China selectmen unanimously approve another portable classroom

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by Mary Grow

China selectmen unanimously approved buying another second-hand portable classroom, adding a comparatively small sum to the money they’d already spent at their Sept. 16 meeting.

Town Manager Dennis Heath said Regional School Unit (RSU) #18 Superintendent Carl Gartley offered to sell the 50-by-14-foot building to the town for $1, with the town to pay moving costs from Oakland. The manager recommended buying it and siting it on the town office lot to use as a police office; he intends to discuss the exact placement with Codes Enforcement Officer Bill Butler.

The building has a new roof and a heating system, he said. If it were near the portable classroom behind the town office, officers could use the just-installed toilet facilities there.

From the audience, Budget Committee member Wayne Chadwick reminded selectmen they would need to pay for a concrete pad, electricity and probably other costs.

Robert MacFarland, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, said he had seen the building and believes, “with a little bit of cleaning up,” it would be useful for an office and storage. MacFarland estimated the total cost of moving and adapting the building at less than $10,000.

In the past, China bought two extra portable classrooms, the one behind the town office used mainly for voting and committee meetings and one selectmen passed on to the South China Library. That one is now on a slab on Jones Road.

The unusually high expenditure warrant selectmen approved at the beginning of the Sept. 16 meeting totaled more than $1 million. Heath said it included the Kennebec County tax and the monthly school budget.

Also on the warrant was a $52,440.54 payment to Central Maine Power Company to install three-phase power at the transfer station, a long-awaited improvement that will allow installation of the new pre-crusher. Money is to come from the transfer station capital expense fund and the selectmen’s contingency fund. Selectman Ronald Breton congratulated Heath on negotiating CMP’s original price down by more than $16,000.

Selectmen did not accept a revised schedule for town office fees Heath said office staff recommended. After a 15-minute discussion, they voted unanimously to leave fees as they are with two exceptions: changes in fees for notary services and use of the office FAX.

After the meeting, Heath recommended that he delay posting the fee schedule until selectmen review it again at their Sept. 30 meeting.

Neil Farrington, one of China’s representatives on the RSU #18 board of directors, came to the selectmen’s meeting with a proposal to use the South China Legion Hall for community events sponsored by the China for a Lifetime Committee, and stayed to answer school-related questions.

There are two main reasons for school budget increases, he said. One is employee salaries and benefits that go up annually by contract. The other is social, the growing need for special education services. This year RSU #18 has hired an additional social worker and a drug counselor, he said.

In other business:

  • Board members unanimously appointed Nancy Beadling a member of the China for a Lifetime Committee.
  • They again tabled action on Mike Rackcliffe’s application for a Tax Increment Finance (TIF) revolving loan because they had not received requested information from the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments, which assists with China’s loan program (see The Town Line, Sept. 12, p. 3).
  • China Lake Association spokesman Tom Michaud said the association had contracted with Chadwick’s firm, W. D. Chadwick Construction, of South China, for erosion control work on Fire Roads 13, 27 and 35, with Fire Road 35 to be done this fall if possible.
  • Michaud reported that lakefront property owners who had LakeSmart erosion control barriers installed this summer had contributed $2,500 to the program (see The Town Line, Aug. 8, p. 2 and Aug. 29, p. 2, for examples of LakeSmart award recipients).

The next regular China selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 30.

Area students enrolled at Colby fall 2019

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Area students have enrolled at Colby College, in Waterville, this fall. Before classes began Sept. 4, 2019, they took part in a weeklong orientation that included an introduction to academic and intellectual life at Colby, participation in an outdoor education trip (COOT), and an address by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Professor of Sociology and African-American Studies, Cheryl Townsend Gilkes, at Colby’s 202nd Convocation.

Conrad F. Ayers, of Waterville, a graduate of Waterville Senior High School, is the son of Andrew and Julie Ayers of Waterville.

