The Chadwick Hill Cemetery Association will hold its annual meeting on Thurssday, July 11, 2024, at 4 p.m., at the South China Community Church, 246 Village St., South China. New members are welcome. All interested parties are invited to attend. For additional information contact Jiff Zimmerman at 445-4000.
China Dine-ah on Lakeview Drive in China.
The former China Dine-ah, on Lakeview Drive (Route 202), which was closed by the pandemic in the spring of 2020, is moving toward becoming a daycare called Grace’s Busy Bees, directed by Grace McIntyre.
McIntyre, building owner Norman Elvin and architect David Landmann described plans to the China Planning Board at its June 25 meeting and received prompt and unanimous approval.
Board members considered the minimal external changes, the lack of impacts on neighbors and the local publicity the change has received and decided no public hearing was needed. They found the plan meets all ordinance requirements.
Board chairman Toni Wall issued the usual reminder that the decision is subject to appeal within 30 days.
The daycare will add a playground behind the building, away from Route 202. Elvin intends to build a six-foot cedar fence between the playground and the neighboring house.
Another change he plans is clearing brush along the road to improve visibility from the driveway.
Landmann said the fire alarm system has been upgraded and additional exits provided. He pointed out that state requirements the building met for a restaurant – like the septic system, which Elvin said had been thoroughly checked recently – were even more strict than requirements for a daycare.
The commercial kitchen in the building will be removed as part of a comprehensive interior renovation. Elvin said before the China Dine-ah opened, the building had been gutted, removing anything that might contain asbestos or lead.
The business needs approval from the state Department of Human Services and the state Fire Marshal. Landmann said both applications are pending.
McIntyre hopes to open Grace’s Busy Bees when school starts in the fall. She has applied for a maximum of 65 children to start, tentatively planning for up to 100 children in the future. Hours will be 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The June 25 planning board agenda included review of two existing ordinances and proposals for three new ones. Board members postponed continued discussion of China’s Land Use Ordinance and an update of the town’s marijuana ordinance.
Also scheduled for future discussion, as Wall and others collect more information and samples from other Maine towns, are:
— A Condemning Places ordinance that would allow town officials to determine a building unfit for human habitation;
— A Mass Gathering ordinance to define and regulate temporary events that draw large crowds; and
— On town attorney Amanda Meader’s recommendation, a Site Plan Review ordinance.
The next China Planning Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday evening, July 9.
From left to right, Landis Hudson, Nate Gray, and Matt Streeter display the award presented to the China Lake Alewife Restoration Initiative. (contributed photo)
The China Lake Alewife Restoration Initiative, a complex, ambitious and highly collaborative project, has shown remarkable success since its completion. The effort has now received international recognition and was awarded the 2024 “Distinguished Project Award” at the recent 15th International Symposium on Ecohydraulics and Fish Passage held in Quebec City, Canada. Dating back to 2011, the annual Fish Passage Conference has brought together experts, managers, stakeholders and companies from around the world with concurrent sessions in engineering, biology, and management and social issues. One goal of the Distinguisted Projects Award is to inspire greater application of fish passage restoration, there was no cash awarded.
The goal of all China Lake Alewife Restoration Initiative was to restore fish passage to China Lake for alewives, a native migratory species. Over seven years, three dams were removed and three technical fishways were installed along the China Lake Outlet Stream. Known as the “fish that feed all” alewives are a keystone species, critical in freshwater and saltwater ecosystems, valuable throughout the land and waters of the Gulf of Maine. Alewives and blueback herring are collectively known as river herring. They feed many species of birds, including eagles and osprey, numerous other fish species, bear, raccoons, foxes, whales, haddock and cod. When the run is fully approved as being sustainable, a harvest can take place to benefit the Town.
In 2022, for the first time since the colonial era, native migratory alewives were able to make their way freely from the ocean to China Lake to spawn and they did so in large numbers—837,964 adults were counted as they entered the lake. Their offspring, young alewives, then made their way safely downstream and out to the ocean where they will live for four years before returning to freshwater to spawn. The results were remarkable in 2023 when a total of 1,943,733 adult alewives were counted entering the lake, even more remarkable in 2024 when 3,282,720 fish we tallied coming into the lake. In a letter confirming the size of the 2023 run, Nate Gray, key project partner and scientist with the Maine Department of Marine Resources, noted:
“The re-establishment of a river herring run of this magnitude is a rare bird after a 239-year absence. A hearty congratulations is in order for Maine Rivers and all the partners involved in this ambitious project!”
