CHINA: Does your town have a seed library

/0 Comments/in , /by
by Jude Hsiang

Does your town have a Seed Library? Seed Libraries are found all over the world, enabling gardeners to save money and try new types of vegetables, herbs, and flowers.

Alex Burbank is the new librarian at the Albert Church Brown Memorial Library, 35 Main Street, China Village. Although only open a few hours a week – Tues. and Thurs., 2 – 6 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., – there is a lot going on. Recently, Alex and Assistant Librarian Miranda Perkins discovered forgotten materials for a Seed Library. They set up a nice new display and invited folks to bring extra garden seeds to share and swap.

The University of Maine Extension office in Augusta had gotten a large donation of seeds from Pinetree Garden Seeds, in New Gloucester, for distribution. Maine Master Gardener Volunteer Marie Michaud, of China, received seeds from the Extension for the new China Community Garden, some of which were for plants like squashes, which would be too large for the 4-foot x 8-foot raised garden beds. Those seeds and others were brought to the library. Other people are donating seeds as well. Alex contacted Fedco Seeds, in Clinton, and received another generous donation.

Fedco and Pinetree specialize in providing seeds for plants known to thrive in our Maine climate. You will find a nice selection of typical seeds and some new and unusual varieties to try. There is also information about how long seeds will remain viable when kept in a cool, dark place. Many seeds will last for at least five years.

The library’s display includes information about seed saving and sharing, even small envelopes for those who need only a small portion of a standard seed packet. One of my favorite gardening stories is that of two friends, city folks who moved to suburban houses with a vegetable garden. They loved cooking fresh vegetables, so they bought lots of seeds including zucchini. They planted the entire packet!

Libraries like this one in China Village are the perfect location for a seed library as anyone can use this free service and find useful gardening information. When you visit this, or another local library, check out their other services and activities for all ages. The China Village library has rotating artist’s displays, digital resources, and activities for adults and children. My favorites are Interlibrary loan and the knitting group.

© Judith Chute Hsiang
Jude Hsiang is a retired Extension Master Gardener instructor and member of the China Community Garden Project.

Erskine presents Renaissance awards (2025)

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Senior of the Trimester recipients, from left to right, Echo Hawk, Joslyn Sandoval, Sadie Pierce, Paige Clark, and Lillian Rispoli. (contributed photo)

On Friday, April 4, 2025, Erskine Academy students and staff attended a Renaissance Assembly to honor their peers with Renaissance Awards.

Renaissance Recognition Awards were presented to the following students:

Aiden Reny, Layla Peaslee, Lilly Clark, Nathan Choate, Jayda Bickford, Achiva Seigars, Carter Brockway, Kailynn Houle, and Bodi Laflamme.

In addition to Recognition Awards, Senior of the Trimester Awards were also presented to five members of the senior class:

Echo Hawk, daughter of Mary and Jonah Hawk, of Vassalboro; Joslyn Sandoval, daughter of Rachelle and Aaron Marable, of Windsor, and Jose Sandoval, of Gardiner; Paige Clark, daughter of Joshua and Amanda Clark and Sarah and Ben Foster, of Chelsea; Sadie Pierce, daughter of Ryan Pierce and Natasha Littlefield, of China and Cortney Gould and Kevin Haskell, of Palermo; and Lillian Rispoli, daughter of Maureen and Bill Rispoli, of Palermo.

Seniors of the Trimester are recognized as individuals who have gone above and beyond in all aspects of their high school careers.

In appreciation of their dedication and service to Erskine Academy, Faculty of the Trimester awards were presented to Brian Dutil, Math Instructor; and Randy Pottle, Director of Maintenance.

Faculty of the Trimester recipients, from left to right, Brian Dutil and Randy Pottle. (contributed photo)

China transfer committee members present list of goals

/0 Comments/in , /by
by Mary Grow

China’s Transfer Station Committee members put revisions to the 2021 vision statement for the facility in near-final form at their April 8 meeting.

The single-page document is a list of goals. Much of the discussion was about how to help China residents, and those in Palermo who use China’s facility, realize how much money recycling saves for local taxpayers.

One aspect of recycling is the swap shop: people are invited to drop off household items, clothing, shoes and other things that other people could use, and to bring home things that appeal to them.

