PHOTO: It’s apple picking time
Ashley Wills, of Palermo, recently went apple picking, with a little assistance from her dog, Floyd, at the Apple Farm, in Fairfield. (photo by Ashley Wills)
Dennis Keller is NAIFA-Maine J. Putnam Stevens award recipient
Dennis Keller, LUTCF
The J. Putnam Stevens Award is given to the person who has rendered outstanding service to their industry and community in the State of Maine. Dennis Keller, of Palermo, has been in the insurance industry with State Farm Insurance since 1985 and joined the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) shortly after that. He has mentored countless agents throughout the years, has achieved many awards and milestones with State Farm, is a 20-year veteran of the United States Air Force (retired). He is devoted to his family, church, community and office staff, all of whom have been recipients of his generosity as he graciously and often sacrificially shares his time, wisdom, resources and energy.
He has achieved many other awards and milestones with State Farm, including Chairman’s Circle, Honor Club (for 36 consecutive years), Mutual Fund Leader, and Zone Senior Vice-President Club.
Dennis is a member of the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce, an ardent supporter of Special Olympics Maine, and a benefactor for the Fair Haven Camps, in Brooks. He recently spearheaded a fundraising campaign collecting over $10,000 to help the camp rebuild after a fire. Dennis is a perennial volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, and as the oldest member on a recent build, was the first to volunteer on the roof.
Dennis and his wife, Miriam, reside in Palermo. They have two grown children, Misty, of Palermo, and Matthew, of Knoxville, Tennessee, and five grandchildren in Maine and Japan.
J. Putnam Stevens was born in Winthrop, Maine, on November 24, 1852. He was appointed General Agent of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company on September 1, 1887. Throughout his more than 46 years of service, he was intensely loyal to his fellow associates, to the industry and to his company.
The J. Putnam Stevens Award is given to the person who has rendered outstanding service to their industry and community in the state of Maine. It is not intended to restrict the award only to agents and/or advisors, but rather to recognize those people, even outside the industry, who have advanced the cause of the life insurance profession.
2022-’23 Real Estate Tax Due Dates
Albion
Taxes due September 30, 2022
(Interest begins October 1, 2022)
China
Semi-annual
September 30, 2022
March 31, 2023
Fairfield
Quarterly
September 29, 2022
November 2, 2022
February 8, 2023
May 10, 2023
Oakland
August 19, 2022
October 14, 2022
January 13, 2023
March 10, 2023
Palermo
November 17, 2022
Sidney
September 1, 2022
(Interest begins October 1, 2022)
Somerville
Semi-annual
November 15, 2022
May 15, 2022
Vassalboro
Quarterly
September 26, 2022
November 28, 2022
February 27, 2023
April 24, 2023
Waterville
Quarterly
October 14, 2022
December 9, 2022
March 10, 2023
June 9, 2023
Windsor
Semi-annual
September 30, 2022
March 31, 2023
(Tax club due dates are the 15th of each month.)
Winslow
Quarterly
October 6, 2022
December 8, 2022
March 9, 2023
June 8, 2023
To be included in this section, contact The Town Line at townline@townline.org.
EVENTS: Senior dinner rescheduled to Sept. 26
Palermo Christian Church (photo from the church’s Facebook page)
The Palermo Christian Church’s Senior Community Dinner has been rescheduled to Monday, September 26, at noon.
Sheepscot Lake Association end of season report (2022)
by Maria O’Rourke
SLA President
The Sheepscot Lake Association has been busy throughout the season working to help keep our beloved lake as healthy as it can be. The Courtesy Boat Inspection Program had a busy and successful season inspecting boats at the impressive new boat launch at the Fish and Game Club. The three inspectors (two steady and one alternate) worked weekend shifts checking boats both entering and leaving the lake for invasive plants and other species. With 178 inspections conducted, no invasive plants/species were found. This is an important program, not only to keep unwanted non-native species from entering the lake, but also for the educational aspect. The inspectors not only check for plants, but inform boaters of the importance of doing so while demonstrating how it is done. This is imperative as the inspectors are not always at the launch and when they are not present we hope to encourage self-inspections. We all play a part in keeping Sheepscot the healthy lake that it is! Thank you to our 2022 inspectors, Wyatt McKenney, Alex Reitchel, and Brody Worth on an outstanding job!
