EVENTS: UVD event rescheduled

photo credit: United Valley Democrats Facebook page

The United Valley Democratic (UVD) Committee ‘End-of Summer’ Event will instead celebrate Autumn on Saturday, October 7, at 327 Stevens Shore Road, in Palermo. It was originally scheduled the day the hurricane passed close to Maine’s coast, when many residents lost their power.

United Valley Democratic Committee (formerly the China Democratic Committee) was recently organized by combining Democratic committees from the adjacent towns in the Sheepscot River Valley including China, Vassalboro, Palermo and Windsor. While continuing to grow with other towns, the UVD committee meets regularly on the third Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m., and welcomes new members. Their facebook page has the most current event details.

Mark Brunton, chairman of the UVD Committee, explained the need for the reorganization, “UVD brings people together to make our communities stronger, healthier and improve the lives of all our neighbors. It made sense to combine our committees to raise our visibility and let people know they are welcomed to join us.”

To show your support, join the United Valley Democratic Committee’s Fall Celebration on October 7, from 2 – 8 p.m.

For more information, contact the UVD Committee at unitedvalleydems@gmail.com.

PHOTO: First day at China Primary School

Contributed photo

Students in Mrs. Dunn’s class had an amazing first day of school at China Primary School! They got to make crowns to celebrate the occasion, and everyone was smiling at the end of the day! Wishing them a great year of learning as they start their educational journey at RSU #18!

China landowners seek moratorium on power line development

by Mary Grow

The Sept. 25 China select board meeting began with a request from two landowners on the section of Parmenter Hill Road known as Moe’s Mountain. They seek a China moratorium on power line development, like those adopted by Albion and Palermo voters in the hope of influencing the proposed LS power line.

Joshua LaVerdiere and Jesse Haskell said one of the potential power line routes would run over the hill, including over Lowell “Moe” Thomas’s grave, destroying a scenic view, damaging the natural environment and reducing the value of their homes and farmland.

Select board members discussed options at length.

A moratorium requires an ordinance adopted by town voters. There is not time to add a question to the Nov. 7 ballot; the next annual vote will be in June 2024.

For a special town meeting, China has a quorum requirement: 100 registered voters are needed to open the meeting.

Select board members can call a meeting on their own initiative; or they can require the interested parties to collect more than 200 petition signatures requesting a meeting, in order to demonstrate public interest and increase the chance of attracting 100 voters.

A draft ordinance could be part of a petition for a meeting; or select board members could present an ordinance to voters. LaVerdiere and Haskell suggested adapting Palermo’s, which was adapted from Albion’s. Daniel Pepice, joining the meeting later in the discussion, provided a copy.

Jeanette Smith, chairman of China’s Thurston Park committee, added that the LS power line might run close to park boundaries.

LS Power is supposed to send letters to potentially affected landowners. Smith has not received one referring to the park. LaVerdiere said he never got one; Pepice estimated 40 percent of potentially affected landowners in the China-Palermo area have not been notified.

Select board members voted unanimously to ask town attorney Amanda Meader to review the Albion/Palermo ordinance. They hope to have her opinion by their first meeting in October, when they will consider whether to call a special town meeting or to require a petition for one.

Smith attended the Sept. 25 select board meeting to talk about repairs in Thurston Park, still recovering from the Dec. 23, 2022, rainstorm that caused major washouts. Two trails were damaged when fallen branches blocked culverts. There were also washouts on the access road in Albion, though Smith said it is usable.

Transfer station returns to stickers Jan. 1

Beginning Jan. 1, 2024, China and Palermo residents will need a sticker on their vehicle to enter the China transfer station. Stickers will cost $2, and should be available at town offices by Nov. 1.

On a 3-2 vote at their Sept. 25 meeting, China select board members adopted the new policy recommended by their transfer station committee (see the Sept. 21 issue of The Town Line, p. 3).

Board chairman Wayne Chadwick and member Blane Casey voted no. Chadwick said his vote was only because he opposes the $2 fee, not because he opposes stickers.

Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood presented a Transfer Station Access Policy that tells China and Palermo residents where to paste the stickers and explains alternatives for temporary admission (for seasonal residents or contractors working for residents, for example).