Committee member Rachel Anderson, a swap shop volunteer, asked if items that went through the shop got counted as recyclables. Transfer Station Manager Thomas Maraggio and Public Works Director Shawn Reed said yes: the state has a formula that lets them calculate approximately how much weight is removed from the waste stream.

At the previous committee meeting, Anderson raised the problem of donated shoes getting separated from their mates. Committee member James Hsiang said he had donated metal clips to hold pairs together; but people who took shoes kept the clips, despite a sign asking them not to (which soon disappeared).

Hsiang plans to try again with less expensive clips and a more permanent sign.

A paragraph in the vision statement deals with generating power at the transfer station. A waste incinerator was mentioned at previous meetings, solar panels on April 8.

Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood said select board members are not presently interested in exploring power-generating options.

Committee members again discussed transfer station users who ignore rules. Bob Kurek, one of Palermo’s two representatives on the committee, is following up on one scofflaw. Hapgood plans to talk with another, a China resident who was rude to attendants.

Several committee members praised Maraggio for his new informational signs, and all staff members for keeping the facility clean and for their hard work and courtesy. Benjamin Weymouth commented that every visit to the facility is “a positive experience” for him.

Maraggio and Reed expressed regret at the resignation of part-time transfer station employee Timothy Hatch. Finding and training new staff is time-consuming and expensive, they agreed. On May 6, Hapgood and available committee members plan to visit the Hampden disposal and recycling facility, now managed by an entity named Municipal Wastehub (formerly Municipal Review Committee). Used by many Maine municipalities until it closed several years ago, since struggling to reopen, Hampden is now coming back to life.

Maraggio said it reopened as a transfer station for a limited number of towns on April 7. Reed said recycling is scheduled for next fall and later a more ambitious waste-to-energy plan.

The next China Transfer Station Committee meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 13.

CHINA: No new ordinance changes proposed for June 10 town meeting

/0 Comments/in , /by
by Mary Grow

China Planning Board members devoted their April 8 meeting to review of town ordinances, with references to the town comprehensive plan. They decided a joint meeting with China’s comprehensive plan implementation committee would be a useful next step; chairman Toni Wall will invite that committee’s members to the May 13 planning board meeting.

No more ordinance changes are proposed for the June 10 annual town business meeting warrant. Voters will be asked to act on any additional ordinance changes in November, at the earliest.

The June 10 warrant includes four questions dealing with ordinances (see the April 10 issue of The Town Line, p. 2). The only one needing a planning board recommendation is Art. 31, asking voters to amend sections of the Land Development Code. Select board and planning board members unanimously recommend approval.

Wall, some other board members and codes officer Nicholas French would like to see open space subdivisions allowed in China (see the April 3 issue of The Town Line, p. 3). Wall had distributed copies of Arundel’s and Belfast’s ordinances on the topic.

After discussion, Wall volunteered to draft open space subdivision regulations to add to China’s subdivision ordinance, for review at a future board meeting.

A second pending ordinance would regulate electric transmission lines through China. In November 2024 voters approved a 90-day moratorium on such lines, renewable by the select board for another 90 days, to give officials and voters time to create and approve an ordinance.

Wall had a copy of Benton’s, titled “Electric Transmission Facilities and Corridors Ordinance,” which generated questions and comments from board members. She intends to prepare a draft intended specifically for China.

The third ordinance discussion was about a significantly revised cannabis ordinance that would allow retail sales for recreational use. Wall said China now allows retail businesses for medical cannabis only; French said there are currently two in town.

If a majority of China voters have changed their minds since June, 2017, when they approved “An Ordinance Prohibiting Retail Marijuana Establishments and Retail Marijuana Social Clubs in the Town of China,” local regulation would require an expanded local ordinance.

French said the state regulates both medical and recreational cannabis facilities. Local regulations can be stricter than the state’s as long as they are not unreasonable.

Wall shared sample ordinances from Newport and Rumford.

Planning board members will not hold a second April meeting. The next regular planning board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 13.

South China library open house

/0 Comments/in , /by

Aurie Maxwell, of China, looks over books at the South China Public Library Open House. (photo by Ginger Lee Jones)

by Ginger Lee Jones

South China Public Library is the oldest continuous library in the state of Maine. It was first founded in a house in 1830 by fellow Quakers in the area. In the year 1900 it was then moved to a building on Village Street, in South China. In the year 1912, the South China Public Library Association was created. In the year 1980, the Children’s Room was added to the building. In 2012, the South China Public Library celebrated 100 years as a nonprofit organization.