Another program that helps to keep the lake healthy is our LakeSmart program. After being dormant for a number of years, our LakeSmart “team” is now up and running again and looking forward to conducting more evaluations in 2023! LakeSmart is run by the Maine Lakes Society in conjunction with Lake Associations throughout the state. Homeowners who are interested in helping stop erosion on their properties can sign up for an evaluation to determine the property’s LakeSmart status. Our team will come to your property to conduct an evaluation determining the extent, if any, of erosion and the “best practices” suggested to combat it, including planting natural vegetation, constructing appropriate walking paths, and diverting rainwater runoff. An extensive checklist is adhered to, established by Maine Lakes, and then the evaluation is sent to them for official review. If your property is determined to be LakeSmart you will be awarded a plaque in recognition, but more importantly you will know you are doing all you can to help keep the lake healthy. That is the best reward we could all wish to receive! Please email us at sheepscotlakeassoc@gmail.com if you are interested in having your property evaluated for LakeSmart status in 2023. The water quality team has been conducting water testing bi-weekly throughout the summer.
Water is tested for its clarity, dissolved oxygen levels from the surface down to the deepest part of the lake, and phosphorus levels, and then sent off to Augusta DEP for evaluation/results. So far this summer we have been getting great results and the numbers indicate that Sheepscot is a healthy and vibrant lake. The latest testing was done the first week of September. Using the Secchi disk, testers were able to see more than 6 meters down from the surface! In comparison, another local waterbody with serious algae blooms has less than 2 meters of water clarity, so the 6+meter reading indicates a healthy lake. SLA held two events this year. Our annual boat parade was held on July 4, with over 32 boats participating, our best parade yet. The SLA annual general membership meeting occurred in July with good attendance. If you were present, thank you for coming! If you were unable to attend, we hope that you can join us next year. It is a great way to hear about our programs, sign up to help with any that interest you, purchase some of our merchandise or a raffle ticket, vote for our new slate of board members, and renew your membership. If you were unable to attend and would like to renew your membership, or join the association, you can do so by going to our website at https://sheepscotlakeassociation.com/. This year our guest speaker was Matt Scott from the Lake Stewards of Maine who discussed our water quality, what constitutes a healthy lake, and the issue of PFAS.
PFAS are man-made chemicals known as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances. They are a byproduct of plastics that resist degradation to the extreme that they are referred to as “forever chemicals.” They are linked to a number of health problems, and they are showing up in well water and in food supply around the world. PFAS have become an issue in several townships in Maine, including ours. We have been able to have the lake tested for PFAS and our lake water is considered clean with a PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid) reading of 1 ppt (parts per trillion), below which the EPA considers the minimum reporting level threshold of 4 for presence of PFAS. This is outstanding and further emphasizes the health of Sheepscot Lake! You can learn more about PFAS by reading the article written by Pamela McKenney in The Town Line, as well as on the Town of Palermo website. For further information see the EPA’s guidelines.
This year we launched our SLA online store with two different shirt designs, both offered in many color options in men’s, women’s and children’s sizes as well as a tote bag. If you are interested in supporting our programs while sporting some cool tee shirts please visit the site here: https://www.bonfire.com/store/sheepscot-lake-association/. They make great holiday gifts for all of the lake-lovers in your household! If you are interested in purchasing a hat or visor, please come to our annual meeting next year!
Sheepscot is one of nearly 6,000 lakes and ponds in Maine, but it is certainly number one in our hearts. Keeping the lake healthy is our goal, and that cannot be done without the help and stewardship from the community – and that means you! Thank you to our members for your support!
Enjoy the fall and we look forward to another wonderful summer season on Sheepscot in 2023.
PHOTO: Fall sunset
Gary Mazoki, of Palermo, captured this fall sunset recently.