“We’ll try it for a year, see how it goes,” Hapgood said.

Residents who paid the $10 fee for an additional RFID (radio frequency identification) tag may return the tag to the town office and, with proof of purchase, get a full refund, between Nov. 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024.

Board members postponed action on the one bid for trail work, hoping for more bids. Because the access road is in Albion, they took no action on road work until Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood finds out whether it is legal to spend China money on an Albion road.

Smith explained that the park committee does not recommend access from the south because the abutting landowner objects. When, years ago, the town legally abandoned Yorktown Road, which runs north-south through the park, a public right-of-way was preserved, she said.

Smith shared a video from a group called National Fitness Campaign that helps build outdoor gymnasiums or fitness courts full of exercise equipment. The campaign approached China earlier this year, she said. She does not consider the idea appropriate for Thurston Park.

In other business:

  • Board members accepted the lowest of three bids for new gutters on the town office building, $2,457 from Builders Installed Products, of Portland and Hermon.
  • They postponed discussion of the proposed storage vault to be added to the town office building and of a new town logo, awaiting more information on both topics.
  • They accepted an emailed apology from Tyler Bragdon for any inappropriate statements at the Sept. 11 select board meeting and accepted his offer to pay a $3,500 fine for mistakes in controlling erosion at a Pond Road work site, instead of the $5,000 originally assessed.
  • They approved the state’s new general assistance payment levels, after a short public hearing.

Because the next regular select board meeting would fall on Oct. 9, the Indigenous Peoples Day holiday, board members moved it to Tuesday, Oct. 10; and because the planning board meets at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 10, they scheduled the select board meeting for 5 p.m.

PHOTO: Boys of summer

Pictured, from left to right, Noah Bechard, Eli Redmond, Lukas Stabins, Nathan Polley (YCC Director), Sam Worthley, and Grady McCormick. Sbsent from the photo was Noah Pelletier. (photo by Bailee Mallett)

On behalf of the China Region Lakes Alliance, kudos for the great work done by the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) during the summer of 2023. The YCC completed five LakeSmart projects on China Lake with additional work at the Cottages at China Lake, and also conducted work for the China Lake Association’s Erosion Reduction Campaign. The YCC also completed two other LakeSmart projects on Webber Pond.

China town to go back to stickers at transfer station; scuttle RFID

by Mary Grow

After another discussion of how to limit the number of unauthorized people trying to use the China transfer station, transfer station committee members voted unanimously at their Sept. 12 meeting to recommend that the town go back to a sticker system.

The town office used to issue stickers, good for a year, to be affixed to the vehicle whose license plate matched the plate number written on the sticker. With a grant, town officials changed to a radio frequency identification (RFID) system, which involved issuing each user a placard to hang on the rearview mirror.

The placard system has a major flaw: residents share their placards with non-resident friends and relatives who use the transfer station without paying the local taxes that support it.

The RFID system was supposed to provide information useful for evaluating transfer station service. In practice, the information has been only somewhat useful, committee and staff members said.

Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood said a few residents object to stickers, either because they don’t want to advertise what town they live in, or because they don’t want their vehicle decorated. The new stickers will not have a town name on them, she said.

Previous discussions ran into a snag: Hapgood wants to charge a small amount for each sticker to cover the cost of buying, recording and distributing them, and she believes residents of both China and Palermo should be charged.

Palermo committee member Robert Kurek said under Palermo’s contract with China, Palermo residents should not incur any new charges. He believes the sticker cost should be taken from the annual $18,000 fee Palermo pays China.

Hapgood pointed out that $18,000 does not cover as much today as it did when the two towns’ representatives signed the contract in 2016. Kurek countered that Palermo officials have already agreed to an amendment (in 2022) allowing the price of Palermo residents’ special blue bags to be adjusted upward for inflation.

The issue was left unresolved, as were other questions, for example about stickers for part-time residents.

The recommendation to go back to stickers will be on the China select board’s Sept. 25 agenda, Hapgood said. If board members approve, she hopes to have stickers available at the China and Palermo town offices by early October and required to enter the China transfer station beginning Jan. 1, 2024.

