China Transfer Station enacts social distancing policy

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The China Transfer Station during social distancing. (Photo: The town of China)

The China Transfer Station will continue to operate with these limitations:

  • Cones and barricades will be setup to control traffic into the facility;
  • Only one vehicle will be allowed at the “hopper” area;
  • Only one vehicle will be allowed at the “express can” area;
  • Users will be asked what area they need to access and directed when appropriate to proceed to the assigned area;
  • Users will be asked to use each area expeditiously meaning no delay;
  • Users will be asked to maintain a 6-foot distance from all employees and others;
  • Users will be asked to only visit the transfer station once per day per household;
  • Users will be asked to limit visits on Saturdays to times other than between 9 a.m. -1 p.m., when we see the highest volume of users;
  • Alternate days with less traffic are Wednesday and Thursday;
  • Please treat the staff with kindness and care.

Transfer Station hours – Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Thursday 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Saturday 6:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Please note this is only a temporary change.

China Manager: virtual meetings considered public & legal

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by Mary Grow

At China’s March 26 Broadband Committee’s virtual meeting, Town Manager Dennis Heath and committee members explained how virtual meetings are temporarily considered public and therefore legal.

The difference is Governor Janet Mills’ declaration of an emergency, committee member Jamie Pitney said. Normally, only a few state agencies were allowed to hold some of their meetings without gathering in person. Now and until 30 days after the emergency is declared over, municipal boards and committees can do the same, provided that they give public notice.

Heath added that the declaration allows members not physically present at a meeting to vote, another change from past procedure. The recording of the meeting legally serves as minutes.

China has subscribed to a virtual meeting system that allows meeting participants to see and talk with each other and signed-in non-participants to watch and listen via computer and/or cellphone, depending on audience members’ computer capabilities. Heath said he paid $150 for a year’s service.

The March 26 meeting was not streamed on the China’s live stream and therefore was available only to those who signed in. Heath plans to have future virtual board and committee meetings live-streamed so they can be seen on the town website.

People seeking information on future meetings may visit the website, email the town office at info@chinamaine.org or call the town office at 445-2014 during office hours.

Broadband Committee members, joined virtually by two representatives of Mission Broadband Inc., discussed two main topics: the previously-planned broadband census to find out how many China residents need better service and why they don’t already have it, and ways to expand service.

Mike Reed and John Dougherty, of Mission Broadband, a national company promoting increased broadband service, said the company is planning a state-wide survey or census, simpler than the one originally proposed for China. Their version is currently on-line only and has alternatives – that is, a person’s answer to one question determines which question appears next.

Heath would like a paper census as well, to reach people who cannot or will not reply by computer or cell phone. Reed plans to review Mission Broadband’s draft to see if it can be adjusted for paper. Heath hopes to send a direct mailing to China residents by the end of March.

Committee members continued discussion of ways to increase the reach of existing broadband in town, suggesting more questions for Heath to ask Peter Hussey, of Hussey Communications, in Winslow, with whom town officials are working.

Committee member Tod Detre said there is not yet enough equipment to cover the town. The tower at the town office and the repeater at the China Village fire station offer limited service.

Heath said Hussey installed an omnidirectional antenna at the town office to reach the town garage and transfer station. The downside is a shorter range, he said. After census results more accurately define town-wide needs, he intends to explore more options.

Committee members scheduled their next, presumably-virtual meeting for 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 8. One agenda item will be a proposal to ask the Maine legislature to study the possibility of continuing to allow virtual meetings after the coronavirus emergency ends.

Heath feared virtual meetings would limit public participation. Pitney suggested the town office could be opened so people could go there to watch virtual meetings just as they could attend person-to-person meetings before the emergency.

Michigan group plans high-rise housing in China (2020 April Fools Day story)

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An artist’s rendition of the proposed high rise housing complex for China.

by Mary Grow

DeMiHuGi Developers, of Detroit, Michigan, filed permit applications with the Maine environmental protection and transportation departments on April 1, for a 28-story luxury housing complex, to be built on an artificial island at the Narrows on China Lake. The complex will be accessed by a causeway connecting the end of Neck Road to Lakeview Drive, as well as by boat.

Plans call for 24 stories of housing, with apartments arranged around a central core with elevators and utilities. The lower 12 will have four apartments per floor, each with views in two directions; the upper 12 will have two apartments per floor, each with views in three directions. Above will be a rooftop restaurant topped with solar panels.