Up and down the Kennebec Valley: Agricultural Fairs
by Mary Grow
Your writer is pleased that she didn’t promise a story about Hathaway shirts this week, because, considering the season, she decided to detour to write about the country fairs our ancestors enjoyed. Some of the historians cited previously in this series mentioned them; your writer will share bits of their information.
Samuel L. Boardman, in his chapter on agriculture in Henry Kingsbury’s Kennebec County history, and Linwood Lowden, in his history of Windsor, summarized development of central Maine agricultural organizations, often sponsors of agricultural fairs.
Lowden’s list:
- The short-lived Kennebec Agricultural Society, “organized in 1787 and incorporated in 1807,” was the first in New England and the second in the United States. (On-line sources say the first in the country was the 1785 Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture, still active.)
- The short-lived Maine Agricultural Society, incorporated Feb. 21, 1818, “held cattle shows in Hallowell in 1820 and 1821.” The 1820 show was Maine’s first, Boardman wrote.
- The Winthrop Agricultural Society, incorporated Feb. 28, 1829, and reorganized in 1832 as the Kennebec County Agricultural Society, leased fairgrounds in Readfield beginning in 1856. By 1892, Boardman wrote, it had several buildings, a track and a grandstand; organizers continued “the old custom” of having a prominent Maine man deliver an annual address.
- The North Kennebec Agricultural Society, headquartered in Waterville, began July 31, 1847. E. P. Mayo (in the agricultural chapter in Edwin Whittemore’s Waterville history) wrote that its first exhibition was in October 1847. Another early action, Mayo wrote with approval, “was to raise $75 for the purchase of standard agricultural works for a library.”
- This organization bought land in southern Waterville and built a half-mile horse track in 1854. Its annual exhibitions continued into the 1880s, Mayo wrote, until competition from outlying towns cut too deeply into attendance. Its real estate was sold to expand Pine Grove Cemetery.
- The South Kennebec Agricultural Society, which included Windsor, was incorporated in 1853 and in April 1857 bought three lots in Gardiner for a fairground.
- The Kennebec Union Agricultural and Horticultural Society was incorporated on March 17, 1860, and took over “all assets” of the South Kennebec Society. Its “active career” ended in 1877, according to Boardman.
- The Eastern Kennebec Agricultural Society, organized April 4, 1868, “built a half mile race track, and held its fairs on a sixteen acre site at China,” the China Fairgrounds or China Trotting Park, west off Dirigo Road. In 1869, Boardman said, the Society added a 40-by-60-foot exhibition hall. The last fair was in the fall of 1874; Boardman wrote that bad weather on fair days kept income below expenses, and the society gave up in December 1877 and sold its property.
- A second South Kennebec Agricultural Society was organized March 24, 1888, in South Windsor, and incorporated by the Maine legislature a year later. This Society leased a lot with a trotting park, the earliest part of the current Windsor Fairgrounds. Lowden wrote that in 1973 the Society’s legal name became Windsor Fair.
* * * * * *
Albion historian Ruby Crosby Wiggin was delighted to find secretaries’ records of the Farmer’s and Mechanic’s Club of Albion (the apostrophes are as she placed them), organized Oct. 5, 1863, and sponsor of an annual October fair from Oct. 13, 1863, through at least 1891, when the records end.
The secretaries’ books answered a question that had plagued her research: local residents told her three different locations for the fairs. The records showed everyone was right.
The 1863 fair was in the Temperance Hall, on Bangor Road, with outdoor exhibits near the former Marden’s – later Drake’s – store. After what was first the Public Hall and later the Grange Hall was built in 1873, the fair moved there and used land behind Keay’s store, on Main Street. And after the town house was built in 1888, it hosted indoor displays, with outdoor events in the field behind the Besse building.
Wiggin’s list of animals at the first fair in 1863 totals more than 100 horses, oxen, cows, sheep and swine. Indoor displays featured farm produce, including locally-raised tobacco; cheeses; and buttons, “carpets, quilts, rugs, cloth, yarn” and other handicrafts.