In other business, transfer station manager Thomas Maraggio had good news: the price of recycled cardboard has gone up from $40 per ton to $77 per ton.

He reported that staff member Cheyenne “Cj” Houle is working on two grant applications, for a compost pad and for lighting in the free for the taking building. Committee member James Hsiang said he is experimenting with battery-powered or solar-powered lighting.

Transfer station committee members scheduled their next meeting for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17.

China board meets new member, codes officer

by Mary Grow

China Planning Board members met briefly Sept. 12, mostly to get acquainted with a new member and China’s new codes enforcement officer.

For their Sept. 26 meeting, they might have two applications for solar farms.

Board co-chairman Toni Wall introduced new member Elaine Mather, representing District 3. Mather was appointed by select board members Aug. 28, to finish Walter Bennett’s term, and on Nov. 7 is unopposed for election to a two-year term.

Codes enforcement officer (and health officer and licensed plumbing inspector) Zachary Gosselin was appointed at the Aug. 14 select board meeting and was attending his first planning board session. Wall and co-chairman James Wilkens welcomed both newcomers and encouraged Gosselin to reach out when he needed background information.

Wall distributed copies of a revised Planning Board Ordinance, thanking town attorney Amanda Meader for her suggestions. She asked fellow board members to be ready to discuss the draft on Sept. 26.

Wall said one application that might be presented Sept. 26 is from Perennial Renewables, for a solar farm in a former gravel pit on the west side of Route 32 South (Windsor Road), about opposite the Route 32 General Store.

A second application is from Noble Energy Systems, Wall said, for a community solar farm on an 0.3-acre lot the east side of Parmenter Road, in the section between the Mann and Western Ridge road intersections that is known locally as Moe’s Mountain.

LETTERS: Why are we selling bricks?

To the editor:

Our American Legion Post #179 is selling veteran bricks to raise funds for a new heating/cooling system at the South China Legion building. This is the monetary reason but there is also a personal reason.

Our monument in the village (across the street from the famous direction sign) has a monument stone dedicated to all veterans. We are placing a brick walkway up to the monument and recognizing our local veteran’s. Each brick will have name, rank, branch of service, time served and unit served/stationed.

This includes current or past veterans from revolutionary war to the present day. We now place hundreds of American flags on Memorial Day in our cemeteries to recognize our fallen veterans. This brick walkway gives additional recognition to you or a relative. I have personally purchased one for myself and my dad.

If you wish to recognize yourself or a relative veteran, please contact me by phone/text or email and I can attach a brick form to fill out or mail. Unlike the old requirement which limited eligibility to any local past or present veteran can participate. I would like to end this letter by stating that a majority of the charter members of Post #179 enlisted in the National Guard and were activated for World War II.

Neil Farrington
Commander American Legion Post 179
Peachclassof68@gmail.com

China select board seeks residents’ help on two projects

by Mary Grow

China select board members are looking for residents’ help on two very different projects: investigating the proposed LS power line and building the planned vault storage addition at the town office.

For the first, they want people to serve on a committee to get more information, with some sort of town action as a probable outcome.

For the second, they want people willing and able to do the physical work of building the structure – “an old-fashioned barn-raising, if you will,” said town building committee chairman Sheldon Goodine.

The LS power line is planned to bring wind-generated electricity from northern Maine to Coopers Mills. Its route has not yet been established, but preliminary proposed routes run through parts of China.

Resident Fred Wiand said one possible route would take a large part of his property, a prospect that does not please him. He suggested the power line might also go through Thurston Park, the town-owned park in northeastern China.

Albion voters passed a six-months’ moratorium on new power lines at the end of August. China Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood said Palermo is planning a similar vote.

Unlike those towns, China has a quorum requirement: a special town meeting would require at least 100 registered voters to take action. It is too late to add a moratorium question to the Nov. 7 ballot; the next regular voting will be at the June 2024 town business meeting.

Board member Blane Casey asked how much influence a town can have over a project that will be approved by a state agency. Jeanne Marquis said Albion voters seem to think they might be able to modify the power line to benefit residents.

