PHOTO: China sunset
John Gardner recently captured this sunset over China Lake.
Ice Out Winner 2023
The Town Line’s official ice out judge has ruled that ice went out of China Lake on April 12, 2023.
Although no one guessed the exact date, the closest was Carrie McGrath, of South China, who missed it by two days, with a guess of April 10. Congratulations!
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust recognized as one of “World’s Best Banks”
Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE American: BHB), the parent company of Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, is pleased to announce the bank has been recognized by Forbes as one of the “World’s Best Banks” based largely on service and trust metrics. Of the 75 US based banks to make the list, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is one of only three banks headquartered in Northern New England.
“We are extremely honored to be recognized by Forbes as one of the best banks in the world, especially as this recognition is a reflection of our customers’ experience with us and their trust in Bar Harbor Bank & Trust,” said Curtis C. Simard, President and CEO of Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “Our dedicated team of 500 banking professionals work hard each and every day to ensure that every customer interaction is exceptional and that we are delivering the right technology, resources, and financial guidance to help our customers meet their financial goals. The global recognition from Forbes is another validation that we are doing banking right.”
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust has been serving the financial needs of Northern New England residents and businesses since it was founded in 1887. The Bank expertly balances the delivery of innovative products and services that customers require, such as mobile banking and mobile deposit, with a personal approach to banking that customers desire including a full-service branch network of more than 50 branches across Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. In the past 18 months, the Bank has been recognized as one of “America’s Best Banks” by Newsweek; one of America’s “Best-In-State Banks” by Forbes; and a recipient of the Doing Well by Doing Good Award from Mastercard®.
For Forbes‘ fifth annual list of the World’s Best Banks, which is published in partnership with market research firm Statistic, more than 48,000 customers around the world were surveyed for their opinions on their current and former banking relationships. Banks were rated on overall recommendation and satisfaction as well as five key attributes: trust; terms and conditions; digital services; customer services; and financial advice.
Erskine Academy second trimester honor roll (2023)
(photo credit: Erskine Academy)
Grade 12
High honors: Carson Appel, Kassidy Barrett, Abigail Beyor, Eve Boatright, Courtney Cowing, Breckon Davidson, Nicole DeMerchant, Lillian Dorval, Hailey Farrar, Loralei Frandsen, Lilly Fredette, Brianna Gardner, Alivia Gower, Cooper Grondin, Nabila Harrington, Grady Hotham, Grace Hutchins, Olivia Hutchinson, Hallie Jackson, Kaiden Kelley, Matthew Knowles, Meadow Laflamme, Dale Lapointe, Kendal Longtin, Malachi Lowery, Lily Matthews, Timber Parlin, Kayla Peaslee, Jonathan Peil, Gabriel Pelletier, Jenna Perkins, Sophia Pilotte, Kaden Porter, Alexis Rancourt, Cadence Rau, Samantha Reynolds, Ally Rodrigue, Conner Rowe, Noah Rushing, Jarell Sandoval, Gabriela Sasse, Zuriah Smith, Emma Stred, Paige Sutter, Mackenzie Toner, Emma Tyler, Katherine Williams, Damon Wilson and Joseph Wing.
Honors: Katherine Bourdon, Samuel Boynton, Caleb Buswell, Marianna Charlebois, Tianna Cunningham, Grace Ellis, Erin Fontaine, Ciara Glidden, Reiana Gonzalez, Carson Grass, Mallary Hanke, Kassidy Hopper, Beck Jorgensen, Acadia Kelley, Jakob Kennedy, Brady Kirkpatrick, Casey Kirkpatrick, Siena Klasson, Emmet Lani-Caputo, Dinah Lemelin, Gwen Lockhart, Brady Mayberry, River Meader, Gage Moody, Angelina Ochoa, Maddison Paquet, Hannah Patterson, Karen Potter, Paige Reed, Emmalee Sanborn, Sammantha Stafford, Sophie Steeves, Kiley Stevens, Daniel Stillman, Matthew Terry and Aidan Witham.