Exhibits became more varied over the years, Wiggin wrote. She listed some she considered unusual: a “collection of stuffed birds”; a 100-year-old chair; an English table cover more than 100 years old; woolen stockings and a patchwork quilt made by women in their 90s; and a “worsted lamp mat” made by a six-year-old boy.
She found no description of baby shows, but, she said, in 1865 the “largest, fattest and best fed baby” won a prize, and in 1879 a committee named the “longest and leanest and poorest fed man.”
Old-time residents told Wiggin the Albion fair sometimes included a merry-go-round “run by two fellows turning it by a crank in the middle.” It was reportedly owned by Stevens Brothers, from Unity, and was a feature of annual Unity fairs.
* * * * * *
Palermo historian Milton E. Dowe, in his 1996 book of memories, included a short description of the annual Branch Mills Grange fair, where, he wrote, “A wonderful time was had by all.” His undated description refers to a time after 1909, when the Grange Hall, in Branch Mills Village, was built after the 1908 fire.
Behind the building, Dowe wrote, was a hitching rail where people left their horses for the day. On the grounds were cattle exhibits and the horse pulling competitions that were “the highlight of the Fair day.”
Inside, Dowe wrote, people admired “displays of handiwork, arts, crafts, vegetables, etc.” There was an afternoon baby show. The noon dinner included “baked beans, brown bread, biscuits, casseroles, pickles,…various kinds of pies…[and] always plenty of coffee.”
* * * * * *
Alice Hammond’s history of Sidney credits the Sidney Grange with starting the Sidney Agricultural Fair in 1885; it continued well into the 20th century. Kingsbury said its specialties were fruit –Sidney had many apple orchards – and “working cattle.” One year, he wrote, 75 yokes (pairs) of cattle paraded in a line.
Hammond included a report that the fair’s treasurer, Martin L. Reynolds, put in the 1890 town report “[o]wing to the inquiry of some of the townsmen” about the use of town funds.
From 1887 through 1890, taxpayers gave the fair $25 annually. In 1887, fair organizers spent $24.62. The largest expenditure was $9 to E. A. Field for “lumber and hauling same.” The two smallest were 30 cents each for two dozen hooks from O. Williamson and “Swifel Eye to machine” from J. S. Grant (Hammond wondered what a swifel eye was; your writer suggests a misspelling for swivel eye).
In 1888, A. E. Bessey chipped in $1 (he was probably, despite the spelling difference, Dr. Alden Edward Besse [Jan. 1, 1838 – June 15, 1903], born in Hebron, living in Sidney in 1880, died in Waterville, buried in Pine Grove Cemetery). Lumber was again the most costly item; total expenditures were $23.65.
The 1889 expenditure totaled $12.10. Joseph Field earned $2 for “care of lumber” – Hammond noted that the wooden animal pens were dismantled after each fair, stored and rebuilt the next year – and Badger and Manley charged $3.50 for posters (up from $2.50 in 1887).
In 1890 three individuals added $21.94 to the $25 appropriation. The account was nonetheless overdrawn for the first time, mostly because the Oakland Band, making its first appearance, cost $20. Because of earlier frugality, however, treasurer Reynolds reported a balance in the fair treasury of $12.91 at the end of four years.
The year 1890 was also the first year that fair organizers bought a police badge, for 75 cents. Hammond wondered if the crowd was getting rougher, or if the organizers were merely being extra careful.
* * * * * *
Alma Pierce Robbins focused her Vassalboro history on agricultural organizations, mentioning fairs only incidentally. The Vassalborough Agricultural Society was organized in 1820, she wrote. The town had three Granges, Oak Grove (1875, moved to Getchell’s Corner in 1883), Cushnoc at Riverside (1876) and East Vassalboro, organized in 1895 and still flourishing.
The Agricultural Society must have sponsored fairs, because Robbins wrote of spring “preparations to exhibit at the Fall fairs.” She also wrote about “premiums” for “wheat, corn, hemp, flax and silk,” and “prizes” for “cattle, sheep and swine,” and mentioned oxen-pulling and later horse-pulling.