Landis Hudson, Maine Rivers Executive Director, and Matt Streeter, Alewife Restoration Initiative Project Manager. were in Quebec City to accept the award on behalf of the many partners who came together over the course of the undertaking. Partners and project supporters included: Natural Resource Conservation Service, Town of Vassalboro, Town of China, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Maine Natural Resources Conservation Program, Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, Kennebec Savings Bank, Maine Department of Marine Resources, Sebasticook Regional Land Trust, China Region Lakes Alliance, China Lake Association and its members, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Maine Community Foundation, The Nature Conservancy in Maine, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an Anonymous Foundation, and many generous individuals.
Members of Dirigo Lodge #104, from left to right, Tom Squires, Sheldon Goodine, Len Goodine, Jason DeMerchant and Michael Falla. (photo courtesy of Sheldon Goodine)
Dirigo Lodge #104, of Weeks Mills, recently presented 20 bicycles to students at the Windsor Elementary School in their sponsored Bikes for Books program. Every student is awarded a ticket for each book they read to be entered into a drawing for the bicycle give-away. This marked the 12th year the Dirigo Lodge sponsored the program.
(photo courtesy of Sheldon Goodine)
(photo credit: Erskine Academy)
High Honors: Tristan Anderson, Leah Bonner, Isabella Boudreau, Heather Bourgoin, Robin Boynton, Elizabeth Brown, Nolan Burgess, Nathalia Carrasco, Makayla Chabot, Elise Choate, Alexia Cole, Caleigh Crocker, Brielle Crommett, Noah Crummett, Gavin Cunningham, Skyler Danforth, Keira Deschamps, Aaralyn Gagnon, Meilani Gatlin, Caleb Gay, Nathan Hall, Natalie Henderson, Jessica Hendsbee, Trinity Hyson, Anna Jarosz, Hannah Kugelmeyer, Stephanie Kumnick, Henrique Leal Ribeiro, Aidan Maguire, Holden McKenney, Austin Nicholas, Jeremy Parker, Nathan Polley, Jessica Pumphrey, Max Sanborn, Christine Smith, Kinsey Stevens, Jamecen Stokes, Reese Sullivan, and Baruch Wilson. Honors: Abigail Adams, Lacey Arp, Duncan Bailey, Kaleb Brown, Carol Caouette-Labbe, Timothy Christiansen, Simon Clark, Marshall Clifford, Thomas Crawford, Isabella Day, Jesseca Eastup, Hailey Estes, Kaylee Fyfe, Brayden Garland, Sammi Jo Guptill, Mackenzie Kutniewski, Logan Lanphier, Sophie Leclerc, Brody Loiko, Liberty Massie, Alejandro Ochoa, Kevin Pelletier, Keith Radonis, Giacomo Smith, Adam St. Onge, Jack Uleau, and Elijah York.
High Honors: Daphney Allen, Emmett Appel, Emily Bailey, Octavia Berto, Jayda Bickford, Lauryn Black, Brooke Blais, Olivia Brann, Carter Brockway, Andra Cowing, Lauren Cowing, Gabrielle Daggett, Brady Desmond, Aidan Durgin, John Edwards, Hailey Garate, Ellie Giampetruzzi, Brandon Hanscom, Echo Hawk, Serena Hotham, Alivia Jackson, Walker Jean, Ava Kelso, Sophia Knapp, Jade McCollett, Shannon McDonough, Madison McNeff, Colin Oliphant, Makayla Oxley, Noah Pelletier, Carter Rau, Lillian Rispoli, Laney Robitaille, Carlee Sanborn, Joslyn Sandoval, Aislynn Savage, Kyle Scott, Zoey Smith, Kaylee Tims, and Clara Waldrop. Honors: Haileigh Allen, Ava Anderson, Bryana Barrett, Noah Bechard, Rylan Bennett, Keenan Clark, Madison Cochran, Dylan Cooley, Trinity DeGreenia, Aydan Desjardins, Bianca Dostie, Ryan Farnsworth, Kenneth Fredette, Wesley Fulton, Addison Gagne, Keeley Gagnon, Kaylene Glidden, Abbi Guptill, Jonathan Gutierrez, Trent Haggett, Landen Hayden, Kailynn Houle, Rachel Johnson, Rion Kesel, Kaiden Kronillis, Bodi Laflamme, Chase Larrabee, Shelby Lincoln, Jack Lucier, Owen Lucier, D’andre Marable, Justice Marable, Eleanor Maranda, Abigail McDonough, Kaeleigh Morin, Gavyn Paradis, Ava Picard, Sadie Pierce, Alyssa Pullen, Victoria Rancourt, Elsa Redmond, Justin Reed, Nathan Robinson, Achiva Seigars, Jordyn Smith, Emily Sprague, Larissa Steeves, Parker Studholme, Katherine Swift, and Grace Vashon.
