A Killdeer Point resident provided The Town Line with this photo of a moose that wandered down the road after a swim in China Lake. According to many residents, it was the first such sighting in memory. From all indications, it obeyed the speed limit sign.
(photo credit: Erskine Academy)
All parents of Erskine Academy students are invited to attend fall Parent/Teacher Conferences on October 9 and 10, 2024, from 3 – 7 p.m. To avoid long waiting lines, Wednesday, October 9, has been designated for students whose last names begin with A – K; and Thursday, October 10, has been designated for students whose last names begin with L – Z. No appointments are necessary as teachers will be available to speak with parents in their respective classrooms. In addition, the Guidance Office will host a Senior Blast for parents on each of these evenings from 6:30 – 7 p.m., to provide helpful updates and information about the post-secondary planning process, financial aid, and other pertinent senior year details.
Albert Church Brown Memorial Library, in China Village.
The Albert Church Brown Memorial Library in China Village will soon be more accessible to the community thanks to an upcoming renovation.
“The current layout of the library makes it difficult or impossible for many, including those who use mobility aids, to visit and attend our programs. We have been working hard to ensure these updates make our space more inclusive while preserving the beautiful character of our historic building,” said Dr. Louisa Barnhart, president of the library’s Board of Trustees.
Plans include a ramp, wider entryway and doorways, and a wheelchair-accessible restroom so that people of all abilities are able to benefit from the library’s programs. Library leaders plan to begin work in the coming weeks.
The renovation is possible in part thanks to Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities, an American Library Association initiative that provides community engagement and accessibility resources to small and rural libraries to help them better serve people with disabilities, and a Sustainable and Resilient New England Libraries Grant awarded by the Association for Rural and Small Libraries.
Barnhart said the library’s trustees are working with the community to secure additional financial support necessary to complete the renovation.
“Making our library’s space and programs more accessible is especially meaningful to me, because all people deserve a welcoming, functional public library,” she said. “I believe this is a project we can all feel excited about supporting, and I am deeply grateful for donations from library patrons and supporters to make it possible.”
The Albert Church Brown Memorial Library has served China and surrounding communities since 1936. Its mission is to enrich the lives of its patrons by providing access to information, culture and connection free of charge. The library is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
To learn more about the library’s programs, visit www.chinalibrary.org. To donate in support of the renovation project, visit www.chinalibrary.org/p/donate.html or mail contributions to P.O. Box 6164, China Village, ME 04926.
Shoreline buffer attendees. (contributed photo)
More than 30 area residents gathered at China Baptist Church Park* for a Shoreline Buffer Workshop on August 21, as part of ongoing efforts to reduce phosphorus runoff into China Lake.
Example of shoreline buffer plantings.
The hands-on workshop was hosted by the China Lake Association (CLA) and reminded the community of the importance of vegetated shoreline buffers, demonstrated planting methods, and offered free, native plants for local owners to take home to plant on their shorefronts.
“When landowners around the lake collectively do their part to prevent soil erosion and improve their shoreline buffers, it goes a long way toward helping improve China Lake’s water quality,” said Jen Jespersen, ecologist and owner of the environmental consulting and design firm, Ecological Instincts, who helped coordinate the workshop.
After additional presentations from CLA member Elaine Philbrook about LakeSmart and China Region Lakes Alliance Executive Director Jessie Mae MacDougall, about Youth Conservation Corps (YCC), attendees observed YCC employees Nathaniel Levesque, Sam Worthley, and Noah Bechard (who is certified in erosion control practices by the state Department of Environmental Protection) demonstrated buffer-planting techniques along eroded areas of the church park before receiving plants to take home.
Plantings included sweet fern, yarrow, low bush blueberry, low creeping juniper, black-eyed Susan, bush asters, goat’s beard, and upland ferns. The plants are all preferred for being native or very well suited to the lake environment, as well as being deep-rooted to hold soil in place and prevent erosion, McDougall said. Erosion control mulch – a special mulch made of ground-up woody material and heavy sand – was used. The special mix doesn’t float and wash away, as typical bagged mulch will do in heavy rain.
The workshop was a “two-fold success,” said CLA President Stephen Greene. “The church park site was improved and the community learned how easy-to-install buffers are a line of defense against stormwater runoff and shoreline erosion. Without them, phosphorus runoff would foster algae blooms and deteriorate water quality.”
Additional workshop sponsors included Kennebec Savings Bank, Kennebec Water District, and Kennebec County Soil & Water Conservation District. Organizers expect the hands-on event to be repeated annually, Greene said.
