn Reed introduced them to the large trucks, all wearing their plow gear this time of year, that live there.

Reed explained each vehicle’s advantages and disadvantages as he requested a replacement truck in the 2025-26 fiscal year.

The group then viewed a smaller truck in the old town garage in the town office complex before adjourning to the town office meeting room for the bulk of the select board meeting.

Reversing a split decision Feb. 10 (see the Feb. 13 issue of The Town Line, p. 3), select board members voted 4-1, with Blane Casey still opposed, to recommend buying a new plow truck next year, at a cost expected to be slightly under $300,000. Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood said about that amount is now in the truck reserve fund.

Reed recommends selling one of the old trucks after the new one arrives.

Select board members’ longest discussion was with Robert O’Connor and Jamie Pitney, of the China Broadband Committee, over the proposed agreement with Unitel for expanded broadband service in China (another topic discussed at the Feb. 10 meeting).

Unitel proposes a new main line running from its Albion office through China to Palermo, to connect with the five-town Waldo Broadband Corporation. A second phase of the project would expand service to parts of China currently underserved or unserved.
Board Chairman Wayne Chadwick repeated his refusal to approve a project that involves China investing money — $370,000 in TIF (Tax Increment Financing) funds – without a firm guarantee that un- and underserved China residents will be served within a reasonable time.

Pitney and O’Connor provided as much information as they could. Because some of the project funding depends on a federal grant, they, too, expressed uncertainty, about whether the grant program would exist and whether Unitel would be awarded one.

The grant is called BEAD, which stands for Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program. Select board members voted unanimously to sign a letter supporting Unitel’s grant application. They took no action on the draft agreement with Unitel.

In a series of unanimous votes, select board members:

— Approved rules, procedures and membership fees for the planned community garden on the Lakeview Drive lot south of the town office. The document is on the town website, chinamaine.org, under two headings: Officials, Boards, & Committees, subheading China for a Lifetime Committee; and Community, at the bottom of the list.
— Authorized the Community Forest Committee to apply for a grant from the Portland-based Libra Foundation, for $4,093, for locally made trail signs for the forest behind the China schools.
— Revised the town’s building permit fee schedule, reducing one fee and increasing two others to better reflect the codes officer’s time.
— Appointed Jane Robertson budget committee secretary.

The third part of the select board meeting was a preliminary review of part of Hapgood’s draft 2025-26 municipal budget. The manager briefly summarized proposed changes in the first five (of 12) accounts.

Highlights:

— Board members agreed unanimously the administration account will not include a suggested $11,000 to create the position of part-time recreation director. Hapgood said $10,500 was approved in the 2023-24 budget, but the town was unable to hire anyone for the position.
— By another unanimous vote, board members agreed the boards and committee budget will not include stipends for themselves.
— They deleted from the public safety account a proposed increase in the hours Kennebec County sheriff’s deputies serve the town, from eight to 10 a week. Chadwick commended the officers for their work, but considered coverage adequate.
— In the proposed solid waste budget, Hapgood said hauling costs have been reduced, because “The fabulous transfer station people make sure the loads going out are full” and therefore less numerous.
Board members favor starting a reserve fund to replace the transfer station scales, though they did not decide on an initial amount.

Preliminary consideration of the rest of the budget was postponed at 8:10 p.m., 10 minutes past Chadwick’s unofficial deadline. Board members considered holding a budget workshop later in the week, but were unable to find an evening everyone would be available. Extra budget meetings in March are likely.

The evening’s fourth and final meeting was a separate one, as select board members reconvened as the board of assessors. They unanimously accepted two recommendations from the town assessor on abatement requests, denying one and approving the other.

The next regular China select board meeting is scheduled for Monday evening, March 10.

Community Volunteers build raised beds for China Community Garden

Jeff Wood, Nate Dudley, Bill Powell, and Jim Hsiang assemble raised garden beds.

On Saturday, February 8, a group of dedicated volunteers came together to build 36 raised garden beds for the China Community Garden. Hosted at the home of Marie and Tom Michaud, the workday was filled with teamwork and camaraderie as Emme Brown, Nate Dudley, Bill Powell, and Jeff Wood joined James and Jude Hsiang to construct the beds – under the watchful eye of one-year-old Edie Dudley, who provided moral support.

Bill Powell next to a row of completed beds.

By noon, the group had completed the project and celebrated with a well-earned meal, featuring James’ homemade chili, pizzas generously donated by China Lake Provisions, and Marie’s famous brownies.

With the garden beds now ready, reservations for the 2025 growing season are open. Residents can secure a bed at the China Town Office through April 15, 2025. The cost is $25 per bed or $15 for seniors over 60, and custom beds for those with mobility challenges will be built upon request.

The project still welcomes donations of money, materials, and volunteer labor. Those interested in supporting the garden can contact chinaforalifetime@gmail.com. All contributions will be gratefully and publicly acknowledged.

With strong community support, the China Community Garden is growing into a space for connection, sustainability, and fresh local produce.

Shoes major topic of China transfer station committee meeting

by Mary Grow

Shoes were a major topic at the China Transfer Station Committee’s Feb. 11 meeting.

Committee member Rachel Anderson, one of the volunteers at the free for the taking building, explained that many people donate used shoes, and many of the shoes are wearable – if the right person with the right size feet comes along quickly.