The base of the building, partly below water level, will be a 150-car parking garage. Above the garage will be three stories housing a supermarket, a clothing store, a pharmacy and clinic, specialty restaurants and boutiques, a gym and sauna, a four-lane bowling alley, offices and probably one or more shops tailored to the area, like a sporting goods store or bait-and-tackle shop.

A double water purification system on the north side of the building will purify China Lake water to make it drinkable and treat wastes so wastewater will be returned to the lake “cleaner than it came out,” according to a DeMiHuGi spokesman.

The swimming beach will be on the south side, the marina on the southeast and motel-style employee housing east and west.

The four-lane causeway connecting the island to the mainland on both sides will be roofed with more solar panels. Additionally, cables running under the road will provide back-up power and will heat the causeway so it will not need winter maintenance.

The DeMi­HuGi spokesman, Maken Haye, said two similar projects on larger water bodies have drawbridges in the causeways to accommodate sailboats.

The company analyzed mast heights on China Lake and concluded no drawbridge is needed.

All windows will have bird-friendly glass. Indoor lighting will be arranged to create “a warm, welcoming glow” after dark.

DeMiHuGi’s spokesman, Haye, said in most projects some amenities are open to local residents, by arrangement with municipal officials.

Additionally, she said, it is company policy to hold a contest among local residents only to name the project. The contest winner receives a 10-year lease on one of the larger apartments.

The project schedule depends on acquiring the needed permits, state and local. The company spokesman said, “Since Maine has never seen a project like this, I expect it will take a while. I doubt we’ll break lake bottom this year.”

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IF YOU BELIEVED THIS STORY, YOU ARE A BELATED APRIL FOOL.

The bird man of South China: 100 birdhouses or bust!

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Clinton Hayward at work in his woodworking shop. (Contributed photo)

by Eric W. Austin

“More than a billion birds have disappeared in recent years,” says South China resident Clinton Hayward, a local conservation activist who has established five chapters of Ducks Unlimited across Maine and has spent 70 years birdwatching and following the research on bird populations in North America.

Hayward’s latest project is to build and install 100 birdhouses across the expansive property owned by his daughter and step-son on Three Mile Pond. So far, Hayward has finished 30, but hopes to reach his goal of 100, working mostly on rainy days over the next year.

A look at Hayward’s birdhouse in-progress. (Contributed photo.)

“This has been a lifelong interest of mine,” he says. “[I’ve] always [been] fascinated with anything that has feathers.” Growing up on a farm in Calais, Hayward was constantly surrounded by flocks of chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys and pigeons. Over the last half-century, he has watched, with rising alarm, as bird populations have steadily decreased across North America.

Recent scientific research backs up Hayward’s lifelong observations. A 2019 study by researchers, published in the journal Science, found that North America’s bird populations have declined by roughly 30 percent over the last half-century. That’s nearly three billion fewer birds flying in our skies today than in 1970.

“I am convinced this is not a short term cyclical problem,” Hayward says, “but rather a long term gradual decline that may be irreversible.”

According to the referenced study, the most affected species are small birds whose habitat are grasslands. Hayward agrees. “My observations lead me to believe that the problem is more acute with small birds, especially song birds,” he says. Much of the decline is a result of the destruction of important nesting areas that have been converted for agriculture, but Hayward thinks insecticides play a major role as well.

“The spray can affect the birds directly or indirectly when they eat dead insects that have succumbed to the spray,” he says. “Squirrels are also devastating, along with other rodents who very much enjoy eating bird eggs, but insecticides are doing the major damage in my opinion.”

Waterfowl such as ducks and geese have been less affected as a result of early conservation efforts in the U.S. and Canada. “I do not feel that waterfowl are currently under the same threat as most other bird species,” Hayward says, “because organizations like Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy and others responded long ago to the waterfowl population crisis in the dust bowl days of the 1930s and ‘40s, when waterfowl populations were all but wiped out and lack of habitat took its toll. By spending millions and millions on habitat projects in North America, the species have responded and thrived.”

[See related – Welcome home: A Vietnam Experience]

It’s not just the bird population that is at risk, believes Hayward. “Bat populations are also in extreme difficulty,” he says. “Just a few short years ago, I could count hundreds and even thousands of bats doing their work at dusk. Now, I see almost none. I believe the spraying for insects is probably responsible since they live primarily on insects.”