Milo F. Lani-Caputo, of Whitefield, a graduate of Erskine Academy, in South China, is the son of Curry Caputo and Andrea Lani, of Whitefield.

Zoli A. Nagy, of Albion, a graduate of Lawrence High School, in Fairfield, is the son of Sandor Nagy of Albion.

Caitlin R. Parks, of Sidney, a graduate of Messalonskee High School, in Oakland, is the daughter of Michael and Lorie Parks, of Sidney.

Sophie C. Webb, of Waterville, a graduate of Taft School, is the daughter of Timothy and Karen Webb, of Waterville.

Red Sox historian to speak at Albert Church Brown Memorial Library

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Albert Church Brown Memorial Library is delighted to host author and historian of the Red Sox, Ray Sinibaldi Sunday, September 29, at 2 p.m.

Mr. Sinibaldi fell in love with Fenway and the Red Sox very young. He grew up in a black and white TV and magazine sports world so the lush green park and the bright uniforms captured his mind. A trained historian and a teacher by trade, he published numerous books worth of Red Sox information. He also published a photo memorial of Fenway Park. He is currently coaching a Florida team that starts practice in January!

Our talk Sunday will be a comparison of the Red Sox of early 1900s when they won five World Series and the team of recent years since 2004 that captured four World Series. He will compare the players and strategies.

Mr. Sinibaldi’s enthusiasm is infectious. This will be an afternoon of Red Sox hard to forget. We might hear a little of what the 2020 season may bring.

Work continues at China school

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Construction at China Middle School as of September 2019. (photo by Roland Hallee)

Construction continues on the addition to the China Middle School. The work is being performed by Blane Casey, of Augusta, and although they have come across some structural issues it is expected the work will still come in within the budget that was planned, according to Carl Gartley, Superintendent of Schools for RSU #18, of which the China schools are a member. The total cost of the expansion project will be between $1.5 and $1.6 million.

The project includes adding locker rooms, redoing the stage and music class area, adding practice rooms for music classes, adding storage for cafeteria tables, redoing the gym floor and upgrading the HVAC system, repairing the roof and other fire code improvements to meet compliance of new laws.

2nd annual Cpl. Cole 5k and half marathon held for charity

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Racers crossing the Corporal Eugene Cole Memorial Bridge, in Norridgewock, during the race on Saturday August 19. (photo by Cheyenne Paron, Central Maine Photography Staff)

by Mark Huard

The 2nd annual Corporal Cole 5K and Half-Marathon took place at the Mill Stream Elementary School, in Norridgewock, on August 19, and was a huge success!

Over 700 registered runners took part with 500 in the 5K and 200 in the half marathon, age varied from 1-84!

The event helped raise $25,000 to donate towards the Cpl. Cole Memorial Scholarship.

Event organizer Jessica Gleason said, “We had incredible water stations.” The entire Skowhegan football team, Lawrence football team, Waterville soccer team, Skowhegan cheerleaders, Lawrence and Messalonskee National Honor Society, Lawrence, and Carrabec JMG, Skowhegan Savings Bank, New Balance, and many more! Water stations filled with over 20 people pumped up the runners and kept them going. One station even formed a human tunnel for runners to go through! Three individual moments of silence took place on Sunday, one for Detective Campbell who lost his life doing the right thing. Race director Gleason encouraged the crowd to follow Detective Campbell’s lead and “do the right thing.” The second moment of silence was for Fairfield Captain Jim Lane as his funeral was on Sunday, and their final moment of silence was for fallen hero Cpl. Eugene Cole, with a reminder of his wifes words, ” his shoes may never be filled but his footsteps can always be followed.”

Eli Meader, 9 of, Madison, set a record during the race, going 13.12 miles! Here he is with Sheryl Cole, after the race, when he received his medal. (photo by Missy Brown,
Central Maine Photography staff)

Eli is nine years old. He ran his first 5k at six years old. After a 5k in June he wanted to run a marathon but his mom said he had to run a half marathon first. He didn’t do a lot of training beforehand. Longest run was 8-1/2 miles so she was worried for today’s race. He did great and only walked a little.

