Vassalboro Board approves 5-cent increase in school lunches

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by Mary Grow

At their May 16 meeting, Vassalboro School Board members unenthusiastically approved a five-cent increase in the price of school lunches for next year, because if they didn’t they would risk losing federal subsidy money.

Finance Director Paula Pooler explained that federal funding for school lunch programs depends on a “price adjustment calculator” that says Vassalboro should be charging $2.85, instead of the current $2.60, for each full-price lunch. The federal program allows for gradual adjustment, however, so for 2017-18, $2.65 will satisfy the requirement.

If the board failed to act the federal subsidy might be reduced, Pooler said.

Board members also approved a 2017-18 school calendar, after wondering whether they should build in more than three snow days.

They discussed a letter from Vassalboro selectmen asking them to advertise future school board vacancies and agreed they will post any opening on the school website and notify the town office. By state law, the school board is authorized to appoint a new member to fill a vacancy until the next election, and must act within 30 days, Superintendent Eric Haley said.

Board members unanimously approved advancing 13 probationary teachers, nine moving from first-year to second-year, three moving from second-year to third-year and kindergarten teacher Danielle Smith finishing her probationary period and getting a continuing contract.

They accepted with regret resignations of Katherine Ladd-Cyrway, who is retiring at the end of the year; custodian Claire Young; and Kelly Donato from her position as English Language Arts Curriculum Coordinator. The next regular Vassalboro School Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday evening, June 20.

Local resident volunteers to clean and repair cemetery headstones in Vassalboro

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by Mary Grow

At their May 18 meeting, Vassalboro selectmen met resident Jody Kundreskas, who has volunteered to donate her labor and some of the materials to clean and repair old headstones in Vassalboro cemeteries.

Selectmen accepted her offers with pleasure.

Kundreskas said last summer she attended a workshop on proper cleaning and repair techniques; she is insured; and she knows other restorers who can advise as needed. Town Manager Mary Sabins offered the services of the Public Works Department if heavy lifting is required.

Vassalboro’s 27 cemeteries would provide “more than a lifetime of work for me,” Kundreskas said. She plans to start with a single-stone cemetery near her house.

Cemetery Committee Chairman Jane Auidi said there are legal requirements for working on headstones. She believes an annual legal notice in the spring, before work starts, will meet the requirements.

Auidi also reported the cemetery committee plans to use the rest of the Cross Hill cemetery account to finish surveying and laying out plots in the new section of the cemetery.

In other business, Road Commissioner Eugene Field shared results of a traffic speed survey on Church Hill Road early in May. Board Chairman Lauchlin Titus summarized: “Eighty percent of them were going way too fast.”

The road has a 35-mile-an-hour speed limit. Of a total of 1,819 vehicles recorded, 379 were driving within the limit. The highest speed recorded was 67 miles an hour. Selectmen decided they cannot approve Beth Morse’s request for a designated handicapped parking space in front of Hairbuilders on Oak Grove Road, because there is not enough room for the space without extending it into the road.

Sabins plans to discuss with Morse alternative ways to provide safe access to her business for people with canes, walkers or wheelchairs.

Selectmen signed a Spirit of America award certificate to the late Jim Mitchell, to be presented to his widow, Libby Mitchell, at the June 5 town meeting.

They approved a catering permit to allow serving liquor at a June 3 wedding in North Vassalboro.

The next regular selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for Thursday evening, June 1.

Stephen Csengery earns Eagle Scout status

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Stephen Csengery

Stephen Csengery

On February 22, Stephen J Csengery, 17, from Troop #410, in Vassalboro, passed his Eagle Scout Board of Review. On May 7 Stephen received his Eagle badge at his Eagle Court of Honor. The COH took place at the Vassalboro United Methodist Church in Vassalboro. VUMC is the Charter Organization for Troop #410.

Rep. Dick Bradstreet, of Maine House District #80, attended and presented Stephen with a congratulatory letter from the Maine State Senate and House Of Representative.

Stephen is the son of Joseph and Cheryl Csengery, in Vassalboro. He is a junior at Erskine Academy, in South China. Stephen started scouts in 2006 as a Tiger Scout in Vassalboro Pack #410. He was an active scout attending all the meetings, field trips and camping trips. They made trips to Maine Criminal Academy, in Vassalboro, Fort Western, in Augusta, and Camp Hinds, in Raymond. His favorite trips were to Massachusetts to Battleship Cove as a Bear and to two trips to Coos Canyon, in Byron, as a Webelos 1 and 2.

On April 7, 2011, he achieved the highest rank in Cub Scouts, Arrow of Light and crossed over to Boy Scouts.