Anyone can help put up birdhouses to provide additional habitat-space for visiting birds, but it’s important to educate yourself about the kinds of birds that visit your property and their specific needs before getting started.

A look at some of the birdhouses Hayward has finished. Contributed photo.

“Many people who put out bird houses do not pay particular attention to the dimensions of the house, the size of the portal hole, etcetera,” says Hayward. “Different species of birds prefer different size cavities and openings. For instance, if you are seeking to attract wrens, you would want a small, four-inch by four-inch house with a one-inch to one-and-an-eighth inch opening and the portal hole about eight to nine inches above the floor.” He adds, “Many fledglings have a problem exiting bird houses when they are getting ready to learn to fly. Placing a strip of screening below the portal will assist fledglings in getting to the portal.”

It’s a good idea to carefully observe the birds that visit your property before deciding which bird houses to install. Hayward recommends that interested readers consult the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service pamphlet For the Birds, which can be found here: www.fws.gov/birds.

Clinton Hayward, a master gardener, often does site visits to provide assistance or offer advice on garden design and proper selection of plants to make a property bird friendly. He is happy to share his experiences or offer advice for others who might be looking to make their own properties more habitable for our visiting feathered friends. He can be reached by email at clntnhayward@gmail.com.

Eric W. Austin writes about local community issues. He can be reached by email at ericwaustin@townline.org.

CFAL committee meets to discuss volunteer needs and efforts

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CFALC members, left to right, Eric Austin, Jeanne Marquis, Christopher Hahn, and Dan McKinnis. Out of frame, Laurie Lizotte, Ann Austin, Irene Belanger, and Theresa Wight. (contributed photo)

by Eric W. Austin

On March 19, the China for a Lifetime Committee (CFALC) met to discuss the best ways to provide assistance to members of the community that are especially vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes high risk individuals like the elderly or those with underlying respiratory conditions which makes possible infection especially dangerous.

Five members of the committee gathered in the main conference room at the town office, sitting at least six feet apart as advised by the CDC, and others logged into a conference call set up for the purpose or watched the meeting live via the town’s live streaming service. The committee was also joined by Dan McKinnis, China Rescue Chief, who advised the committee on important safety measures, and Theresa Wight, from Head Start, who spoke about her work to supply food to needy area families with young children. China town manager, Dennis Heath, watched the meeting live and supplied suggestions via text chat.

McKinnis, who reminded the team that he was not an expert on the coronavirus but relied on best practices set down by the Maine CDC, told the group that it is important that they treat everyone as a potential infection risk. Gloves can be an important safety measure, but the Maine CDC has warned that gloves can also make people less cautious. Gloves need to be changed or washed as often as one would wash your hands, as any contamination on the gloves can then be easily transferred to other surfaces.

McKinnis also spoke of the difficulties of local EMT and first responders, who are on the front lines of the current crisis. Like others, they are fearful of contracting the virus themselves or bringing a possible infection home to their families. In response to the current situation, the dispatch officers who receive 911 calls are now asking qualifying questions to classify people into three possible categories: positive, negative or undetermined. These categories are helping first responders determine the risk level in responding to calls. So far, said McKinnis, China Rescue has not had any calls from likely positive individuals, but they have adjusted their procedures as a cautionary measure. If they do get a call from an individual who could be infected with the virus, they can suit up in gowns and masks for safety, but since these items are disposable and their supplies are limited, they must carefully assess each situation and respond accordingly.

McKinnis recommends that everyone practice social distancing as advised by the CDC, and suggests that those without cleaning supplies can soak a paper towel in a solution of bleach and water to wipe down frequently touched surfaces such as door handles, steering wheels, light switches and eating surfaces. The CDC recommends a solution of five tablespoons (1/3 cup) of bleach per gallon of clean water for this purpose.

Rescue Chief McKinnis also recommended to the China for a Lifetime Committee that any food deliveries to needy residents be left on front porches without contact with the resident, that no one go into the house of a resident they are helping, and that transporting anyone – such as to doctor’s appointments – should not be done because of the possible risk of contamination.

Theresa Wight, who works for the local Head Start office, spoke about the food insecurity faced by the families in her program. Currently she works with 14 local families who are finding it difficult to feed their children with local schools closed. This led to a discussion of how to identify local families in need.