The children’s room. (photo by Ginger Lee Jones)

My two daughters and I started going to this library when my oldest was around the age of nine years old. I began to teach my children to read at a young age and the love of reading was allowed to blossom through the joy of home schooling. At the time of our home school experience we met several families who also enjoyed going to this library, and we were one of many who checked out multiple books in order to study a certain subject. The library always felt like home and my daughters and I always treasured going each and every week.

When I saw the event on Facebook for the Open House of the Children’s Room, on February 19, I knew I had to go. It is a huge milestone for the South China Public Library, and one that I congratulated them on. It has been a long time in coming. There were several patrons that stopped by to enjoy the new addition as well as refreshments and new titles on the shelves. I was able to chat with a few people that I hadn’t seen in a while and it was good to reconnect with a fellow home school mom.

Being a photographer has given me many an opportunity to be a part of celebrations. When I got to the library I asked Cheryl Baker, Head Librarian, if I could take some photos to record this special event.

Whether you go to a library for pleasure, home schooling, research or education, it is always a place to go where you have never gone before. It is a place to learn and unwind into a fabulous story or to step back in time to experience events of long ago. Be sure to visit your local library or several near you and let them know that you are a huge fan.

China budget committee, select board meet over 2025-26 budget

/0 Comments/in , /by
by Mary Grow

The article in the warrant for China’s June 10, 2025, annual town business meeting that was not recommended by the budget committee on April 2 (see related story, p. 3) came back at April 7 meetings of the budget committee and the select board.

Six of seven budget committee members met first to reconsider their April 2 vote. The reworded article, numbered Art. 14, that Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood gave them asked voters to raise and appropriate not more than $770,000 from TIF (Tax Increment Financing) money, in accordance with the third version of China’s TIF program that voters approved in November 2024.

There was agreement that budget committee members did not intend to recommend voters allocate no money for TIF projects for the 2025-26 fiscal year. The April 2 committee majority objected specifically to the appropriation for the China Broadband Committee, intended to fund a cooperative program with Direct Communications and its Unity-based Maine subsidiary, Unitel.

Broadband committee chairman Robert O’Connor and member Jamie Pitney explained from the audience that until Unitel succeeds in getting a federal grant, the plan remains in limbo and no China money will be invested.

After half an hour’s wide-ranging discussion, budget committee members reversed their April 2 decision and voted 5-1 to recommend voters approve Art. 14. Timothy Basham, Taryn Hotham, Jo Orlando, Jane Robertson and Michael Sullivan were in favor; chairman Brent Chesley was opposed, on behalf, he said, of absent member Kevin Maroon.

An early item on the agenda for the select board meeting immediately following the budget committee meeting was an article-by-article review of the town business meeting warrant.

The June 10 warrant includes four questions dealing with town ordinances.

By mostly unanimous votes, select board members recommended voters approve each article – except Art. 14. Chairman Wayne Chadwick and member Jeanne Marquis voted to recommend the article; Edwin Bailey and Blane Casey voted not to; and Thomas Rumpf abstained. Rumpf is president of the China Four Seasons Club, which annually applies for and receives TIF funds for trail maintenance.

During the rest of the meeting, select board and TIF committee members continued discussion at intervals, with Pitney borrowing Hapgood’s office to work on revisions to Art. 14.

Much of the discussion was over how to explain that the $770,000 was in two parts: a request to raise and appropriate $265,000 in 2025-26 TIF funds, and a request to reallocate to broadband $505,000 that had previously been set aside for other projects, like, Pitney said, the discontinued revolving loan fund and job training program.

The result was a rewritten Art. 14 asking voters a) to raise and appropriate $265,000 in TIF funds for purposes listed in the TIF document; and b) to approve expenditure of not more than $505,000 previously raised and appropriated for the TIF program.

This article was recommended by select board members on a 4-0-1 vote, with Rumpf again abstaining, with thanks to Pitney.

The June 10 warrant includes four questions dealing with town ordinances. Select board members unanimously recommended approval of all four.

Art. 30 asks voters to repeal China’s ordinance Prohibiting Retail Marijuana Establishments and Retail Marijuana Social Clubs in town. State law has made it unnecessary, Hapgood said.