High Honors: Connor Alcott, Emily Almeida, Kylie Bellows, Addyson Briggs, London Castle, Nathan Choate, William Choate, Drew Clark, Lillian Clark, Madeline Clement-Cargill, Claire Davis, Sylvia Davis, Joshua Denis, Audryanna DeRaps, Charles DeSchamp, Lauren Dufour, Madison Gagnon, Stephen Gould, Madison Griffiths, Mia Hersom, Halle Jones, Kasen Kelley, Kayle Lappin, Jacob Lavallee, Ava Lemelin, Nathaniel Levesque, Parker Minzy, Jack Murray, Elijah Nelson, Bayley Nickles, Jordyn Parise, Ruby Pearson, Abigail Peil, Elijah Pelkey, Isabelle Pelotte, Emily Piecewicz, Taisen Pilotte, Hannah Polley, Desirae Proctor, Michael Richardson, Leahna Rocque, Jackie Sasse, Edward Schmidt, Kathryn Shaw, Madelynn Spencer, Kayla Stred, Gentry Stuart, Abigail Studholme, Donovan Thompson, Kammie Thompson, Addison Turner, Oryanna Winchenbach, and Addison Witham. Honors: Savannah Baker, Anders Bassett, Brock Bowden, Timothy Clavette, Riley Dixon, Jacob Faucher, Solomon Fortier, Brandon Haley, Aiden Hamlin, Willow Haschalk, Evan Heron, Easton Houghton, Aidan Huff, Timothy Kiralis, Savannah Knight, Kloie Magoon, Paige McNeff, Tucker Nessmith, Phoebe Padgett, Jacoby Peaslee, Jackson Pelotte, Kameron Quinn, Alexander Reitchel, Owen Robichaud, Kameron Rossignol, Autumn Sawyer, Briella Scanavino, Benjamin Severy, Blake Smith, Phoebe Taylor, Clara Theberge, Kamryn Turner, Charles Uleau, Brody Worth, and Maddilyn York.
High Honors: Isaac Audette, Olivia Austin, Jeremiah Bailey, Linnea Bassett, Luke Blair, Jackson Blake, Silas Bolitho, Madeline Boynton, Cassidy Brann, Delaney Brown, Liam Burgess, Olivia Childs, Hunter Christiansen, Khloe Clark, Owen Couture, Connor Crommett, Jilian Desjardins, Robin Dmitrieff, Logan Dow, Kelsie Dunn, Isabella Farrington, Danica Ferris, Gianna Figucia, Adalyn Glidden, Cody Grondin, Madison Harris, Eva Hayden, Spencer Hughes, Lilly Hutchinson, Reid Jackson, Johanna Jacobs, Ivy Johns, Callianne Jordan, Chantz Klaft, Jasai Marable, Annie Miragliuolo, Bryson Pettengill, Caylee Putek, Lailah Sher, Bryson Stratton, Gabriel Studholme, Sabrina Studholme, Kaleb Tolentino, Carter Ulmer, Isabella Winchenbach, and Eryn Young. Honors: William Adamson IV, Ashton Bailey, Delia Bailey, Benjamin Beale, Hailey Boone, Seth Bridgforth, Emma Casey, Logan Chechowitz, Tyler Clark, Ryley Desmond, Nolan Dow, Bella Dutilly, Gavin Fanjoy, Madison Field, Annabelle Fortier, Audrey Fortin, Colby Frith, Nicholas Gould, Paige Greene-Morse, Kaylee Grierson, Auburn Horn, Evan James, Bryson Lanphier, Matthew Lincoln, Sawyer Livingstone, Kate McGlew, Gage Miller, Gaven Miller, Jacoby Mort, Emi Munn, MacKenzie Oxley, Madeline Oxley, Molly Oxley, Sovie Rau, Tayden Richards, Samuel Richardson, Jessika Shaw, Braeden Temple, and Cayden Turner.
by Mary GrowAt their June 18 meeting, China Transfer Station Committee members continued to work on three items: straightening out China’s relations with Palermo, enforcing regulations and promoting recycling.