Landowners within China Lake’s watershed are encouraged to contact CLA’s Watershed Grant Remediation Program via chinalakeassociation.org/grantprogram or leave a voicemail at (207) 200-6640 for additional information on property remediation. Please allow five business days for a response.
* China Baptist Church Park was identified during the 2020 China Lake Watershed Survey as a nonpoint source pollution priority site.
by Mary GrowAt a short Sept. 24 meeting, China Planning Board members approved two agenda items, with almost no discussion.
As promised, Ironwood Maine representative Wade Bedsaul brought a map showing locations of two new small buildings and a parking lot expansion (from four spaces to seven) at the South China residential facility for troubled teen-agers. At their Sept. 10 meeting, board members postponed a decision on the additions (See the Sept. 19 issue of The Town Line, p. 2, for more information.)
The second request, from Michael Littlefield, was to combine two lots in an existing subdivision that board chairman Toni Wall said is at the intersection of Neck and Stanley Hill roads. Board members signed a revised subdivision plan for the Registry of Deeds.
Codes Officer Nicholas French and board members talked briefly about town ordinances that need to be updated. They plan to work on them over the next few months, with the goal of asking voters to act on revisions at the June 2025 annual town business meeting.
The next regular China Planning Board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8.
by Mary GrowThe promise of fresh-baked apple crisp with ice cream drew nine people to the China select board’s Sept. 23 public hearings on Nov. 5 local warrant articles and on amendments to the town’s General Assistance Ordinance. Six stayed for at least part of the select board meeting that followed.
The apple crisp was praised.
China’s Nov. 5 voting includes local elections and five referendum questions that were topics of the first public hearing. The municipal ballot is on the town website, chinamaine.org, under the Elections tab in the green box on the right-hand side of the main page.
The referendum question that drew most discussion was the proposed new Budget Committee Ordinance. If approved, it will replace the present system under which four of China’s seven budget committee members are elected, one from each of four districts. Instead, select board members will appoint budget committee members.
Voters approved a similar change for the planning board at the annual town business meeting in June.
The main reason for proposing the change, Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood said, is the lack of candidates for budget committee seats. On the Nov. 5 ballot, Timothy Basham is running unopposed for re-election from District 4; write-ins (if any) will fill the District 2, secretary and at-large positions.
Write-ins complicate ballot clerks’ lives, Hapgood said. If there is a tie between write-ins, the clerks must contact each person to see whether he or she wishes to serve. Anyone who does not wish to serve must sign a sworn (notarized) oath turning down the office that must be filed with the town clerk.
If more than one person tied for a position is willing to serve, there would need to be another election for the position.
Hapgood said when a town official asks someone to volunteer for a committee position, the answer is more likely to be yes, perhaps because there is no need to collect signatures on nomination papers.
Tod Detre, one of five Nov. 5 candidates for three seats on the select board, and former select board member Joann Austin expressed concern about the five select board members appointing members of all other major town committees.
Current board chairman Wayne Chadwick said he thinks China select board members have never “stacked” committees they’re empowered to appoint on the basis of beliefs, geography or any other factor.
A broader discussion of the lack of civic engagement and related topics followed.
Select board member Brent Chesley said in two years on the board, he’s not received a single call from a resident about town business, though his cellphone number is on the town website.
Austin argued in favor of returning to the pre-Covid open town business meeting in the spring, so voters can ask questions and know what they’re voting on. Detre and Chadwick said a written-ballot meeting lets more people participate.
The second public hearing, on the state-presented amendments to the local General Assistance Ordinance and its appendices, drew no comments. Select board members adopted the amendments at their meeting following the hearing.
Three ongoing issues on the select board agenda were the planned storage vault for town records; the South China boat landing; and the revised solid waste disposal agreement with Palermo.
Sheldon Goodine, chairman of the town’s building committee, outlined Plan No. 4 for the new storage area. This plan calls for an addition to the town office building on the south side, at the east end (farthest from Lakeview Drive) rather than the west end as an earlier plan proposed.
Goodine expects more information in a week or so.
Hapgood said the Maine Department of Environmental Protection has approved a permit for proposed run-off controls at the South China boat landing. The next step, she said, is acquiring the needed concrete planks. One company will have none until spring; she will contact other companies.
Select board members approved the agreement with Palermo to allow that town’s residents to continue to use China’s transfer station. Hapgood said Palermo’s town meeting to act on the revised agreement is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 17.
