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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Vassalboro News: Selectmen sign final warrant for June town meeting

by Mary Grow

Vassalboro selectmen signed the final warrant for the June 5 and 13 town meeting at their May 4 meeting, after public hearings on two ordinances that are included and a final discussion of school funding.

The ordinances, in Articles 24 and 25 of the 68-article warrant, are titled “Town of Vassalboro Shoreland Zoning Ordinance as revised November 2016” and “Vassalboro Sanitary District Charter, as revised March 2017.” Copies of both are available at the town office and on the town web site.

Planning board members and sanitary district trustees attended the hearings to answer audience questions. There were none about the sanitary district charter; several people were interested in the revised shoreland ordinance. Planning Board Chairman Virginia Brackett told them:

  • The revisions presented June 5 are the same ones that voters rejected in November. She said without exit polling, she did not know why voters did not approve the changes. Selectman Lauchlin Titus surmised that voters did not understand the changes and therefore voted against them.
  • The major change is from volume to floor area or impervious surface as the standard for deciding how much a building in the shoreland can be expanded. The change means, for example, that basements can now be allowed, as they do not change the area of impervious surface. Brackett and others think voter approval of the changes would increase expansions of camps and houses within 250 feet of lakes.
  • The revised ordinance transfer authority over timber harvesting in the shoreland zone from the town to the state, a change Brackett expects would provide more expert regulation.

A two-page handout summarizing changes from the current to the proposed ordinance is also available at the town office and on the web site.

Selectmen commended planning board members for their hard work on the ordinance revisions.

The one issue remaining in the town meeting warrant presented May 4 was a wording question in the article added to deal with possible additional state school funding, beyond what the school board currently expects.

Over a series of meetings, school board and budget committee members and selectmen have predicted the legislature will provide more than the $3.644 million in the current list of school revenues. That figure is more than $249,000 lower than the current year’s subsidy.

However, no one knows what the final figure will be, and legislative action is not expected until after Vassalboro’s town meeting.

To deal with anticipated post-town-meeting changes in the state education subsidy, school officials proposed an article at the end of the school budget asking voters to authorize giving part of any additional state revenue to the town to make up for the amount required from property taxes, $338,681 in the budget as it now stands. Initially, the school board approved that wording, while selectmen endorsed an article that would have given the town all unanticipated state revenue.

At the May 4 meeting, School Board Chairman Kevin Levasseur asked indignantly if town officials expected a million dollars if the state should somehow provide that much. Selectmen agreed on an article saying the town will receive up to $338,681 in additional state revenue, if it materializes; should the state subsidy increase even more than that, the rest would go to the school budget.

In other business May 4, selectmen again discussed the request to designate a handicapped parking place in front of Hairbuilders on Oak Grove Road. Town Manager Mary Sabins said a representative of Lucas Striping told Road Commissioner Eugene Field that marking the area would cost about $100, and that it needed a 16-foot-wide area. Selectmen advised asking Field to measure to see if that much space is available without running into the road or onto the sidewalk.

Sabins and Selectman Philip Haines reported briefly on a meeting they attended at which a preliminary plan for a fishway at the China Lake Outlet Dam was displayed.

The next regular Vassalboro selectmen’s meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, May 18.

Vassalboro school board to hold special budget meeting

by Mary Grow

The Vassalboro School Board holds a special meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, May 1, at Vassalboro Community School to put the 2017-18 budget request in final form. The Budget Committee is scheduled to review the proposed school budget and municipal policies at a meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 2, in the town office meeting room. Both meetings are open to the public.

Vassalboro News: Public hearing set for two articles

by Mary Grow

Vassalboro selectmen scheduled public hearings for 7 p.m. Thursday, May 4, on two of the currently 68 articles on the June 5 town meeting warrant.

  • Art. 24 asks voters if they will approve amendments to the town’s Shoreland Zoning Ordinance. Voters rejected the changes in November 2016 on a written ballot by a little over 200 votes, 981 in favor to 1186 opposed.
  • Art. 25 asks if voters will approve a revised Sanitary District Charter.

Copies of both documents are available at the town office and on the Town of Vassalboro web site.

Selectmen reviewed a draft of the town meeting warrant at their April 20 meeting. The warrant is still incomplete, because the budget committee has not finished its review; a budget committee meeting was scheduled for Tuesday evening, April 25. Selectmen agreed with appropriations recommended by the budget committee earlier in April, including changing some of their previously-recommended amounts and deleting the article that would have asked voters to buy a police vehicle.

They are scheduled to sign the final warrant on May 4, during the selectmen’s meeting that follows the public hearings.

The deadline for submitting signed nomination papers for elective positions on the board of selectmen, school board and sanitary district board of trustees is 4 p.m. Monday, May 1, for candidates’ names to appear on the June 13 ballot.
The June 5 open town meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at Vassalboro Community School. June 13 written-ballot voting will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the town office.

In other business April 20, selectmen discussed requesting a state-approved handicapped parking space in front of Hairbuilders on Oak Grove Road with owner Beth Morse, Public Works Director Eugene Field, Police Chief Mark Brown and David Allen of the Maine Department of Transportation.

Morse explained that drivers ignore her unofficial sign, making access difficult for her customers who use wheelchairs, walkers or canes. Selectmen wondered how many other town businesses might need handicapped spaces on public ways, how much additional street painting would cost and how the restriction could be enforced. They plan to get more information and return to the topic at one of their May meetings.

Selectmen signed a proclamation designating May 7 through 13 as Municipal Clerks’ Week. According to the International Institute of Municipal Clerks’ web site, the week “will feature a week-long series of activities aimed at increasing the public’s awareness of municipal clerks and the vital services they provide for local government and the community.” Town Manager Mary Sabins said Vassalboro town office staff will “continue to provide service to the public as we have always done,” with no special events planned.