Robbins specifically referred to Cushnoc Grange fairs “with fine exhibits of hand work, farm produce and stock.” She added memories of “the oyster stew suppers on cold snowy nights, the baked bean and brown bread dinners with great jars of home made pickles and dozens of apple pies,” where all the neighbors gathered.
* * * * * *
Windsor’s extensive fairgrounds are at 82 Ridge Road (Route 32), not far north of the intersection where Route 32 joins Route 17. The site includes a dozen historic buildings restored and maintained by the Windsor Historical Society, multiple exhibition halls for everything from livestock to jams and jellies, an oval racetrack and large parking areas.
Lowden wrote that the first Windsor Fair was held Oct. 3 and 4, 1888, before the South Kennebec Agricultural Society was organized and legislatively incorporated in the spring of 1889. There is some confusion about whether a formal racetrack was used that year; Lowden said “a firmly held local tradition” is that horses ran on the road that is now Route 32, across a bridge that “stood high above” Gully Brook. But he found an Oct. 5, 1888, newspaper report saying there was a race track by 1888, so he inferred the in-the-road races must have been earlier.
Lowden wrote that the horse races have always been the most popular attraction and “the financial backbone” of the fair. Other features he described included displays of and competitions among other farm animals. In 1888, the exhibition of horses and colts drew a local reporter’s praise; the reporter was even more enthusiastic about the displays of fruit, vegetables and “artistic needle and fancy work.”
The fair introduced inventions and new practices for farmers and their families, like a new parlor stove and a new kitchen stove in 1893; an automobile in 1900; a hot air balloon in 1902; and an airplane in 1917. The midday featured varied entertainers, simple games, food vendors; the first merry-go-round appeared in 1916.
Main sources
Dowe, Milton E., Palermo, Maine Things That I Remember in 1996 (1997).
Hammond, Alice, History of Sidney Maine 1792-1992 (1992).
Kingsbury, Henry D., ed., Illustrated History of Kennebec County Maine 1625-1892 (1892).
Lowden, Linwood H., good Land & fine Contrey but Poor roads a history of Windsor, Maine (1993).
Robbins, Alma Pierce, History of Vassalborough Maine 1771 1971 n.d. (1971).
Whittemore, Rev. Edwin Carey, Centennial History of Waterville 1802-1902 (1902).
Wiggin, Ruby Crosby, Albion on the Narrow Gauge (1964).
Websites, miscellaneous.
Upcoming fairs
Although Maine’s 2022 fall fair season is winding down, there is still time to take in some that aren’t too far from the central Kennebec Valley.
- Windsor Fair began Aug. 28, and runs through Monday, Sept. 5. See the website windsorfair.com for daily programs.
- The Clinton Lions Agricultural Fair, on the fairgrounds at 1450 Bangor Road (Route 100) opens at 3 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 8, and runs through 5 p.m., Sept. 11. Details are on Clintonlionsagfair207.com.
- Litchfield Fair, at the 44 Plains Road fairground, opens Friday, Sept. 9, and runs through Sept. 11, with free admission for seniors on opening day. See litchfieldfair.com.
- Farmington Fair runs from 10 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 18, through Saturday afternoon, Sept. 24. The fairground is at the intersection of Maple Avenue and High Street, on the northwest (right) side of Routes 2 and 27 coming from New Sharon. See farmingtonfairmaine.com.
- The annual Common Ground Country Fair runs from Friday, Sept. 23, through Sunday, Sept. 25, in Unity, at the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) education center, 294 Crosby Brook Road (off Route 139 in southeastern Unity). See mofga.org.
CORRECTION: The building in the photo in last week’s issue is the Clukey Building, located on the corner of Main and Silver streets, location of the Paragon Shop today. It was an editing error.