Eli went 13.12 miles on Agust 19!

His next goal is to be the youngest kid in the world to run a full marathon. A 14 year old has the record right now.

Sheryl Cole started each race with the air horn following the National Anthem sung by Katie Lee Hill. Somerset County Sheriff Dale Lancaster joined Tom Cole, brother of Corporal Cole, in the 5k walk. All profits from the race go to the Corporal Cole Memorial Scholarship Fund. Between last year and this year they will have donated over $70,000 to the scholarship fund. This race is a success first and foremost because of Corporal Eugene Cole, secondly because Mrs. Cole and the Cole family trust us in honoring his legacy, and finally because of the hundreds of volunteers and unsung heroes behind the scenes. It takes a village to pull off an event this size and our village steps up without hesitation when you mention Corporal Cole. Moving forward we are working on certifying the half marathon with USA Track & Field for 2020 which will be held in August 2020. Race registration will open on November 1, 2019.

This year they held the first kids fun run. Over 20 children participated on an obstacle course run created and managed by Kennebec Valley Community Colleges Physical Therapist Assistant students. Every child received a super hero cape with the numbers 1312 on the back, Corporal Cole’s badge number. Top sponsors included Skowhegan Savings Bank and Redington-Fairview General Hospital, in Skowhegan. Believe you can, dont give up, and you will! This race unites the community, and promotes healthy healing by taking one step forward each and every day. Looking forward to 2020!

Sponsors and volunteers for 2020 are encouraged to contact Jess at corporalcolememorialrun@gmail.com.

Practice makes perfect

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Lukas Blais, 6, of Vassalboro, trained with Nunchucks at the Huard’s Martial Arts boot camp in August. (photo by Carolyn Blais)

Grantees announced for downtown Waterville’s facade work

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Central Maine Growth Council (CMGC) is proud to announce the successful grantees of its Façade and Building Improvement Grant Program (FBIGP) in downtown Waterville.

FBIGP was established within the context of downtown Waterville’s ongoing revitalization, activated by over $100 million in recent investment by private and public sector supporters. The grant program encourages new and existing downtown property owners and businesses to invest in their commercial storefronts while restoring the original character of historic buildings and providing a catalyst for others to improve the visual appearance of their privately-owned buildings.

“The strength and quality of the applications we received was spectacular,” states Garvan D. Donegan, director of planning and economic development at Central Maine Growth Council and FBIGP advisory committee member. “Downtown businesses and property owners are extremely thoughtful in how their storefronts add to the character of downtown and contribute to a successful local economy, and their applications honor the architectural design roots and cultural significance of their buildings.”

The grant awards made through FBIGP will stimulate more than $325,000 in direct investment in downtown storefronts and facades during the 2019 calendar year. Twenty-three applicants submitted proposals to the program, and eleven applications were successful.

Successful grantees of the 2019 FBIGP award include:

  • 46 Main Street – Framemakers
  • 48 Main Street – Enchanted Herbs & Tea
  • 52 Main Street – Children’s Book Cellar
  • 54 Main Street / 33 Concourse E – SBS Carbon Copy
  • 72 Main Street – Holy Cannoli
  • 80-88 Main Street – Day’s Jewelers
  • 129 Main Street – Tap, LLC
  • 137 Main Street – Amici’s Cucina
  • 139 Main Street – Opa
  • 177-179 Main Street – Black Cape Comics and Selah Tea Cafe
  • 177 Main Street – Selah Tea Cafe

The grant program, funded by Colby College and the Bill and Joan Alfond Foundation, provides a reimbursement of up to fifty (50) percent of the total estimated project budget. Funds may be used for the restoration and renovation of commercial buildings located within Waterville’s downtown district, and eligible projects range from new awnings and signage to brick repainting and the removal of inappropriate, non-historical alterations to building exteriors.