Art. 31 asks voters to approve amendments to three sections of China’s Land Use Ordinance. The article says a copy of the ordinance is posted with the warrant and an electronic version is on the town website, chinamaine.gov, under the Elections tab.

Art. 33 asks voters to repeal China’s quorum ordinance for special town meetings, because, Hapgood said, the town attorney says it violates state law.

Art. 34 asks if voters will amend the town’s Budget Committee Ordinance. The major proposed change is to restore a seven-member committee, instead of the five-member committee in the current ordinance.

A public hearing on the warrant for the June 10 meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Monday, May 5, in the town office meeting room. That evening’s select board meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m.

In addition to these pre-town-meeting activities, China select board members heard a presentation by Regional School Unit #18 Superintendent Carl Gartley, accompanied by China’s representatives on the RSU board, Dawn Castner and John Soifer.

Gartley said China’s share of the RSU budget for 2025-26 will increase by about $324,500. Much of the increase is because the insured value factor, the extra local money for private schools like Erskine Academy for facilities maintenance, has risen from 6 percent to 10 percent of the tuition rate for next year.

The superintendent shared charts comparing China with 13 other area school units. China is near the bottom in per-pupil costs, at or near the top in academic performance.

Recent improvements at China schools include generators in both buildings, Gartley said. China Primary School, which dates from the 1990s, is slated to get new windows this summer.

Replying to Chadwick’s questions, Gartley said the school department paid for most of the riprapping along Route 202 in front of China Middle School, because most of the ditch is outside the road right-of-way; and the flashing signs warning drivers to slow down when school is opening and closing have been on order for months and are expected before classes start in the fall.

Select board members also:

— Approved a TIF allocation for the current year, $3,414 for the community garden project led by James and Jude Hsiang, to be located on the lot south of the town office complex.
— Agreed to send letters supporting requests for federal funds to Sen. Susan Collins’ office on behalf of Waterville’s and Augusta’s emergency dispatch centers and Delta Ambulance.
Hapgood reported for town departments:
— All departments will be closed Monday, April 21, for the Patriots’ Day holiday, and that evening’s select board meeting will be moved to 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 22.
— Timothy Hatch has resigned from the transfer station and public works department as of March 29.
— The transfer station will host a drug take-back day on Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

China budget committee makes final recommendations

/0 Comments/in , /by
by Mary Grow

Despite the draft 2025-26 China budget and the warrant for the June 10 annual town business meeting changing as they met, China Budget Committee members made their final recommendations at their April 2 meeting – they thought.

The draft warrant as of the end of the meeting had 32 articles. Twenty-three dealt with money matters and needed a budget committee recommendation.

The six budget committee members present voted in favor of all but one article, mostly by unanimous votes. The one dissenting vote was cast by committee chairman Brent Chesley on Art. 6, asking for $25,000 for social services expenses.

In the proposed 2025-26 social services budget, the largest item is general assistance, with $8,000 requested. The rest of the listed recipients are nine out-of-town social service agencies voters traditionally help support, plus one new one, the Winslow Community Food Cupboard.

The organization is a food bank that, supporters told budget committee members at earlier meetings, assists the China Food Pantry. The recommended donation is $500, half the amount requested. (For more information on the Winslow Community Cupboard, please see the April 3 issue of The Town Line, p. 1.)

The warrant article that budget committee members voted not to support funded China’s TIF (Tax Increment Financing) account. As rewritten on the spot by Chesley and Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood, it asks voters to appropriate $215,000 in new TIF money for next year and to transfer $555,000 previously appropriated to the China Broadband Committee for 2025-26.

Broadband committee members hope to use the money for a proposed expansion of broadband service in town, working with Direct Communications’ Maine subsidiary, Unity-based Unitel. Unitel has repeatedly applied for grants to fund the project and has not yet been successful, but has not given up (see the Feb. 13 issue of The Town Line, p. 3, for a fuller explanation).

Budget committee member Michael Sullivan argued that the original project with Unitel had two parts: running a line through China to connect Unity with Palermo, a member of the Waldo Broadband Group; plus extending service to unserved and underserved parts of China. Now, he said, the second part of the project has been dropped: it is no longer what voters expected when they approved TIF funds in the past.

Jane Robertson voted to support TIF funding; Kevin Maroon, Taryn Hotham, Jo Orlando and Sullivan voted against; and Chesley abstained.