Courtesy boat inspectors busy
Pictured, left to right, are Wyatt McKenney, Alex Reitchel, and Brody Worth, all of Palermo. They will be incoming ninth graders at Erskine Academy, in South China, this year. (contributed photo)
The Sheepscot Lake Association Courtesy Boat Inspectors have been having a busy season at Palermo’s new boat launch! They have inspected over 100 boats for invasive species during their weekend shifts, and also educated boaters on the importance of self-inspections, both before entering and when leaving the lake. This is important since the inspectors are not always there to check your boat for you. It all plays a part in keeping Sheepscot the healthy lake that it is.
Endicott College announces local dean’s list students
Endicott College, in Beverly, Massachusetts, has announced its Spring 2022 dean’s list students. Hunter Scholz, of Augusta, a history major, is the son of Kimberly Scholz and Stephen Scholz
Hailey Hobart, of China Village, studies/education major, is the daughter of Deborah Hobart and Daniel Hobart.
Alana York, of Palermo, a business management major, is the daughter of Cheryl York and Andrew York.
Proposed WPA bylaws revisions to go before membership at Aug. 13 annual meeting (2022)
Webber Pond.
The Board of Directors of the Webber Pond Association (WPA) is recommending that WPA members approve the Revised WPA Bylaws shown below at the August 13, 2022, Annual Meeting.
CONTENTS
ARTICLE I. NAME AND PURPOSE Page 1
ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP AND MEMBER MEETINGS Page 1
ARTICLE III. BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND BOARD MEETINGS Page 2
ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS Page 3
ARTICLE V. INDEMNIFICATION Page 3
ARTICLE VI. AMENDMENT Page 4
ARTICLE I. NAME AND PURPOSE
A. NAME: The name of the Corporation is the Webber Pond Association, Incorporated (“WPA”).
B. PURPOSE: The purpose of the WPA shall be to protect and improve the water quality and water level management of Webber Pond to enhance recreational enjoyment. This shall be accomplished through education, conservation efforts, active management, and timely identification and correction of problems that arise.
C. REGISTERED AGENT and OFFICE: The Registered Agent and Registered Office of the WPA shall be as designated by the Board of Directors or President. The address of the Registered Office may be changed from time to time by the Board of Directors, President, or the Registered Agent.
ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP AND MEMBER MEETINGS
A. MEMBERSHIP: Membership shall be open to any person who supports the purposes of the WPA. A member in good standing is defined as an individual who supports the purposes of the WPA and has paid annual membership dues.
B. DUES: Membership dues shall be as determined by the Board of Directors. Members are to be notified of the dues amount at least 14 days prior to the Annual Meeting by the Secretary, President, or designee. Dues cover the period from one Annual Meeting to the day before the next Annual Meeting.
C. MEMBERSHIP PRIVILEGES: Only members in good standing are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting or any Special Meeting, serve as a Director or Officer, or serve on a committee. Each member in good standing shall have the right to cast one vote. The approval of a majority of members is required to elect members of the Board of Directors and Officers of the WPA; amend the Bylaws of the WPA; approve the sale or other disposition of all, or substantially all, of the assets of the WPA; and approve the dissolution of the WPA, or merger/consolidation into another legal entity.
D. VOTING QUORUM and MAJORITY RULE: Twenty members of the WPA must be present in person or by valid proxy at Annual or Special member meetings to vote on agenda items. A valid proxy shall serve as a presence for quorum purposes. A majority vote of members present, in person or by valid proxy, is required to pass a motion.
E. PROXY VOTING: Any member in good standing that cannot attend the Annual Meeting, or any Special Meeting, has the right to appoint another member in good standing to attend the meeting and vote in their place as a proxy. The member appointing the proxy must sign and date a WPA proxy form authorizing the proxy to attend a specific meeting and vote on their behalf. To be valid, the proxy form must be signed and dated by the member not more than 60 days prior to the meeting, be presented by the person representing the member to the Secretary or the person presiding at the meeting before or at the commencement of the meeting and shall be effective only for the meeting specified in the document. A member in good standing may only act as a proxy for up to two members in good standing. Members who have signed a proxy form have the right to revoke the proxy by providing written notice to the President or Secretary of the WPA at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.