Hapgood announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved $51,436.15 to reimburse China for cleaning up roadside debris after the December 2023 storm. She is still talking with FEMA officials about reimbursement for other storm-related expenses.
The manager announced that China’s 2023 town report received an award from the Maine Municipal Association. She thanked Town Clerk Angela Nelson for her work on the report, and Jason Rushing for his cover photo.
MMA’s letter, published with the select board meeting agenda, begins: “I am pleased to announce that China has been selected as the ‘supreme’ first place winner of the 2024 Annual Report Competition in the 2,500 to 4,999 population category.”
The report will be displayed, with other winners, at the MMA convention in Augusta Oct. 2 and 3. Select board members appointed Director of Public Services Shawn Reed as China’s voting delegate at the convention’s business meeting, with Hapgood his alternate.
The next China select board meeting is scheduled for Monday evening, Oct. 7. Hapgood announced other events early in October: absentee ballots for Nov. 5 will be available Monday, Oct. 7; town departments will be closed Monday, Oct. 14, to observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day; and the docks at the boat landing at the head of China Lake’s east basin are scheduled to be removed the week of Oct. 14.
submitted by Rebecca HapgoodMAINE MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION SPIRIT OF AMERICA PROCLAMATION WHEREAS, Spirit of America Foundation cherishes Municipal Officials’ help with its program and created October as ‘Municipal Officials Appreciation Month’, and in 2024 dedicated it nationally to Municipal Clerks and Ballot Clerks, to express gratitude;
WHEREAS, Municipal Officials make personal sacrifices to serve constituents and deserve more public recognition and respect than they generally receive;
WHEREAS, Municipal Clerks are some of the most dedicated and generous members in our communities, who are almost always involved in a community event or civic organization within a town and most of the time are doing that work on their own personal time;
WHEREAS, Ballot Clerks serve at each polling place throughout Election Day, to ensure the voting process goes smoothly and are vital to democracy;
WHEREAS, the Maine Municipal Association greatly appreciates the services provided by its Municipal Clerks, Ballot Clerks and other Municipal Officials;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED that the MAINE MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION designates October 2024 as “MAINE MUNICIPAL CLERKS AND BALLOT CLERKS APPRECIATION MONTH” and urges citizens to show gratitude to their Municipal Officials, and especially to Municipal Clerks and Ballot Clerks, for all they do to make our communities better.
From left to right, Everett Packard, Eli Goodwin, Patrick Roberts, James Trojecki, Kennebec Sheriff Deputy Stefanizzi, Chris Berto, Nathaniel Monroe, and Leslie Krajewski. (contributed photos)
The searing images of September 11, 2001, will not soon be forgotten by anyone who witnessed the sheer terror of that horrible day. But for some, today’s youth, they have no idea, no context, and no emotion connected to that day that forever changed how Americans live. But they need to know. There are a thousand good reasons why teaching history is so important, but in a nutshell, suffice it to say, “A generation which ignores history has no past and no future.” (Robert Heinlein)
Wyatt Kibbin and his mom, Allison, of the Maine National Guard. (contributed photos)
This year, China Middle School seventh and eighth graders learned their history…the details of what happened on 9/11, why it happened, the ensuing War on Terror, and the impact those two hours had on countless innocent lives. They discussed ways to prevent and combat hatred and misunderstandings. Perhaps most importantly, they took it upon themselves to give a little something back to those who gave the last full measure of devotion in the line of duty on 9/11.
Our students hosted a free car wash for First Responders and Veterans in honor of the 23rd anniversary of this tragedy. The support they received was overwhelming. Donations of soap, buckets, sponges, baked goods, and refreshments for our guests came pouring in. Every student made a personalized handmade card thanking them for their service be it in the fire department, the police department, or the military.
They made posters advertising the car wash and happily stood out in the school driveway waving and smiling and cheering any time a car or cruiser would pull into the school yard. They joyfully scurried like busy little bees to escort our guests to the food table, made sure they got a card and a treat, and then commenced spraying and soaping up the cars…perhaps the most fun of all. And before each officer or veteran left, the kids seemed to all shout in unison, “Thank you for your service!” Some of our students even went out of their way to shake hands with our guests and thank them personally.