He belonged to the Flaming Outhouse Patrol and enjoyed every part of Boy Scouts. He attended Boy Scout camp, merit badge colleges and many other trips. His favorite was two trips to the U.S Army Academy, at West Point, in New York. They also hiked to the 1963 B-52 crash site on Elephant Mountain, in Maine.

Even though he was busy with scouts he also attended Maine Isshunryu Karate Academy where he achieved his black belt at the age of 15. He still is training with MIKA under Renshi Glen Fitzmaurice, in Randolph, and he also works there as a instructor.

His eagle project, to benefit the Kennebec Land Trust, was clearing and cleaning up the Seaward Mills Conservation Trail, on Seaward Mills Road, in Vassalboro. He also build two benches which he put on the trail and also made signs identifying trees. Plus there was an area that was washed out from the drainage from the fields, where he rip-rapped the ditch to prevent more erosion.

Stephens goals for the future is go to college for electrical technology to become an electrician.

He wants to continue with Scouts as an assistant Scoutmaster or a Scoutmaster. He also wants to continue training in karate and becoming an instructor.

Stephen and his parents thank the following people who supported Stephen and mentored him throughout his scouting adventure: Rick Lees who mentored him throughout his Eagle Project. Rick went above and beyond and it was much appreciated; Kevin Reed who was his scoutmaster though out his Boy Scout years; Rick Denico was there for Stephen thorughout his Cub Scout years as his Cub master.

Also to the following people who donated to his eagle project: Dana Suga for a huge donation of rip-rap rocks, Ross Trainor for the use of the sawmill and to John Tracy for being the official photographer.

Also to all those that help with the project from clearing, placing the benches and rip-rapping the ditch.

Vassalboro News: 66 warrant articles to be decided at town meeting; two more by written ballot

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by Mary Grow

Vassalboro’s two-part town meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 5, at Vassalboro Community School, with voters discussing and acting on 66 of the 68 warrant articles. The final two articles will be decided by written ballot on Tuesday, June 13, with polls open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the town office.

On June 13, voters will ratify or reject the school budget approved on June 5 and elect members of the Board of Selectmen, School Board and Sanitary District Board of Trustees.

The June 5 agenda includes election of five budget committee members; the 2017-18 municipal and school budgets; enactment of two revised town ordinances; annual requests for permission to sell alewives (river herring) and to put tax revenue from the natural gas pipeline through town into the Program Development Fund, also called the TIF fund; and requests for small donations to a number of in-town and out-of-town nonprofit organizations and social service agencies, including a new request for $1,000 for FAVOR (Friends Advocating for Vassalboro Older Residents).

Also in the warrant are requests for authorizations to:

  • apply for grants to map and inventory town cemeteries;
  • buy out of the Penobscot Energy Recovery Company as the town changes to a new trash disposal option, with expected reimbursement of more than $13,500;
  • apply for state aid to renovate the China Lake boat launch in East Vassalboro, using previously-approved local money as matching funds; and
  • let selectmen use the $4,125.25 proceeds of a fire truck sale to help equip the volunteer fire department’s new truck.

During long discussions of the 2017-18 school budget, Town Manager Mary Sabins calculated that if state school funding currently planned for next year does not increase, if Vassalboro’s property valuation goes up less than usual and if voters approve all town meeting requests, the property tax rate will increase by 88 cents for each $1,000 of valuation, from this year’s 14.05 mils ($14.05 per $1,000) to 14.93 mils.

However, everyone involved in budget negotiations expects the state legislature will increase education funding before the session ends, and Sabins expects a valuation increase similar to previous years’. By the time selectmen set the tax rate in August, they will have firm information, and most town officials expect they will be able to avoid a major tax increase.

To deal with possible state school funding changes, the June 5 warrant includes an unusual final school budget article. It asks voters to require that if state funding exceeds the current figure, the School Board will use part of the additional money to decrease the share of the education budget to be taken from local property taxes.

The two ordinances voters will act on are a revised Shoreland Zoning Ordinance (Art. 24) and a revised Vassalboro Sanitary District Charter (Art. 25). Selectmen held public hearings on both documents at their May 4 meeting.

No one had questions or comments about the Sanitary District charter, which district trustees have said updates their governing document, approved in 1972, to match current conditions and policies.

The Shoreland zoning amendments are the ones that Vassalboro voters rejected in November 2016. Planning Board Chairman Virginia Brackett said many are intended to make Vassalboro’s regulations match the state’s.

The town meeting warrant and copies of the ordinances and of a two-page summary of the differences between current and proposed shoreland zoning rules are available at the town office and on the town web site.