Grade 11
High Honors: Jana Alfoudari, Isabella Boudreau, Robin Boynton, Elizabeth Brown, Nolan Burgess, Carol Caouette-Labbe, Makayla Chabot, Elise Choate, Simon Clark, Alexia Cole, Brielle Crommett, Noah Crummett, Gavin Cunningham, Ciara Fickett, Hunter Foard, Aaralyn Gagnon, Caleb Gay, Hannah Kugelmeyer, Aidan Maguire, Johanna Malitz, Liberty Massie, David McCaig, Mala Meyer, Akela Mitchell, Austin Nicholas, Jeremy Parker, Nathan Polley, Jessica Pumphrey, Keith Radonis, Giacomo Smith, Adam St. Onge, Kinsey Stevens, Reese Sullivan and Baruch Wilson.
Honors: Tristan Anderson, Lacey Arp, Duncan Bailey, Heather Bourgoin, Wyatt Bray, Kaleb Brown, Hayden Chase, Connor Coull, Thomas Crawford, Caleigh Crocker, Keira Deschamps, Hailey Estes, Kaylee Fyfe, Jackson Gamblin, Brayden Garland, Leah Grant, Tucker Greenwald, Nathan Hall, Tara Hanley, Natalie Henderson, Jessica Hendsbee, Trinity Hyson, Kameron Kronillis, Stephanie Kumnick, Mackenzie Kutniewski, Sophie Leclerc, Jack Lyons, Richard Mahoney III, Holden McKenney, Gavin Mills, Lucas Mitchell, Cami Monroe, Alejandro Ochoa, Romin Riedmann, Evelyn Rousseau, Hayden Turgeon, Jack Uleau, Haley Webb and Elijah York.
Grade 10
High Honors: Haileigh Allen, Emmett Appel, Noah Bechard, Geneva Beckim, Octavia Berto, Lauryn Black, Brooke Blais, Olivia Brann, Keenan Clark, Madison Cochran, Hannah Cohen-Mackin, Andra Cowing, Gabrielle Daggett, Aidan Durgin, Ryan Farnsworth, Chloe French, Keeley Gagnon, Hailey Garate, Ellie Giampetruzzi, Jonathan Gutierrez, Serena Hotham, Kailynn Houle, Walker Jean, Ava Kelso, Rion Kesel, Sophia Knapp, Jack Lucier, Owen Lucier, Eleanor Maranda, Jade McCollett, Madison McNeff, Colin Oliphant, Gavyn Paradis, Wallace Pooler IV, Elsa Redmond, Lillian Rispoli, Nathan Robinson, Laney Robitaille, Aislynn Savage, Kyle Scott and Clara Waldrop.
Honors: Ava Anderson, Bryana Barrett, Jayda Bickford, Kaleb Bishop, Carter Brockway, Coleman Chase, Dylan Cooley, Lauren Cowing, Lillian Crommett, Trinity DeGreenia, Aydan Desjardins, Brady Desmond, John Edwards, Lucas Farrington, Clara French, Kaylene Glidden, Tristan Goodwin, Blake Grady, Abbi Guptill, Echo Hawk, Emma Henderson, Alivia Jackson, Rachel Johnson, Kaiden Kronillis, Cassie LaCroix, Bodi Laflamme, Chase Larrabee, Shelby Lincoln, Julian Martin, Abigail McDonough, Shannon McDonough, Elijah Moore, Makayla Oxley, Noah Pelletier, Sadie Pierce, Bronwyn Potter, Victoria Rancourt, Carter Rau, Justin Reed, Carlee Sanborn, Joslyn Sandoval Jordyn Smith, Zoey Smith, Emily Sprague, Parker Studholme, Katherine Swift, Kaylee Tims and Grace Vashon.
Grade 9
High Honors: Connor Alcott, Emily Almeida, Savannah Baker, Kylie Bellows, Landon Boynton, Addyson Briggs, London Castle, Nathan Choate, William Choate, Lillian Clark, Madeli Clement-Cargill, Sylvia Davis, Joshua Denis, Audryanna DeRaps, Lauren Dufour, William Ellsey Jr., Madison Griffiths, Willow Haschalk, Mia Hersom, Halle Jones, Savannah Knight, Kayle Lappin, Ava Lemelin, Paige McNeff, Parker Minzy, Jack Murray, Elijah Nelson, Bayley Nickles, Jordyn Parise, Ruby Pearson, Abigail Peil, Elijah Pelkey, Jackson Pelotte, Emily Piecewicz, Taisen Pilotte, Hannah Polley, Desirae Proctor, Michael Richardson, Owen Robichaud, Leahna Rocque, Jackie Sasse, Edward Schmidt, Felicity Seagrave, Kathryn Shaw, Madelynn Spencer, Evelyn Stevenson, Kayla Stred, Gentry Stuart, Abigail Studholme, Phoebe Taylor, Donovan Thompson, Kammie Thompson, Addison Turner and Addison Witham.