The appreciation and smiles on their faces as they drove away was all these kids needed to know they had made a difference. It wasn’t a clean car, a cup of coffee, and a cupcake that made the difference. It was the kids’ smiles, their laughter, their joy, their pride in helping, and the simple fact that they had remembered…they had not forgotten. They may not have been alive when the Towers fell, when the planes and all souls aboard vaporized into thin air, or when the fear and darkness that overwhelmed us all that evening began to creep into our hearts. But they remembered. They took time to acknowledge the sacrifice of their brothers and sisters in service for what they lost that terrible day and in the years to follow.
That is how they made a difference.
That is how we keep history alive.
And that is how we can make beauty from ashes.
From left, Colton Oxley, Ellie Soule, and Layla Gunnison wash China Village firetruck. (contributed photos)
AARP research examines how aging is viewed in the state of MaineDespite believing older adults are devalued in society, Maine adults of all ages don’t see aging as a barrier, according to new AARP research examining how aging is viewed in the state.
Engagement seems to factor into the optimism. When asked about their views on aging, half of respondents among all three age groups – 18 to 54, 55 to 65, and 65-plus – said as they age, they are becoming more involved in helping others and find that their life offers more possibilities. Mainers generally subscribe to the adage, “With age comes wisdom.” Nearly nine in ten Mainers believe wisdom does indeed come with age, and an overwhelming majority see value in passing it on, with 93 percent placing importance on sharing one’s unique experiences with younger people.
Some 70 percent agree the likelihood of older adults wanting to learn new things increases with age. Cultivating social connections and personal friendships continues with advancing age. The 65-plus age group was most likely to agree that friends are becoming a bigger part of their lives as they grow older.
Beyond the positive feedback, most Mainers think older adults become less visible (64 percent) and are treated with less respect (54 percent). Mainers aged 55-plus believe younger people have more advantages in society, 70 percent note we live in a youth-oriented society and 69 percent say employers prefer younger workers over older workers.
Another 57 percent agree older workers are excluded from employment or promotion opportunities. Sixty-six percent believe age discrimination exists in the workplace, and most point out age bias begins in your 50s and 60s.
Further, Mainers believe the fear of getting old is very real for Americans. Of those surveyed, 75 percent agree Americans are afraid of getting old and 72 percent believe advertising and media negatively impact how Americans view aging. Ninety-one percent think older adults are more likely to become targets of fraud or scams and 72 percent agree older adults have trouble keeping up with technology. In terms of the financial implications of growing old, 57 percent believe older adults rely on Social Security and Medicare to cover their needs and 49 percent agree older adults have difficulty living in their own home.
While half of those surveyed were optimistic about aging, there also exists a real fear in growing old. Education is needed to dispel the myths about aging, as well as to put an end to workforce age bias and stereotyping. Although we may live in a youth-oriented society, steps need to be taken to increase the value placed on older adults.
“AARP Maine is dedicated to improving the lives of Mainers aged 50 and older, as well as their families,” said Noël Bonam, AARP Maine State Director. “Through state-specific surveys such as this, we gain valuable insights into the needs and desires of older adults in Maine. Our research bolsters our efforts to advocate for fair utility rates, fight elder fraud, seek support for Maine’s 166,000 family caregivers and provide resources on health and retirement security.” AARP Maine also offers a variety of wellness classes, social programs, educational opportunities, and initiatives to advance age-friendly community enhancements.
The online and phone survey of Maine residents age 18 and older was conducted from October 3 to November 2, 2023. Data were weighted by age, gender, and education to reflect Maine’s 18 and older population.
To learn more about AARP and its work in Maine, visit www.aarp.org/me and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram @aarpmaine.
COMMUNITY COMMENTARYThe Rise of Senior Homeless in Maine?
We cannot let this happen in the China area. Maine folks are tough and try to go with the flow as long as possible, then it may be too late to solve the problem.
We tell our young children and adolescents, that if they see something wrong or are bullied themselves to “tell somebody”. That should apply to seniors as well. It may be very difficult to talk with a family member or maybe they don’t have a family member to talk to. “Tell Somebody”, the help you need may be as close as the town office. China Town Manager Becky Hapgood has agreed to act as a soundboard on a temporary basis and she can get you the help that is needed. Talk to her, tell her your problem and she will listen and find a solution. Some of the problems may be as follows:
Homelessness, elder abuse, food insecurity, transportation issues, medication, energy assistance, balance checkbook or paying bills, companionship and scams.
The list is long and varied. So do not carry the problem alone. “Tell Somebody”. Bottom line, you are not alone, there is help out there – start with Becky!
Good luck and God bless.