The China for a Lifetime Committee has several ways for local residents to get in contact with the committee and let them know what needs they have. Residents who need help may send an email to ChinaforaLifetime@gmail.com or call the China for a Lifetime hotline at 207-200-3704. This is a voicemail-only number, but the messages are regularly checked and you will be called back as soon as possible. Please leave your name, age, phone number and explain your current need.

There are also several active Facebook groups where residents can post requests or suggestions. One is the “Friends of China, Maine” group which is managed through a partnership between The Town Line newspaper and the China for a Lifetime Committee. Another group, started by China resident Sara Casey is called “China Community Emergency Supply Drive” and is set up specifically to organize a collection of food and other essentials for distribution to needy families in China.

At the meeting, the committee identified several immediate needs. Most essential is the need for volunteers. This includes drivers to deliver or pick up items for high risk residents who are housebound for fear of infection. Volunteer drivers should be younger than 60 years of age, with no underlying respiratory health issues. For this and other volunteer opportunities, please contact the committee by sending an email to ChinaforaLifetime@gmail.com or leave a message on the hotline at 207-200-3704.

There is also a need for volunteers at the China Community Food Pantry, as many of its volunteers are older senior citizens who are now in a high risk category. To volunteer at the China Food Pantry, please contact Ann Austin at 968-2421 or email lee.ljaustin@gmail.com.

Anyone with symptoms such as a fever with a dry cough and shortness of breath – the primary indicators of the new virus – should call their local primary care physician or local hospital. Do not physically go to either location, as you could be putting yourself or others in unnecessary danger. Please start with an initial phone call to avoid overcrowding at our hospitals or local physicians’ offices. If you have questions or concerns, you may also call Maine’s information hotline by dialing 211, 1-866-811-5695, or emailing info@211maine.org.

A runny nose, said Rescue Chief McKinnis, does not seem to be a primary indicator of a COVID-19 infection and is most likely just the common cold.

In this time of crisis, the most important thing we can do is pull together as a community. If you are healthy and low risk, please volunteer to help others. If you are aware of elderly neighbors, especially those living alone, please call them and check in on them or contact the CFAL Committee and let us know they need to be checked on. Do not visit anyone “in person” as you could be putting them at risk. Instead rely on phone, email or other means to make contact while maintaining your distance.

To find out more about the China for a Lifetime Committee and for a list of local resources, please visit their website at ChinaforaLifetime.com.

Eric W. Austin writes about local community issues. He can be contacted by email at ericwaustin@townline.org.

Recycling suspended 14 days in China

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Recycling operations suspended for 14 days at the Town of China Transfer Station effective immediately. This brief suspension should not create too much of a burden on users, but we appreciate everyone’s patience. We will update as appropriate.

CHINA: Self-storage facility gets approval

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by Mary Grow

China Codes Officer William Butler reported the planning board, meeting March 10, approved Jamie Nichols’ application for a self-storage facility on Vassalboro Road.

Nichols amended his application by adding more phosphorus treatment and reducing the amount of impervious surface to bring the facility into compliance with China’s phosphorus run-off regulations.

The board approval is conditional on Nichols getting two state Department of Environmental Protection permits.

The next China Planning Board meeting is currently scheduled for Tuesday evening, March 24. Butler said the agenda has two items, review of an application for Phase Two of the causeway project at the head of China Lake’s east basin and continued discussion of SunRaise solar projects near Route 3.

The second phase of the causeway project involves changes to the shoreline and boat landing east of the new causeway bridge, which was the heart of the first phase. SunRaise has approval for a solar array off Windsor Road (see The Town Line, March 5, p. 3), with further discussion of the surety bond for decommissioning and restoration of the property pending, and has applied for a second solar development farther east on Route 3.

China annual town meeting rescheduled to May 2

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by Mary Grow

At their March 16 meeting, China selectmen unanimously approved Town Manager Dennis Heath’s recommendations for balancing staff and residents’ safety with necessary town services in the coronavirus age.

The goal of the proposals Heath, Emergency Preparedness Committee members and others developed is “to not create mass hysteria, but show people that we’re being thoughtful and responsible,” the manager said.