F. ANNUAL MEETING: The Annual Meeting of the membership of the WPA shall be held on a Saturday in August, or as determined by the Board of Directors. The purpose of the Annual Meeting is to elect Officers and Directors for the following year, receive reports of the actions of the WPA and discuss issues of concern. Notice of the Annual Meeting shall be sent by the Secretary, President, or designee at least 14 days prior to the meeting and include the agenda for the meeting, the dues amount, and the recommended slate of Officers and Board Members.
G. SPECIAL MEETINGS: Special Meetings of the membership of the WPA may be called by the President, any five Directors and Officers, or any seven members of the WPA. Notice of a request for a Special Meeting shall be sent to the President and Secretary 28 days prior to the proposed meeting date and shall include the purpose of the meeting and a proposed agenda. The request including purpose and agenda shall be forwarded to members by the Secretary or President at least 14 days prior to the proposed meeting date.
H. POLL OF MEMBERSHIP: The Board of Directors my put questions to members by email if this is determined to be in the best interests of the WPA. The Board will include its position on questions posed.
ARTICLE III. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
A. RESPONSIBILITIES: The management and administration of the WPA shall be entrusted to the Board of Directors. The Board shall define, establish, and maintain policies and practices as necessary for the operation of the WPA.
B. NUMBER: There shall be a minimum of 5 and no more than 15 members of the Board of Directors, including those Directors serving as Officers.
C. QUALIFICATION: A person must be recognized as a member in good standing of the WPA to be a member of the Board of Directors.
D. TERM: Directors shall serve for a term of three years and remain on the Board until they resign or are replaced by vote of WPA members in good standing. Directors may be re-elected with no term limits. The Board may implement a system of staggered terms for Directors whereby approximately one-third of the Directors may be elected at each Annual Meeting, to provide continuity for the Board.
E. NOMINATION: 1. A Nominating Committee of 3 to 5 Board Members appointed by the Board of Directors shall ask WPA members for any expressions of interest in becoming a WPA Officer or Director or their recommendations for WPA Officers and Directors by the end of May. The Nomination Committee shall prepare a slate of candidates for the Board of Directors and Officers for review and vote at least 14 days prior to the June Board Meeting. The slate of Officer and Directors recommended by the current Board members will be included in the Notice of the Annual Meeting to be sent to members 14 days before the Annual Meeting.
F. MEETINGS: Board of Directors meetings may be called by the President or a majority of the Board members.
G. VOTING QUORUM: The attendance of half or more of the current Board members in person or electronically shall constitute a quorum to approve motions.
H. VOTING: For all matters coming before the Board of Directors, a majority vote of those at a meeting in person or electronically at which a quorum is present shall prevail.
I. USE OF ELECTRONIC MEANS: To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Board of Directors and committees may conduct business by electronic means, including, but not limited to, electronic attendance and email notices to Directors and committee members.
J. WATER QUALITY AND WATER LEVEL COMMITTEE: A standing committee of no less than 5 and no more than 11 members appointed by the Board of Directors, with a majority being Board Members and the balance being WPA members in good standing who have indicated an interest in participating. The committee shall develop, maintain, administer, and communicate water quality and water level monitoring and management procedures for the WPA. These shall be based upon Webber data, best practices, and recommendations from the Town of Vassalboro and relevant State of Maine and federal agencies. The committee shall also promote education and outreach programs that encourage best practices for lake users, such as the LakeSmart program that helps lakefront property owners manage their land to protect water quality.
K. VACANCIES: Vacancies in the Board may be filled by the Board of Directors. The person so selected will serve until the next Annual Meeting.
L. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: If any matter comes before the Board in such a way as to give rise to a conflict of interest, the affected Director shall make known the potential conflict, answer any questions that may be asked of them and withdraw from the meeting until the matter has been brought to a vote. The affected Director shall not participate in discussions or vote on the matter and shall not be included in the calculation of a quorum for the vote on the matter.