Hapgood said later in the week that she and the town attorney agreed that the budget committee had, probably unintentionally, recommended shutting down the entire TIF program next year. Two committee members agreed and requested a special meeting, which Hapgood scheduled for Monday, May 7, before that evening’s select board meeting.

Budget committee members began their April 2 meeting with a review of the select board’s reactions to March 17 budget committee votes. At their March 24 meeting, select board members accepted four budget committee recommendations on minor expenses (see the March 27 issue of The Town Line, p, 3).

Select board members had first recommended 3.5 percent cost of living increase for town employees. Budget committee members on March 17 recommended a 2.5 percent increase. On March 24, select board members agreed on a 3.25 percent increase.

Budget committee members renewed discussion April 2, though Chesley commented on the awkwardness of airing the topic in a public meeting. Everyone agreed they did not intend to criticize town employees; the issue was finances, not personnel. Orlando said residents with whom she discussed the budget praised town staff.

Town employees’ salaries and benefits are part of several budget accounts, notably administration, public works and the transfer station. Budget committee members recommended voters approve the select board’s recommended amounts for the relevant articles.

China’s annual town business meeting will be by written ballot again this year, as it has been since the pandemic, despite some residents’ annual requests for a return to an open meeting. A majority of select board members prefer the all-day written ballot because many more people vote than at an open meeting.

The June 10 voting will be in the former portable classroom behind the town office on Lakeview Drive. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Ice Out winners announced 2025

/0 Comments/in , , /by

It is the ruling of the judge that ice officially went out of China Lake on Thursday, April 3, 2025.

Jenna Barnes and Terry Lynn Colligan came the closest with each guessing April 4. Congratulations to this year’s winners.

Erskine Academy 2nd Trimester honors (2024-25)

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Erskine Academy

Grade 12

High Honors: Emmett Appel, Emily Bailey, Bryana Barrett, Geneva Beckim, Octavia Berto, Jayda Bickford, Lauryn Black, Brooke Blais, Madison Cochran, Lauren Cowing, Lillian Crommett, Gabrielle Daggett, Aydan Desjardins, Aidan Durgin, John Edwards, Ryan Farnsworth, Josiah Fitzgerald, Hailey Garate, Brandon Hanscom, Serena Hotham, Kailynn Houle, Ava Kelso, Sophia Knapp, Bodi Laflamme, Brooke Lee, Jack Lucier, Owen Lucier, Eleanor Maranda, Jade McCollett, Abigail McDonough, Madison McNeff, Addison Mort, Thomas Mullens, Makayla Oxley, Elsa Redmond, Justin Reed, Carter Rau, Lillian Rispoli, Nathan Robinson, Laney Robitaille, Carlee Sanborn, Joslyn Sandoval, Aislynn Savage, Achiva Seigars, Jordyn Smith, Zoey Smith, Larissa Steeves, and Clara Waldrop.

Honors: Noah Bechard, Rylan Bennett, Kaleb Bishop, Carter Brockway, Dylan Cooley, Andra Cowing, Kaden Crawford, Trinity DeGreenia, Brady Desmond, Chloe French, Wesley Fulton, Ellie Giampetruzzi, Kaylene Glidden, Abbi Guptill, Jonathan Gutierrez, Echo Hawk, Landen Hayden, Emma Henderson, Alivia Jackson, Montana Johnson, Rion Kesel, Kaiden Kronillis, Chase Larrabee, Shelby Lincoln, D’andre Marable, Shannon McDonough, Colin Oliphant, Noah Pelletier, Ava Picard, Sadie Pierce, Victoria Rancourt, Kyle Scott, Emily Sprague, Katherine Swift, Grant Taker, David Thompson III, Grace Vashon, and Kaleigh Voyles.

Grade 11

High Honors: Connor Alcott, Emily Almeida, Brock Bowden, Addyson Briggs, London Castle, MacKenzie Chase, Nathan Choate, William Choate, Madeline Clement-Cargill, Claire Davis, Sylvia Davis, Joshua Denis, Audryanna DeRaps, Lauren Dufour, William Ellsey Jr., Ethan Frost, Madison Gagnon, Stephen Gould, Madison Griffiths, Willow Haschalk, Mia Hersom, Halle Jones, Kasen Kelley, Timothy Kiralis, Kayle Lappin, Jacob Lavallee, Ava Lemelin, Jaden Mizera, Jack Murray, Elijah Nelson, Bayley Nickles, Ruby Pearson, Elijah Pelkey, Emily Piecewicz, Taisen Pilotte, Hannah Polley, Desirae Proctor, Jackie Sasse, Edward Schmidt, Kathryn Shaw, Madelynn Spencer, Kayla Stred, Abigail Studholme, Donovan Thompson, Kammie Thompson, Addison Turner, Oryanna Winchenbach, and Addison Witham.