People interested in serving on a committee to study the power line are asked to call the town office.

First half taxes due; openings on Nov. ballot

The first half payment of China local taxes is due at the town office by Friday, Sept. 29. Interest on late payments begins on Sept. 30.

On the Nov. 7 China local election ballot, there will be no contests and two openings for write-in candidates. Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood reported for Town Clerk Angela Nelson at the Sept. 11 select board meeting:

  • Select board incumbents Wayne Chadwick and Jeanne Marquis are running for re-election.
  • Planning board incumbent Natale Tripodi and new member Elaine Mather (District 3) are running for re-election. There is no candidate for District 1 (northwestern China).
  • Budget committee incumbents Thomas Rumpf and Kevin Maroon are running for re-election. There is no candidate for District 3 (southeastern China).

The addition to the town office, discussed for some months, is currently at a standstill because no contractor replied to a request for bids. Goodine said he has heard that contractors lack time and employees, and that the $195,000 allocated for the work is not enough.

After discussing options, select board members postponed action to their Sept. 25 meeting. In the interim, Goodine will seek contractors to do various parts of the work – foundation, framing, electrical, mechanical, painting, whatever else is needed – and select board members Marquis and Janet Preston will look for grants that might help cover the cost.

Board chairman Wayne Chadwick thinks it is essential to have all cost estimates before work begins, to make sure the project stays within budget. People with skills and time for any part of the job are invited to contact Goodine or the town office.

In other business Sept. 11, by a series of unanimous votes:

  • Board members added Licensed Plumbing Inspector to new codes officer Zachary Gosselin’s titles; Hapgood said he has received his certification.
  • They accepted the only proposal for the electrical work needed to connect the town-donated generator at the Community Forest building behind the China schools, from Finley Electric, of Windsor, for $3,515.
  • They refused to help Albion pay for repairs to Libby Hill Road. Even though it is China residents’ access to Thurston Park, they could not justify spending China taxpayers’ money on a road in Albion.
  • After a discussion with contractors Tyler and Peter Bragdon, of Brag’s Sewer and Septic, of Augusta, they reaffirmed the $5,000 fine for violation of town ordinances during work at 42 Pond Road.

One item on the agenda for the Sept. 25 select board meeting will be a Sept. 12 recommendation from the Transfer Station Committee to go back to the system of requiring stickers, instead of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags, for admission to the facility.

China Historical Society VP to conduct cemetery tour

Members of the China Historical Society (2023). (photo by Roberta Barnes)

The vice president of the China Historical Society, Tim Hatch, will be conducting a tour of the Chadwick Hill Cemetery this Saturday morning, September 9, beginning at 9 a.m. This property is located off Rte. 32 S., and is one of he largest burial sites in China. We all know that death is inevitable but after his or her passing, the history an individual created lives on forever. Tim has roots in China that go back to the 1700s and is very enthusiastic about preserving the past of those now gone. There is no set time frame for the event and parking will be available at Erskine Academy, diagonally across from the cemetery. Hopefully Mother Nature will be cooperative.

LAKE LIFE TODAY: conclusion

China Lake

Lake Life Today is a series of articles that are hoped will inspire you to see how, by taking just a few steps, you can make a difference and help preserve the quality of water in our lakes for future generations.
These articles have been collected and organized by LakeSmart Director Elaine Philbrook, a member of China Region Lake Alliance (aka “the Alliance”) serving China Lake, Webber Pond, Three Mile Pond, and Three-Cornered Pond. The Alliance would like to thank our partners at Maine Lakes and Lakes Environmental Association (LEA) for information to support this article.

The LakeSmart Laker’s Dozen Lakes are fragile, Care for them today.
Enjoy them tomorrow.

As I listen to fewer loon calls at night and watch them gathering in social groups during the day, I am aware summer’s coming to a close. By the time you read this final Lake Life article of the season Meteorological Autumn will have begun. My hope has been that these Lake Life resources over the summer months would inspire you to take action and, knowing the difference you can make in the future, protect our lakes and ponds. One of my favorite quotes is, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” (Helen Keller) It seems very fitting about what needs to be done. Pick one or choose all 13 of the LakeSmart’s Dozen and make a difference for the future of our lakes and ponds.