Vassalboro News: One contested race on June 13 ballot

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by Mary Grow

Vassalboro voters have one contested race and two vacancies on the local election ballot for June 13.

Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the town office. In addition to elections, voters will accept or reject the school budget approved at the June 5 open town meeting and a state bond issue.

The only local contest is for a three-year term on the Board of Selectmen. Larisa “Reese” Batchelder, of East Vassalboro, is challenging incumbent Lauchlin Titus, of North Vassalboro.

For the school board, there are three openings, two for three-year terms and one for two years to fill out an unfinished term. Erin Loiko, whose term ends this year, seeks reelection; there is no candidate on the ballot for the other three-year position, currently held by Susan Tuthill, who was appointed in 2016 for the remaining months of the late Frederick “Rick” Denico’s term. Jessica Clark is unopposed for a two-year term on the school board. That seat is now held by Lori Fowle, appointed to succeed Elizabeth Mitchell after Mitchell was elected Probate Court judge in November 2016.

On the Sanitary District Board of Trustees, Paul Mitnik’s and treasurer Rebecca Goodrich’s terms end in 2017. Only Goodrich’s name is on the June 13 ballot. Voters have space to write in names for as many positions as are open. The candidate with the most votes, whether listed on the ballot or getting write-in votes, is elected, assuming he or she is willing to serve.

The two candidates for selectman replied to a questionnaire from The Town Line. They were asked what they would like to accomplish if serving on the board of selectmen and what else they would like voters to know about them. Their answers follow. Batchelder, 38, has lived at 371 Main Street, in East Vassalboro, since December 2015. She is co-owner of Cozy Barn Antiques.

Batchelder said: “I go into this venture with an open mind. My goal is to open communication between the community and the board of selectman. I want to have an open mind when listening to the community and only make decisions after they have been heard, not before. I want to be sure that our small town government is free of cliques that can hinder good choices and cause favoritism. My aim is to vote according to the law and the people of Vassalboro of whom I would represent.” (ep)

She added: “I bought my forever home in this town, because I love this town and the people in it. I have made this town the home of my small business and the place my child will grow up. I would like to use my education in political sciences as well as my time and desire for positive change, to be of assistance to the town I love.”

Titus, 62, has lived in Vassalboro 30 years. He is a Certified Professional Agronomist, owner of AgMatters, LLC, “a private agricultural consulting business that works with Maine farmers providing crop consulting services as well as food safety training.” He also has a small farm and sells vegetables from the family home at 1063 Main Street, in North Vassalboro.

Titus wrote that two recent useful developments “are implementation of an Employee Manual and improved handling of the town’s finances with a sound investment strategy and the use of detailed audits. These both need periodic review and adjustment.”

He continued, “I want to see the work being done by town staff and a core group of volunteers continue toward providing and improving services to the aging population of the community. Lastly, always looking to save money where possible, I want the town to monitor the work of other Maine communities to possibly transition streetlights to LED lights,” a change selectmen have been told “could reduce the cost of electricity to the vicinity of 25 percent of what we pay now after a four-year project repayment – which will be at our current budgeted amount for streetlight usage.”

Titus included a summary of other town positions he has held or now holds: “I was on the school committee for three years, budget committee for several years, and on the board of selectmen for the past nine years. When the town had a road committee I served on that, have served as a library trustee, am an active member of Vassalboro Grange and Vassalboro Business Association, and I’m an interested, but admittedly less active, member of the Vassalboro Historical Society.”

Warden service graduates 10 new game wardens; four central Mainers

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On April 27, the Maine Warden Service graduated ten new game wardens at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, in Vassalboro. The new wardens completed an extensive 12-week advanced academy specificially for Maine’s game wardens. Critical aspects of game warden work to include search and rescue, recreational vehicle crash investigation, snowmobiling, water survival, physical fitness, Ju-Jitsu, public relations and bureau policies and procedures are among the many topics of training covered.Front row, from left to right, Nick Raymond, of Winslow; Megan Miller, from Pittsfield; Lauren Roddy, of Belgrade; and Kayle Hamilton, of Buxton. Back, Kale Oleary, of Fort Kent; Harry Wiegman, of Leeds; Taylor Valente, of Gray-New Gloucester; Camden Akins, of Winslow: Kyle Franklin, of Durham; and John Carter, of Orrington.

Contributed photo

Vassalboro group announces scholarship recipients

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Ally Clark Bonsant, Madison Grass and Kassidy Richards.

Left to right: Ally Clark Bonsant, Madison Grass and Kassidy Richards.