Honors: Anders Bassett, Brock Bowden, Benjamin Carle, Kolby Caswell, Claire Davis, Charles DeSchamp, Jacob Faucher, Stephen Gould, Aiden Hamlin, Aidan Huff, Kasen Kelley, Timothy Kiralis, Jacob Lavallee, Laylah Leach, Hayden Little, Aurora Littrell, Kloie Magoon, Kaiden Morin, Tucker Nessmith, Phoebe Padgett, Jacoby Peaslee, Lilian Piecewicz, Kameron Quinn, Hannah Ratcliff, Eli Redmond, Alexander Reitchel, Kameron Rossignol, Autumn Sawyer, Jaelyn Seamon, Eva Simmons, Nichala Small, Blake Smith, Trenton Smith, Benjamin Sullivan, Clara Theberge, Kamryn Turner, Charles Uleau, Isaac Vallieres, Alexander Walker, Oryanna Winchenbach, Brody Worth and Maddilyn York.
China select board to hold hearing on CRP application
The China Select Board will host a community workshop on Monday, April 24, at 5 p.m., at the town office to gather ideas for projects that would benefit the Town of China and its residents. The hearing is part of the application process for becoming a Community Resilience Partner (CRP) through Maine’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future.
The partnership costs China nothing and would allow China to become eligible to receive Community Action Grants and other support for projects that reduce carbon emissions, help us to move toward clean energy, and steer us to becoming more environmentally, socially, and financially resilient. The effects of climate change can have negative consequences on public health, roads and bridges, natural resources, and our overall long-term resilience as a community.
Enrolled partners are paired up with a regional coordinator who then helps develop future project ideas and apply for both state and federal grants to fund those projects. Some ideas batted around include: fixing the South China boat landing, sidewalks in China Village, rides for senior citizens, and digitizing town office records. What do you think?
Robyn Stanicki, of Kennebec Valley Council of Governments (KVCOG) is assisting China with the Community Resilience Partnership application process and will be at the workshop to answer questions, help us brainstorm, and prioritize. Please come share your ideas. If you cannot attend but would like to submit your ideas, please contact select board member Janet Preston at Janet.Preston@ChinaMaine.org.
For more information on Maine’s Community Resilience Partner program, please visit this link: https://www.maine.gov/future/climate/community-resilience-partnership.
China select board approves final warrant for business meeting
by Mary Grow
Early in a series of unanimous decisions at their April 10 meeting, China select board members approved the final version of the warrant for the June 13 town business meeting.
The warrant has 32 articles. The one they did not previously approve asks voters to appropriate up to $43,000 from unassigned fund balance for a new fireproof storage vault for municipal records. It is now approved, and the whole warrant is ready for voters.
Copies of the warrant and of the two ordinances voters are asked to approve or reject are on the town website, china.govoffice.org.
Another unanimous vote adjusted fees at the transfer station. Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood explained that there are two changes:
- Instead of being charged individually, bulky items, like pieces of furniture, will count as demo debris and be charged by weight; and
- The fee for discarding passenger-car tires will increase from $4 each to $5 each.
Hapgood said China’s transfer station is not supposed to take out-of-town waste except under contract (as with Palermo). In the past, China accepted other towns’ recyclables, because disposing of them was slightly profitable. Prices have gone down and profit has disappeared.
Select board members voted unanimously to stop accepting recyclables from any towns except China and Palermo.
Recycling in-town materials does save money, Hapgood said, because it takes things out of the waste stream; getting rid of waste costs more than getting rid of recyclables.
The manager recommended board members ask codes officer Nicholas French and his part-time assistant, Dwaine Drummond, to update the list of penalties for land use violations and present it to select board and planning board members for their review.
Select board members agreed, and Hapgood said she would see if a draft could be available for the April 24 board meeting.