Shoes not promptly claimed are apt to end up on the floor, separated and getting stepped on and grubby. A volunteer can sometimes reunite and clean up a few pairs; too many end up discarded.

Committee members proposed protective measures, like zip-tying pairs to keep them together. They suggested alternative places for donating used shoes, including Goodwill, in Waterville, and perhaps the Palermo Christian Church – they knew the church accepted donated clothing, but were not sure about shoes (see box).

More volunteers to keep the building organized would also help, they said. Transfer Station Manager Thomas Maraggio commended the Palermo resident who volunteers an hour every morning.

An inquiry to the Palermo Christian Church brought the reply that “our Exchange Shop does accept new or gently used shoes.”

The church is located at 322 Branch Mills Road, in Palermo. Its website is www.palermochristianchurch.org; telephone number is (207) 993-2636; email address is office@palermochristianchurch.org. The church also has a Facebook page.

Two broader issues discussed Feb. 11 were revisions to the draft transfer station mission statement and the preliminary 2025-26 budget.

The mission statement emphasizes recycling. Committee members talked again about the money saved on disposal costs, and sometimes earned when the price of recyclables is up, and about ways to promote and publicize these benefits to taxpayers.

(In a Jan. 23 email, Town Clerk Angela Nelson copied an invoice showing China was paid $1,741.68 for a shipment of cardboard. Accompanying comments from Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood added that China did not pay for the trucking, and 43,542 pounds, or almost 22 tons, had been taken out of the waste stream, for which the town pays trucking and disposal costs.)

Two suggestions in the draft statement are to develop alternative energy at, and for, the transfer station and to install automatic gates that would allow off-hours dumping.

Palermo representative Bob Kurek said alternative energy suggestions include solar power or an incinerator. Hapgood said a consultant had advised that the covered-over waste pile north of the station is not suitable for solar, although there might be other alternatives.

Off-hours access is forbidden by the state, so committee chairman J. Christopher Baumann deleted the proposal. Hapgood said the town office does not get a lot of complaints about operating hours.

The first draft 2025-26 transfer station budget shows a decrease, mostly because one employee who works there and in public works will be moved to the public works budget.

Committee members briefly discussed the transfer station scales. Director of Public Services Shawn Reed said load sensors and the steel support beams need replacement. Maraggio added that an inspector said the scales have been well maintained and should last another 15 to 20 years. The draft budget includes $12,000 for a scale reserve fund.

Maraggio’s list of 2025-26 projects includes creating a state-required impervious surface under the brush pile; doing additional paving; changing drainage around the recycling building; and replacing the recycling center roof.

The next China Transfer Station Committee meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 11.

China codes officer alerts residents about change in insulation rules

by Mary Grow

At the China Planning Board’s Feb. 11 meeting, Codes Enforcement Officer Nicholas French issued a warning to residents planning to build this spring: get your building permit before April 7, unless you want to pay a few thousand dollars more for insulation.

New state standards taking effect April 7 require more insulation than is currently required, French said. For permits issued before April 7, current standards remain in effect.

The second announcement at the Feb. 11 meeting was from District 1 representative Michael Brown, who said he is resigning from the board because he has too many other obligations (see the Feb. 13 issue of The Town Line, p. 1).

Upcoming changes to energy code

by Nick French
Town of China CEO/LPI

I want to draw everyone’s attention to the upcoming changes to the Energy Code that Maine will implement starting Monday, April 7. In this time of elevated costs of construction materials, labor, and housing in general, the state has elected to adopt a more stringent prescriptive path for insulation in wood-framed walls than is required by the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code.

The 2021 IECC itself only had one change in the prescriptive path for Energy Efficiency in Climate Zone 6, going from an R-49 in the ceiling up to an R-60. Maine will, as of April 7, require wood-framed walls to be insulated by one of 4 methods:

⁃ R-30 in the wall cavity between the studs (10” thick exterior wall)
⁃ R-20 cavity (6” wall) with R-10 continuous insulation (2” of foam board insulation)
⁃ R-13 cavity (4” wall) with R-15 continuous insulation (3” of foam board insulation)
⁃ R-20 continuous insulation (typically achieved through spray foam)

I want to be perfectly clear; this is state-wide. Many communities in the surrounding area fall below the 4,000 resident threshold to enforce these provisions, but builders are still required to comply with these rules unless they go with a performance-based outcome. For more information on that approach, head to: energycodes.gov/rescheck

This only applies to permits taken out starting April 7, and while I’m not looking forward to a sudden influx of permits, I urge everyone to get those applications in as soon as possible.

The select board is responsible for appointing Brown’s successor, who may live anywhere in town. Since voters amended China’s Planning Board Ordinance in June 2024, board members are appointed, not elected, and districts have been abolished.

The bulk of the Feb. 11 meeting was spent reviewing and approving board chairman Toni Wall’s recommended ordinance amendments that will delete references to timber harvesting, as requested by state Forest Service officials. In November 2024, voters approved another amendment transferring authority to regulate timber harvesting in shoreland, stream protection and resource protection districts to the state.

Wall intends to send the recommended deletions to the select board for approval and to hold a public hearing before changes are presented to voters at the June 10 annual town business meeting.

Board members briefly discussed future amendments, including revising the subdivision ordinance and adding provisions allowing cluster housing in China. Wall’s goal is to have wording ready to submit to voters in November.

The next regular China Planning Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday evening, Feb. 25.