Under a 2016 inter-town agreement, Palermo residents use China’s transfer station, with a proper pass and special blue bags for which they pay. Palermo also pays China an annual fee – $18,000, with no provision for inflation adjustment.
The transfer station committee includes Palermo representatives Chris Diesch and Robert Kurek.
China Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood has given Palermo the required year’s notice of China’s intent to end the agreement. Since then, she and Kurek have been negotiating about an amended agreement.
At the June 18 meeting, Kurek said they are making progress, to the point where he is drafting language for a revised agreement. Neither he nor Hapgood volunteered details or a timetable.
The main reason to enforce transfer station regulations is to bar unauthorized users, so China taxpayers do not subsidize waste disposal for people who make no contribution to costs. Other goals are to ensure that fees are collected for items that cost money to get rid of – mattresses, propane tanks, electronics, for example – and that no illegal items are left for attendants to deal with.
Committee members have considered inspection at the entrance, maybe a gatehouse. During the June 18 meeting, they and transfer station staff proposed a trial during which staff will stop and inspect each incoming vehicle, tentatively scheduled for the second or third week in July.
Following up on the previous month’s discussion of recycling, Diesch had drafted a recycling poster that brought praise and follow-up ideas. The plan is to emphasize to local taxpayers that recycling saves them money in two ways: no disposal fees are paid on recyclables not sent to a disposal facility, and some recyclables generate small amounts of income.
A related project is encouraging teachers in area schools to bring students to see how waste disposal and recycling work, after a successful visit by Manchester kindergartners (see the May 30 issue of The Town Line, p. 14). Committee chairman Christopher Baumann intends to talk with area principals and superintendents.
In other business June 18:
— Transfer Station Manager Thomas Maraggio said the installation of solar lights in the free for the taking building is almost done – one more light will finish the project. He has not yet been able to get “the cement guy” for the planned new pad under the compost pile.
— Maraggio and Hapgood said transfer station staff will no longer use their loader to load (free) compost for residents, because of potential liability. People coming for compost need to bring shovels.
— Hapgood shared the updated transfer station access policy approved at the June 17 select board meeting. Most changes clarify access passes for temporary residents.
Committee members scheduled their next meeting for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, skipping the month of July.
Attention China Residents:
China Town Office will be closing at noon on Friday, June 28, and closed Saturday, June 29, for fiscal year end reporting.
In accordance with Section 213 of the Winslow Town Charter, notice is hereby given that the Town Council will hold a public hearing in the Town Council Chambers, 136 Halifax Street, Winslow, Maine at 6:00 p.m. on July 8, 2024, on the following proposed Ordinances.
Ordinance No. 08-2024: Providing for: The Town of Winslow to approve an ordinance for signs on town-owned property.
All interested persons are invited to attend the public hearing and will be given the opportunity to be heard. Anyone having questions about the proposed ordinances or wishing to obtain a copy of it should contact the Winslow Town Clerk’s or Town Manager’s Office during regular office hours.
Audra Fleury
Town Clerk, Winslow, Maine.
The Town of Palermo is now accepting sand bids for the 2024-25 season. Bid applications can be found on our website: (townofpalermo.org) or at the Town of Palermo Office during regular business hours. The deadline for submitting a bid will be July 11, 2024.
The Fairfield Town Council will hold Public Hearing in the Council Chambers at the Community Center at 61 Water Street on Wednesday June 26 at 6:30 p.m. for the purpose of hearing public comments on the following matter:
• To hear public comments on a renewal application for a special amusement permit for the purposes of music and dancing submitted by River Jack Tavern Main Street, Fairfield, Maine 04937
The Fairfield Town Council will hold Public Hearing in the Council Chambers at the Community Center, at 61 Water Street, on Wednesday, July 10, at 6:30 p.m., for the purpose of hearing public comments on the following matter:
• Proposed statutory amendments to the Land Use Ordinance; Section 9.14 Accessory Dwelling Units.
Copies are available at the Town Office. All interested persons are invited to attend the public hearings and will be given an opportunity to be heard at that time.
Signed: Christine Keller,
Town Clerk
Seniors of the trimester, from left to right, Aaralyn Gagnon, Simon Clark, Noah Crummett, and Brody Loiko. (contributed photo)
On Friday, June 7, Erskine Academy students and staff, in South China, attended a Renaissance Assembly to honor their peers with Renaissance Awards.