By additional unanimous votes, board members approved three expenditures:
- They authorized Hapgood to sign a contract with the Maine Department of Public Safety to provide law enforcement dispatching for the next fiscal year (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024), at a cost of $49,089.24, money Hapgood said is already budgeted.
- They agreed to buy portable traffic lights for use at road construction sites (so the public works crew can fix roads, instead of holding stop signs) for $48,960 from Northeast Traffic Technologies of Plymouth, Massachusetts; and to spend not more than $13,000 for an enclosed trailer to move the signs. The trailer will come from a local vendor, Hapgood said in a later email.
- They accepted another one-year contract with attorney Amanda Meader, whose hourly rate Hapgood said will increase by 8.11 percent. Other towns pay their lawyers more than China does, the manager added.
Hapgood and, in their bi-weekly reports, other town officials announced pending events that include, in chronological order:
- On Monday, April 17, China municipal departments will be closed for the Patriots’ Day holiday.
- On Saturday, April 22, at the public works garage just west of the transfer station on Alder Park Road, household hazardous waste take-back day, 8 a.m. to noon (preregistration required). Information is available in a hand-out at the transfer station and in the April 7 issue of “China Connected.”
- On Saturday, April 22, at the transfer station, drug take-back day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- On Monday, April 24, at 5 p.m. in the town office meeting room, a public meeting to learn about and collect ideas for resiliency projects in China, with Community Resilience Coordinator Robyn Stanicki, of the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments; followed by a select board meeting.
- Monday, May 1, is the deadline for applications for money from the Doris L. Young Scholarship Fund. Information is on the town website, under the heading Town Clerk, which is under Administration, which is under Town Departments.
- Monday, May 8, at 6 p.m. in the town office meeting room, public hearing on June 13 warrant articles, followed by a select board meeting.
- The annual Regional School Unit (RSU) #18 budget meeting and vote will be held Thursday, May 18, at 6 p.m. at Messalonskee High School Performing Arts Center in Oakland.
Erskine presents Renaissance awards for second trimester
Seniors of the Trimester, from left to right: Lilly Fredette, Sophie Steeves, Damon Wilson, Grace Hutchins, Kassidy Barrett, and Malachi Lowery. (contributed photo)
On Friday, April 7, 2023, Erskine Academy, in South China, held a Renaissance assembly to recognize second trimester award recipients.
Recognition awards were presented to Elijah Pelkey, Hannah Ratcliff, Kyle Scott, Abigail McDonough, Hailey Estes, and Jeremy Parker.
Eight seniors received Senior of the Trimester Awards: Sophie Steeves, daughter of Theresa and Gerald Steeves, of China; Kassidy Barrett, daughter of Peggy and Jason Barrett, of Windsor; Malachi Lowery, son of Hollie Hilton, of Vassalboro, and John Lowery, of Ellsworth; Lilly Fredette, daughter of Jessica and Jason Fredette, of China; Grace Hutchins, daughter of Teresa and Randy Hutchin,s of Litchfield; Damon Wilson, son of Aimee and Jeffrey Wilson, of Windsor; and Zuriah Smith, son of Charyl Malik, of China. 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 also presented to Ethan Rettew, Social Studies Instructor; Marguerite Cullivan, Physical Education Instructor; and Betsy Benner, Guidance Counselor.
Faculty of the Trimester, from left to right: Betsy Benner, Ethan Rettew, and Marguerite Cullivan. (contributed photo)
PHOTO: China Village Volunteer Fire Department
Front row, left to right, FF Matt Allen (3 yrs.), Capt. Sarah Batteese (25 yrs.), Chief Joel Nelson (7 yrs.), Capt. Kevin Maroon (28 yrs.), FF Misha Littlefield (5 yrs.). Back, FF Scott Adams (45 yrs.), Capt. Bill Rancourt (35 yrs.), Capt. Bob Batteese (39 yrs.), Lt. Kerry Martin (4 yrs.), Chaplain Ron Morrell (39 yrs.). (contributed photo)
On March 21, the China Village Volunteer Fire Department held its annual Appreciation Dinner, honoring the volunteers and their spouses.
China budget committee endorses 2023-24 spending articles
by Mary Grow
At a short April 3 meeting, China Budget Committee members reviewed and endorsed proposed 2023-24 spending articles in the warrant for China’s June 13 town business meeting.