Honors: Savannah Baker, Gavin Bartlett, Anders Bassett, Lucas Berto, Landon Boynton, Logan Breton, Benjamin Carle, Drew Clark, Lillian Clark, Timothy Clavette, Lucas Crosby, Mason Decker, Riley Dixon, Jacob Faucher, Kolby Griatzky, Aiden Hamlin, Easton Houghton, Aidan Huff, Jacob Hunter, Natthaya Khositanont, Savannah Knight, Kloie Magoon, Paige McNeff, Parker Minzy, Tucker Nessmith, Phoebe Padgett, Jordyn Parise, Jacoby Peaslee, Abigail Peil, Isabelle Pelotte, Jackson Pelotte, Allianna Porter, Logan Poulin, Owen Robichaud, Leahna Rocque, Kameron Rossignol, Autumn Sawyer, Jaelyn Seamon, Benjamin Severy, Eva Simmons, Trenton Smith, Benjamin Sullivan, Leah Targett, Phoebe Taylor, Isaac Vallieres, Finnegan Vinci, Brody Worth, and Maddilyn York.

Grade 10

High Honors: William Adamson IV, Isaac Audette, Olivia Austin, Jeremiah Bailey, Jackson Blake, Silas Bolitho, Madeline Boynton, Cassidy Brann, Delaney Brown, Liam Burgess, Olivia Childs, Hunter Christiansen, Landon Clements, Connor Crommett, Botond Csaszi, Ryley Desmond, Robin Dmitrieff, Isabella Farrington, Gianna Figucia, Audrey Fortin, Aina Garcia Cardona, Cody Grondin, Madison Harris, Lilly Hutchinson, Reid Jackson, Johanna Jacobs, Ivy Johns, Callianne Jordan, Jasai Marable, Annie Miragliuolo, Alexis Mitton, Jacoby Mort, MacKenzie Oxley, Madeline Oxley, Molly Oxley, Caylee Putek, Sovie Rau, Lailah Sher, Bryson Stratton, Gabriel Studholme, Sabrina Studholme, Kaleb Tolentino, Tyler Waldrop, and Eryn Young.

Honors: Ariana Armstrong, Ashton Bailey, Delia Bailey, Benjamin Beale, Luke Blair, Hailey Boone, Khloe Clark, Collin Clifford, Bradley Cushman, Jilian Desjardins, Logan Dow, Nolan Dow, Kelsie Dunn, Delaney Dupuis, Tesla Every-Blanchard, Gavin Fanjoy, Danica Ferris, Madison Field, Annabelle Fortier, Adalyn Glidden, Camden Hinds, Evan James, Peyton Kibbin, Maverick Knapp, Mason Lagasse, Bryson Lanphier, Matthew Lincoln, Jack Malcolm, Gaven Miller, Thomas Minzy, Kienna-May Morse, Emi Munn, Layla Peaslee, Bryson Pettengill, Teagan Pilsbury, Noah Pooler, Dylan Proctor, Tayden Richards, Samuel Richardson, Colton Ryan, Dylan Saucier, Lucas Short, Ian Smith, Hellena Swift, Braeden Temple, Cayden Turner, Carter Ulmer, and Isabella Winchenbach.

Grade 9

High Honors: Joshua Bailey, Hunter Baird, Madeline Berry, Ella Beyea, Brooke Borja, Dominic Brann, Ryan Carle, Lily Chamberlain, Ryleigh French, Trevor French, Shelby Gidney, Kolby Glidden, Myla Gower, Christina Haskell, Bristol Jewett, Colbie Littlefield, Dylan Maguire, Stella Martinelli, Mason Mattingly, Orin McCaw, Lainey McFarland, Ava Miragliuolo, Grant Munsey, Thomas Roe, Jakobe Sandoval, Parker Smith, Maxine Spencer, Ethan Studholme, Reid Sutter, Audrey Tibbetts, Hannah Tobey, Kayleigh Trask, Kallie Turner, Kinsey Ulmer, Sorrel Vinci, Mackenzie Waldron, and Leah Watson.