To that end:

  • The annual town business meeting that was scheduled for April 4 has been rescheduled, for now at least, to 9 a.m. Saturday, May 2, with the two pre-meeting informational sessions planned for March moved to April 26 and 29.
  • Meetings of all town committees are suspended until further notice, with two exceptions: the Selectboard will continue to meet alternate Mondays for essential town business only, and the Thursday, March 19, China for a Lifetime Committee meeting will be held to continue to advise on appropriate emergency measures.
  • The transfer station will remain open the usual hours, except the Free-for-the-Taking building, which will be closed. Transfer station users should keep a safe distance from staff members and from other users.
  • Town office staff will continue to work normal hours, but with limited person-to-person contact. Those needing town office services are encouraged to do their business on-line or to call the town office for over-the-phone discussions. Beginning soon, probably March 23, the office doors will be locked and only people who have made an appointment and whose business must be done face-to-face will be admitted. Tax payments due March 27 can be left in the box outside the office door or mailed.
  • A new coronavirus page on the town website will continue to provide updated information.

China’s website is china.govoffice.com. The town office telephone number is 445-2014; the email address is info@chinamaine.org.

Selectmen and Heath do not know how long emergency measures will be in place. They will monitor news and advice about the pandemic and act accordingly.

Former Selectman Robert MacFarland asked whether the town had plans to provide supplies to housebound residents if necessary. Heath said that was one of the issues the China for a Lifetime Committee was working on, and one reason its meeting was not cancelled.

There will be limits to what the town can do, he said. That day he had asked staff to try to get a supply of disinfectant wipes: none are available, none can be ordered.

Selectmen authorized Heath to use money from their contingency fund to assist residents during the coronavirus emergency.

In other business March 16, selectmen appointed Trishea Story secretary of the Tax Increment Financing Committee.

As of March 16, the next China selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for Monday evening, March 30.

CHINA: Local Actions Update for COVID-19

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Update from Dennis L. Heath, CMM Town Manager
Posted 03/17/2020

This update provides actions approved for local implementation to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus. While not all-inclusive, we are taking specific actions that will help our residents and town employees to be better prepared as the outbreak becomes more present. While we understand that not all our residents have access to the Internet, we encourage as many as can to consult the town website at https://china.govoffice.com/ for the latest updates on our local actions. Watch for a COVID-19 link that will take you directly to the information.

The following actions are effective immediately:

Town Meeting

Postponed to May 2, 2020 at 9 am
Postponed public budget hearings to Apr 26 and 29, 2020

Town Committees

Suspend Meetings indefinitely (few exceptions)

Transfer Station

Remains Open
No physical or close contact with employees
Free-for-Taking Building is closed until further notice
Not taking recyclables for two weeks.

Town Office

Remains Open
Maximum use of online services
Use drop-box for property tax payments
Prepare for appointment-only/call-in service (begin immediately)

Support to homebound

China for a Lifetime Committee (CFALC), in coordination with China Rescue, China Food Pantry, and the Town Office, is preparing to assist those that are incapable of leaving their homes or at greatest risk of infection

Town Office is attempting to acquire paper products and disinfecting supplies for distribution to those in greatest need; CFALC will be the arbiter/distributor

On the reverse of this information sheet is a useful chart you can use to help determine if you are showing the likely symptoms of the COVID-19 virus. Many may exhibit the symptoms of either the common cold or influenza (flu). If you have any concerns that you may be symptomatic, please stay home, keep cohabitants at home as well, and consult with a medical professional.

 

 

China Food Pantry to implement new procedures for safety

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The China Food Pantry at 1320 Lakeview Drive in China. (photo by Eric Austin)

During this medical emergency, we at the China Community Food Pantry want to do our best to protect our customers as much as we can while still providing our services to you.

Aside from frequent hand washing, social isolation is the most effect method of containing the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses. We have decided that until the pandemic subsides on its own, we will limit the contact our customers have with one another and ourselves by providing premade boxes that we will deliver directly to your cars for both the weekly and the monthly programs.

When you arrive, please form a line on the shoulder of the road starting at the rock wall and extending back toward The Landing. It is important that you stay in your car to avoid contact with others. The line will move forward toward the front porch one car at a time.

When you reach the porch area, someone will come out to your car and ask if you are a China resident and whether you want your monthly box as well as your weekly box. The boxes will be brought out and placed in your car for you. We’re new to this so please, if you were not asked about the monthly box but are wanting one, let someone know. We want to ensure you have what you need.

We understand this is not as satisfactory as shopping for what you want, but this will only be a short-term change. We have every intention of going back to the way things have always been as soon as possible. Our goal right now is to protect you and help keep you healthy.

Thank you for your understanding.