1. Support Lake Associations.

Join the Board of Directors. Attend your Annual Lake Association’s meeting. Get involved. Visit lakes.me/map to see a map of Maine’s Member Lake Associations.

2. Stop The Spread of Invasives.

Clean plant fragments off your boat, trailer, and boating equipment before moving your boat.

Drain bilges away from the lake when you leave a waterbody.

Dry your boat or let it sit several days between uses on different water bodies.

Never transfer water or fish from lake to lake.

This is the law as of 2023:
https://www.maine.gov/ifw/docs/Clean%20Drain%20Dry%20Frequently%20Asked%20Questions.pdf

3. Follow Shoreland Zoning Rules.

What happens on land doesn’t stay on land. Actions you take on your property can have devastating consequences for the health of your lake. Before any project, check with your local Town Office or Code Enforcement Officer to see if you need a permit for work within the shoreland zone, the 250 feet deep strip of land along the edge of a lake.

4. End Erosion.

On a rainy day check around your buildings, paths, driveways, and roads to identify places where soil is eroding or washing away. Erosion drives phosphorus into the lake, which in turn feeds algae and causes lakes to turn green and “bloom.” Fix erosion by planting vegetation downslope; installing crushed stone or erosion control mulch where needed; or by constructing swales or rain gardens. For more information on these and other stormwater Best Management Practices visit lakes.me/BMPs.

5. Build Better Buffers.

Trees, shrubs, and grasses protect water quality by slowing down rainwater in order for phosphorus and other pollutants to filter out in the soil before washing into the lake. Deeper buffers are better, as are those with more layers of vegetation. Native plants do more for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. Visit Maine Audubon Native Plant finder for resources on buffer plantings. https://mainenativeplants.org/

6. Ditch Fertilizers, Herbicides and Pesticides.

Long-lasting chemicals in these products can harm children, pets, and aquatic life. They can also feed algae in your lake and turn it green and smelly.

7. Take a Break. Stash Your Rake. Save the Lake!

Limit lawn size, mow less often, and leave clippings and you won’t need fertilizer. Try not to rake within 75’ of the shore. This comes highly recommended under Shoreland Zoning Guidelines and is also a practice that helps promote native pollinators, and shelters and feeds wildlife.

8. Don’t Stress Your Septic.

Check your septic system for signs of malfunction and pump the septic tank regularly. Have your service provider check the tank’s baffles. Use phosphorus-free cleaners and detergents. Stagger laundry loads and dishwasher runs to occur no more than once a day. Avoid using the (garbage) disposal, and minimize water use when possible. Don’t put toxics or grease down the drain. Visit lakes.me/septic for more info.

9. Build Lake-Friendly Docks.

Cedar, cypress, plastic, or aluminum are good dock materials.

10. Don’t Treat Your Lake Like a Washtub.

Dogs, humans, or boats should never be washed in the lake! Soap is not good for water quality. It feeds algae and isn’t good for fish or other wildlife.

11. Observe Headway Speed Close to Shore.

Maine law prohibits wakes from boats within 200 feet of shore. Boating wakes in shallow water disturbs aquatic habitat, stirs up sediment, destabilizes the shoreline, and can damage or destroy nearby loon nests.

12. Give Wildlife a Chance.

Lake shallows and land near the water provide food and shelter for more than 60 native wildlife species and can also serve as nurseries for their young. Don’t “Tidy them up!”

13. Learn About LakeSmart.

LakeSmart provides site-specific suggestions to homeowners on how to protect water quality, enhance property values, and prevent lake degradation. To learn more, visit lakesmart.org or contact Maine Lakes at lakesmart@lakes.me.

If you have any questions about what you can do to ensure the integrity of your valued lake or if you would like a free LakeSmart evaluation you can reach Elaine Philbrook by email at chinalakesmart@gmail.com and read past Lake Life articles in The Town Line newspaper.

“Live lightly on the land for the sake of the lake (LakeSmart).”