The Vassalboro Business Association has announced three Vassalboro residents have each been awarded $500 scholarships by the association. This scholarship particularly honors community service.

Ally Clark Bonsant, daughter of Kelly Clark and Tim Bonsant, has attended Erskine Academy all four years of her high school career. After graduation, she will be attending the University of Maine with a major in nursing. She enjoys playing basketball and throwing for her track and field team. She has participated with Youth in Government, as well as being the co-president of Erskine’s National Honor Society. She has remained on honor roll every trimester. In her spare time, she enjoys working with watercolor and clay. She has contributed over 230 volunteer hours to her community, in addition to help build a house for a needy family in Costa Rica.

Madison Grass is the daughter of Nicholas and Julee Grass, of Vassalboro. She attends Erskine Academy and has been a dance student and competitive dancer for Stage Presence for Dancers, in Winslow. Maddie will be attending Dean College in the fall as a dance major at the Palladino School of Dance. She has volunteered hundreds of hours over the last two years to the Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter, Stage Presence for Dancers, MaineGeneral Medical Center and Camp Androscoggin.

Kassidy Richards will be graduating from Waterville High School in June of this year. Over the summer she plans to work part time and hopefully pick up some volunteering hours as well. In the fall she will be attending St. Thomas University, in Fredericton, New Brunswick, to work towards a bachelors degree in psychology. She also plans to volunteer at a local animal shelter to keep in contact with pets which really help her relieve stress. She is excited to start this new chapter in her life. Kassidy volunteered her time with special education adults, and helped sponsor a birthday party for a special girl, as well as working in the kitchen at the Muskie Center, in Waterville.

Speech contest winners

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Local students from RSU #12 recently gained the opportunity to demonstrate their public speaking skills and take pride in personal accomplishments. On April 25, the students took part in a speech contest sponsored by Modern Woodmen of America, a fraternal financial services organization. The winners were Tyler Ormonde, first place; Jenna Perkins, second; Moira MacDowell, third. Gold award pins were also given to Chiara Mahoney, Jack Begin, Ashlan Peacock, Addison Peacock, Lily Bray, Jessica Giguere, Alexis Rideout, Damon Wilson and Andrea Richardson. Contritued photo

Vassalboro JMG students at Statehouse

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Students from the Vassalboro Community School were visiting the Statehouse as Pages of the Day on the same day the Senate had given all of JMG a proclamation for their work in community service throughout the state. Front, from left to right, Malaki Baker, Dominic Goodrich and Alexander Hoffman. Back, Mrs. Horan, Mrs. Gram, Cameron LaFavor, Aidan Fleck, Hunter Gunning, Lexi Allen, Jada Pelkey, Mr. Craig Larrabee (JMG president), Kazlynn Davidson, Camille Chabre, Ms. Bvosseau, and Victor Esposito. Contributed photo

Vassalboro News: Finally, agreement on school budget

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by Mary Grow

After a series of serious and occasionally contentious meetings, Vassalboro Budget Committee members, school board members and selectmen have agreed on budget recommendations to voters at the June 5 town meeting.

The total budget they support, if it remains unchanged, would increase the local property tax rate by 0.88 mils (88 cents for each $1,000 of valuation), a result that does not please most of the officials involved – and that they expect will not stand.

The two factors that encourage them to predict the actual result will be easier on taxpayers are:

  • The estimated amount of state subsidy for the school department is about $3.644 million, a decrease of more than $249,000 from the current year, based on figures and a state education plan proposed by Governor Paul LePage. Vassalboro officials expect the legislature to amend the figures to the town’s advantage, but they do not anticipate a final figure until after town meeting.
  • Town Manager Mary Sabins’ estimated property valuation is likely to increase when assessor Ellery Bane finishes his review. A higher valuation spreads the tax burden over more property, lowering the tax rate.

The total municipal budget endorsed by the selectmen and budget committee is $60,450 above the current year’s budget, including a three percent pay increase for town employees (except Sabins, who by contract gets two percent). Because income from sources other than taxation is expected to increase, the municipal budget alone would lower the tax rate slightly.

The town’s required contribution to the Kennebec County budget has gone up a grand total of $258, making an almost invisible 0.08 percent impact on taxation.

Even the school budget has increased very little, less than $10,000 in an almost $7.4 million total. The outsize impact on local taxes – a request for $338,681 – comes because revenues other than taxation have declined, especially the state subsidy.

Voters will make final 2017-18 spending decisions at their annual town meeting, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 5, at Vassalboro Community School. The meeting will continue Tuesday, June 13, at the town office, with polls open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for voters to ratify or reject the school budget approved June 5 and elect local officials.