“It’s incredibly exciting that, in the span of approximately seven months, downtown Waterville will be transformed by the visual impact of the awarded grants, which complement the transformation of public spaces, new building construction, and influx of new businesses into the downtown,” says Chris Gaunce, member of the FBIGP advisory committee. “You’ll find yourself spending more time downtown because it’s inviting, attractive, and unique.”

Winslow receives $36,572 to assist fire department

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photo from Winslow Fire Facebook page

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced recently $33.6 million in direct assistance grants to 166 fire departments nationwide through the agency’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. Additional phases will soon be announced.

The Winslow Fire Department will receive $36,572 from FEMA for an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG). This grant will be used for Advanced Emergency Medical Technician training.

The announcement includes Assistance to Firefighters Grants to the following fire departments in Maine:

Winslow, ME – Federal share of $36,572 for Emergency Medical Technician – Advanced – training. Brewer and Gorham also received grants.

The primary goal of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations. Since 2001, AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources necessary for protecting the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.

This grant is funded through FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. Eligible applicants include local fire departments, fire districts, nonaffiliated EMS organizations, tribal fire departments and State Fire Training Academies. The grant applications are submitted from each agency directly to FEMA, where the applications are reviewed and scored by fire service personnel from throughout the nation.

FEMA obligates funding for this project directly to the recipient agencies. It is the recipient agency’s responsibility to manage their grant award within federal guidelines with technical assistance and monitoring provided by FEMA Fire Program Specialists.

Additional information about FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters grant program(s) may be found at https://www.fema.gov/firegrants.

KHS September program presents story of trains

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Photo of the Maine Central Railroad Station, in Augusta, courtesy of The Kennebec Historical Society, Augusta, Maine.

Born in Bethel in 1835, Thomas Holt was active as an architect in Central and Western Maine from 1859 to 1870. In 1865 he designed the Portland and Kennebec Railroad Station in Augusta, which burned while under construction in the city’s Great Fire that year. Between 1871 and 1876, Holt served as Chief Engineer of the Maine Central Railroad, designing railroad buildings and bridges as well as conducting surveys for new rail lines. In 1876, he moved to California, where he pursued careers in architecture, railroading, mining, and lumbering. He died in 1889 from pneumonia contracted in a blizzard in Nevada.

The KHS September speaker, a native of Portland, Maine, Earle G. Shettleworth, Jr., attended Deering High School, in Portland, Colby College, in Waterville, and Boston University and was the recipient of honorary doctorates from Bowdoin College, in Brunswick, and the Maine College of Art. At the age of 13, Shettleworth became interested in historic preservation through the destruction of Portland’s Union Station in 1961. In 1971 he was appointed by Governor Kenneth Curtis to serve on the first board of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, for which he became architectural historian in 1973 and director in 1976. He retired from that position in 2015. Shettleworth has lectured and written extensively on Maine history and architecture and served as State Historian since 2004.

The Kennebec Historical Society September Presentation is free to the public (donations gladly accepted). The presentation will take place on Wednesday, September 18, 2019, at 6:30 p.m., at the Hope Baptist Church, located at 726 Western Avenue, in Manchester. The program will be preceded at 4:30 p.m., by a potluck supper and at 6 p.m., by the society’s annual meeting and election of officers and directors. For details about the potluck supper, please contact Anne Cough, either by email at acough60@aol.com or by phone at 582-2823.

Students named to dean’s list at Bates College

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The following students have been named to the dean’s list at Bates College, in Lewiston, for the winter semester ending in April 2019.

Emma Foss, of Solon, is a 2015 graduate of Carrabec High School, in North Anson. She is a senior majoring in mathematics at Bates.

Mackenzie Winslow, of Winslow. Winslow, the daughter of Mr. and Ms. Kelly J. Winslow, of Winslow, is a 2015 graduate of Winslow High School. She is a senior majoring in neuroscience at Bates.