Honors: Clifton Adams IV, Megan Bailey, Mackenzie Bowden, Aiden Brann, Jackson Bryant, Nicholas Carle, Jack Coutts, Daegan Creamer, Zoey Demerchant, Dylan Dodge, Taylor Gagnon, Tyler Gagnon, Riley Gould, Chase Grant, Rachel Grant, Bruce Grosjean, Griffin Hayden, Jackson Hussey, Baylee Jackson, Josephine Kelly, Landon Larochelle, Gabriella Lathrop, Marlin Lawrence, Dorothy Leeman, Bella Lefferts, Madison Levesque, Mason Marable, Alexander Mayo, Skyler McCollett, Ayla McCurdy, Annaleysha McNeil, Annabella Morris, Grace Oxley, Carter Peterson, Lexi Pettengill, Nolan Pierce, Reed Pilsbury, Angelina Puiia, Aiden Reny, George Roderick, Jacob Rogers, Jacob Shanholtzer, Jaylynn St. Amand, Leigha Sullivan, Benjamin Theberge, Eli Vallieres, Annezamay Veilleux, Marshall Wellman, and Reid Willett.

China road committee discusses ways to improve town roads

/0 Comments/in , /by
by Mary Grow

China Road Committee members discussed several town roads, ways to improve them and related issues at an hour-and-a-half long March 25 meeting.

Their conclusions will become recommendations to the select board as that group considers the 2025-26 road budget.

Committee members had as background information a list of roads paved or – mostly – repaved since the summer of 2019, divided into four quadrants. Quadrant 2, in northwestern China, was due for most of this summer’s work; many of its more than 12 miles were last done in 2022.

In that area, Public Works Director Shawn Reed recommended 1.85 miles of fresh asphalt on Maple Ridge Road and 1.24 miles of chip-seal on Neck Road, south from the Stanley Hill Road intersection.

For the last three years, China has been redoing some roads with chip-seal, a less expensive method than adding a layer of liquid asphalt. Reed said he is mostly pleased with the way chip-sealed roads have held up; committee member Brent Chesley’s verdict was “So far, so good.”

The group discussed whether Maple Ridge Road is so bad it should be dug up and rebuilt, instead of just repaved.

Winslow town officials are rebuilding their part of Maple Ridge Road, Reed said. Not all of the major paving companies take on rebuilding projects.

Reed pointed out that some roads in Quadrant 3, in southeastern China, could also use work; he recommended redoing 1.66 miles on Hanson Road.

China officials plan to use a large amount of this year’s road money to rebuild and pave Town Landing Road, limiting other options.

Discussion of Town Landing Road, which leads from South China Village’s Village Street to a China Lake boat landing, focused on the need for improvements to control erosion into the lake, and to reduce annual maintenance costs. Reed foresees ditching, adding gravel and riprap and sloping the pavement, either from a higher center to both ditches or toward only one ditch.

Two unresolved issues are whether to try to create a turn-around near the lake and whether to plan on winter maintenance. Reed and Chesley favor plowing the road to ensure emergency access, even if the plow truck has to back out.

Another major project, Reed said, but not for this year, is Clark Road, which runs east off Route 32 (Vassalboro Road) and dead-ends on the west side of China Lake. It is the only remaining town-owned gravel road, and costs extra money for gravel and grading.

Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood suggested another alternative would be to ask voters at some future town meeting to discontinue the road, leaving maintenance responsibility to landowners.

Clark Road leaves Route 32 through property whose owner opposes paving it, several people said. It is named for, and provides access to, a house built by some of the Clark family who were China’s first settlers in 1773. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

China and Vassalboro have pooled their paving bids for some years, and Reed intends to do the same this year; he has been coordinating with Vassalboro Public Works Director Brian Lajoie. The group discussed whether China gained by combining and decided to investigate further before this time next year.

Committee chairman and town office staffer Jen
nifer Chamberlain said she expects to send out requests for bids early in April; April 17 or 18 might be the deadline to return bids.

Committee members did not schedule another meeting until select board members have reviewed their recommendations, and probably until bids come in. Reed suggested they might plan to meet quarterly the rest of this year to prepare to do something about Clark Road next year.