M. DISQUALIFICATION AND TERMINATION: Three absences from meetings of the Board of Directors shall constitute grounds for disqualification. Two-thirds of the Board of Directors shall have the authority to terminate a person’s position on the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS
A. OFFICERS: The Officers shall be a President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary. The Secretary and Treasurer may be combined at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
B. QUALIFICATIONS: A person must be recognized as a member in good standing of the WPA to be a WPA Officer.
C. TERM: Officers shall serve for a term of two years and remain in office until they resign or are replaced by vote of WPA members in good standing. Officers may be re-elected with no term limits.
D. PRESIDENT: The President shall be the chief executive and administrative officer of the WPA, leading the affairs of the WPA in a manner consistent with the Purpose of the WPA and in cooperation with the Board of Directors. The President will preside at all Board, Annual and Special meetings and perform other duties as assigned by the Board of Directors.
E. VICE PRESIDENT: The Vice President shall perform duties as assigned by the President and the Board of Directors. In the absence or disability of the President, the Vice President shall perform the duties of the President.
F. TREASURER: The Treasurer shall keep accurate records of all monies received and paid out and shall have custody of all property, including bank accounts. All funds shall be paid out as directed by the Board of Directors or President. The Treasurer shall make a report of the financial condition of the WPA at Board and Annual member meetings.
G. SECRETARY: The Secretary shall count votes at meetings, keep a faithful record of all meetings, and perform other secretarial duties as required. Draft minutes of Board Meetings are to be sent to the Board within 2 weeks of the date of any Board Meeting. Draft minutes of Annual and Special Meetings are to be sent to the Board for review within 14 days and shall be reviewed by the Board promptly, so that they can be forwarded and to the members of the WPA within 28 days of the date of the Annual or Special Meeting.
H. VACANCIES: Vacancies in any Officer position may be filled by the Board of Directors. The person so selected will serve until the next Annual Meeting.
ARTICLE V. INDEMNIFICATION
A. INDEMNIFICATION: The Directors, Officers, volunteers, employees, and agents of the WPA shall not be individually or personally liable for the debts or obligations of the WPA and shall be indemnified by the WPA against all financial loss, damage, cost, and expense (including attorney’s fees) reasonably incurred by or imposed upon them in connection with or resulting from any civil or criminal action, suit, proceeding, claim, or investigation in which they may be involved by reason of any action taken or omitted to be taken by them in good faith as a Director, Officer, volunteer, employee, or agent of the WPA.
B. PRUDENT CARE: Indemnification is subject to the condition that a majority of a quorum of the Board of Directors comprised of those Directors who are not parties to such action, suit, proceeding, claim, or investigation, or if there be no such quorum, independent counsel selected by a quorum of the entire Board of Directors, shall be of the opinion that the person requesting indemnification acted in good faith and in the reasonable belief, under the circumstances, that their actions were in the best interests of the WPA, or that such person took or omitted to take such action in reliance upon advice of counsel for the WPA or acted on information furnished by a Director, Officer, employee, or agent of the WPA and accepted in good faith by the person seeking indemnification.
C. BENEFIT: The indemnification provided herein shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, or administrators of any Director, Officer, volunteers, employee, or agent and shall not be exclusive of any other rights to which such party may be entitled by law or under any resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors.
D. INSURANCE: The WPA shall procure insurance covering the Directors, Officers, and volunteers of the WPA against any liability incurred in such capacity or arising out of their status as such.
ARTICLE VI. AMENDMENT
A. AMENDMENT: These Bylaws may be amended at any Annual or Special Meeting of members by a majority vote of members in good standing present in person or by proxy where a quorum exists. Suggestions for changes to the Bylaws to be made at an Annual Meeting must be submitted to the President and Secretary by any member in good standing no later than July 1 so that they can be considered by the Board of Directors and sent to WPA members with the Board’s input for consideration at least 14 days prior to the Annual Meeting. Suggestions for changes to the Bylaws to be made at a Special Meeting must be submitted to the President and Secretary by any member in good standing at least 28 days prior to the proposed Special Meeting so that they can be considered by the Board of Directors and sent to WPA members with the Board’s input for consideration at least 14 days prior to the proposed Special Meeting.