Committee members had previously discussed the proposed budget at a March 7 meeting. They still had a few questions, and on some of the spending articles a member dissented or abstained. Each proposal received at least five recommendations.
After action on the draft warrant articles, Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood and committee chairman Thomas Rumpf jointly announced that committee secretary Trishea Story is resigning: the April 3 meeting was her last. Rumpf thanked her for her service.
The China Budget Committee’s seven members include one elected from each of China’s four districts (created in June 2006 to ensure geographical variety on the committee) plus a chairman, a secretary and an at-large member, all of whom can be from anywhere in town.
Members whose terms end this year are Rumpf, Kevin Maroon (district one, northwestern China) and Michael Sullivan (district three, southeastern China). China’s local elections will be held Nov. 7.
Hapgood said because Story’s term does not end in 2023, her replacement will be appointed by the select board rather than elected. The June 2006 Budget Committee Ordinance says the appointment is to be done “within 45 days of the date of resignation.”
The ordinance adds, “If there are two or more qualified candidates, the Select Board may at their discretion hold a special election to fill the vacancy.”
China planners approve one application; postpone all others
by Mary Grow
China Planning Board members approved one application on their March 28 agenda and postponed everything else, instead making their recommendation on the amended Board of Appeals ordinance that will be on the June 13 town business meeting warrant.
Natasha Littlefield has a permit to open a 24-hour gym and fitness center at 9 Legion Memorial Drive, in South China, in the part of the former Farrington’s store not used by Phillip and Sandra McKinnis’s Blinds by Design.
Littlefield’s application says the gym, to be named Nash’s Gym, will be staffed Mondays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Members will have keys allowing access at any time.
She plans to share the existing parking lot. Her business, like Blinds by Design, will have a security system. She intends to add lights above entrances, which she said will not shine onto neighboring properties.
Littlefield said she and the McKinnises are in agreement; she had not discussed her plan with neighbors, but can if there are problems, like noise in the parking lot at night. Board members asked her to get a letter from the fire chief attesting to emergency vehicle access and an adequate water supply, and to designate handicapped parking.
Littlefield said she would like to open Nash’s Gym by mid-May, “but probably that’s not realistic.” She plans a Facebook page and a website.
The second application on the March 28 agenda was from surveyor Adam Ellis, on behalf of Timothy O’Brien and Maine-ly Lakefront Properties, LLC, of East Sandwich, Massachusetts. O’Brien wants to divide lot number three in the Killdeer Heights subdivision, at 436 Lakeview Drive, into four separate lots.
Several nearby landowners sent letters expressing concerns about or opposition to the subdivision. Some attended the March 28 meeting.
After Ellis presented the application, board members voted that it was complete and scheduled a site walk for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, to be followed by a 6:30 p.m. public hearing in the town office meeting room. Both are open to the public.
Co-chairman Toni Wall proposed postponing discussion of changes to China’s Planning Board Ordinance in favor of making a recommendation to voters on amendments to the Board of Appeals Ordinance, which is currently Art. 32 on the draft June 13 town business meeting warrant.
The ordinance is Chapter 9 of China’s Land Development Code. The version in the warrant, and recommended by a majority of the select board, deletes a section most planning board members favor and includes a provision they do not like.
Nonetheless, citing the amount of work that has gone into preparing the ordinance, planning board members voted 3-1 to recommend voter approval, with Wall, Walter Bennett and Natale Tripodi in favor and co-chairman James Wilkens opposed.
At their March 27 meeting, select board members recommended approval on a 4-1 vote, with Jeanne Marquis dissenting. The proposed ordinance is on the website, china.govoffice.com, on the select board page, which is under the heading “Officials, Boards & Committees.”
Planning board members postponed consideration of action to implement the town comprehensive plan. Amber French, one of three newly-appointed members of the comprehensive plan implementation committee, attended the meeting; Wall and Wilkens promised her a paper copy of the 170-page plan.
Bennett asked about resuming work on a commercial solar ordinance – another topic for a future meeting, the co-chairs said. He also questioned, for the second time, whether the Dollar General store, on Route 32, in South China, is ignoring an obligation to maintain its parking lot.
Codes officer Nicholas French said he will check records for Dollar General’s permit.