Recognition awards were presented to the following students Katie Shaw, Connor Alcott, Lucas Berto, Lacey Arp, Tristan Anderson, and Stephanie Kumnick.
In addition to recognition awards, Senior of the Trimester Awards were also presented to four members of the senior class: Brody Loiko, son of Ben and Libby Loiko, of Vassalboro, and Mindy and Mike Mathieu, of Augusta; Noah Crummett, son of Monique and Justin Crummet, of Windsor; Simon Clark, son of Stacy and Christopher Clark, of China; and Aaralyn Gagnon, daughter of Todd and Lauren Gagnon, of Vassalboro. 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 Dean McCaslin, bus driver; and Heather Shute, mathematics instructor.
Faculty of the trimester, Heather Shute, left, and Dean McCaslin. (contributed photo)
photo source: JMG.org
As we all know, history cannot be changed and, sometimes unfortunately, it can be repeated in a negative sense. But most important of all, it must never be forgotten. This is one of the primary goals of our now, solidly in place, China Historical Society, and to follow that path we are going to coordinate an event with our annual meeting on Thursday, July 18. Since this is the 75th anniversary of the opening of the consolidated China School, we intend to hold our meeting at the present Middle School, on Lakeview Drive, and follow that event with a reunion of China students who attended the school from as far back as we can find them up to and including the present day.
While some of the fine points of this plan still need to be worked out, it is receiving strong support from RSU #18. While we realize that folks who switched to the school when it opened in 1949, from the numerous “neighborhood” facilities, are pretty well along in years, we hope there are a few who might be willing to share their memories of this change, which must have been dramatic to say the least.
Even though my personal ties to China only go back 42 years, I know several folks who started their education, as did most of us, at age 5 or 6, here in town in the early 1950s. Richard Dillenbeck, of the first class, is one of those and he has agreed to be the featured speaker for the discussion. If you readers have knowledge of other individuals who might be willing to share their memories and experiences in the new building, please inform them of our plan and have them reserve the date and a time frame of 6 to 6:30 p.m. We also would like to do a tour of the Middle School to allow those earlier “residents” who haven’t been inside for a while and all others to see the huge changes that have occurred in the five room original structure with a kitchen in the basement.
So, in conclusion, we will use The Town Line and social media sites related to China to keep everyone up to date and work to make this a memorable activity; stay tuned!
Hikers on Bridge in Thurston Park (Photo courtesy: Town of China)
China select board members and Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood began the June 17 select board meeting with a motor tour of Thurston Park, in northeastern China.
Afterwards, board member Blane Casey expressed approval of the way the park is being maintained. Others agreed.
In the town office meeting room, board members:
— Allocated an additional $1,000 from the fire department reserve fund to help pay for the South China Volunteer Fire Department’s planned addition of a three-phase converter at the fire station on Route 32;
— Approved minor clarifications to the transfer station access policy, dealing with temporary passes for renters; and
— Acted on a long list of re-appointments to town boards and committees before the new fiscal year begins July 1.
Hapgood explained that town office staff had asked each board or committee member whose term ends June 30 if he or she would serve again. Those who said no, and those who did not reply, were not on the appointments list.
In an unusual move, board members declined to re-appoint board of appeals chairman Spencer Aitel, who has held the position for at least a decade. A motion to re-appoint him failed for lack of a second. No one offered an explanation.
In addition to the vacancy on the board of appeals, there are openings on the comprehensive plan review committee, which has one member, and the recreation committee, which has two. All other committees that lost members kept at least five.
There are also two vacancies on the town planning board, which, under the new ordinance voters approved June 11, consists of five regular members and one alternate appointed by the select board. Planning board appointments were not on the June 17 list.
Board members re-appointed Hapgood to eight positions. They re-appointed town clerk Angela Nelson; codes officer Nicholas French; animal control officer Joshua Barnes; superintendent of cemeteries Adam Ellis; and China’s three fire chiefs, Richard Morse (South China), Joel Nelson (China Village) and William Van Wickler (Weeks Mills).
Votes were not all unanimous. Select board members who serve (mostly in non-voting capacities) on a committee being re-appointed abstained; and board chairman Wayne Chadwick voted against committee lists that included non-resident members – on principle, he stressed, not because he objected to any individual.
The next regular China select board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, July 1.