by Mary Grow

Vassalboro residents need to keep their eyes open for notice of a special town meeting likely to be scheduled in January 2017 to vote on recreational marijuana in town. About 30 people attended the selectmen’s Dec. 1 public meeting to talk about how town officials ought to respond to the state vote approving the recreational use of marijuana. The Marijuana Legalization Act allows residents to cultivate, manufacture, distribute, sell and test retail marijuana products and to open marijuana social clubs. Lauchlin Titus, chairman of the board of selectmen, suggested three possible options. Vassalboro could prohibit recreational marijuana use within town boundaries; it could create a moratorium for up to 180 days, which could be extended for another 180 days, to provide time to develop local regulations; or it could take no action.

Either the first or second option requires a decision by voters, not selectmen, Titus said. Selectmen concluded that it would not be advisable to wait until the June 2017 town meeting to seek voter action.

Most of those who spoke at the Dec. 1 meeting favored a ban or at least a moratorium. New state Representative Richard Bradstreet pointed out that a majority of Vassalboro voters opposed legalization on Nov. 8.

Jim Pfleging, a retired lawman from California, urged a ban and was promptly supported by four or five others.
Pfleging said the problem is not so much marijuana as what comes with it. Because business is transacted in cash due to federal prohibitions that make it impossible to use the banking system, marijuana operations become “money-laundering facilities,” likely to underpay taxes and attract thieves and other criminals.

Several speakers explored the connection between medical marijuana, legal under existing law and regulations, and recreational marijuana. No one was able to say whether Vassalboro’s crime rate had gone up since the town acquired medical marijuana facilities. There was consensus that a ban or moratorium would not affect currently licensed medical facilities; how such action would relate to their hypothetical future expansion was another unknown.

If Vassalboro is to hold a special town meeting to act on a ban or a moratorium, a quorum of 125 registered voters must be present, Titus said – more voters than attend some of the June town meetings. Audience members thought the topic would bring people out.

The Marijuana Legalization Act is currently subject to a ballot recount; assuming the yes vote stands, it will probably take effect early in January. The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, the state licensing authority, has up to nine months to adopt rules for regulation and control of activities covered by the law, including developing licensing procedures, qualifications for licensure, security requirements for licensed premises and appeal procedures if a license application is denied. Titus and fellow Selectman Philip Haines doubt a state agency can adopt major rules in so short a time. Within 30 days after the rules are adopted the department is to begin accepting applications.

At the short selectmen’s meeting that preceded the marijuana discussion, Town Manager Mary Sabins said Mark Brown has taken over as police chief, after a period when he and retiring chief Richard Phippen worked together to transfer responsibilities. Selectmen again expressed interest in changing Vassalboro’s streetlights to LED lights. They asked Sabins to find out whether Central Maine Power Company is planning a change; if not, they have information from other companies.

The next regular Vassalboro selectmen’s meeting will be Thursday evening, Dec. 15.

by Mary Grow

The groups applying for a state permit to remove the Masse dam in East Vassalboro held a Nov. 7 public hearing to explain the project and how area residents can get involved.

The presentation by Landis Hudson, of Maine Rivers, drew about two dozen people from Vassalboro and China to participate in a wide-ranging discussion. Most of the East Vassalboro residents who spoke remained unconvinced of the value of the project. Maine Rivers, the China Region Lakes Alliance and others have created ARI, the Alewife Restoration Initiative. ARI’s goal is to clear China Lake’s Outlet Stream of obstacles to fish passage so that migratory alewives can get from the Atlantic Ocean via the Kennebec and Sebasticook rivers into the lake.

One step is the proposed removal of the dam in East Vassalboro. The project requires a Natural Resources Protection Act permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Hudson said the meeting was a state requirement as an early step in the application to remove the dam.

Hudson’s presentation focused on expected environmental impacts, the topic most questioned during the discussion. Proponents foresee a more natural ecosystem that will provide better habitat for native species of fish, animals, birds, insects and plants, and the probable improvement of water quality in China Lake through the alewife introduction.

Dams and other man-made barriers fragment formerly interconnected habitats and tend to benefit non-native and warm-water species, Hudson said. Reconnecting streams is Maine Rivers’ main focus; other ARI members are more concerned with alewife migration.

In August and September the Masse dam was opened to lower the water level in the upstream impoundment and part of the former mill was taken down. Hudson said complete removal of the dam would not change the upstream water level much more.

According to earlier discussions, the mill was in danger of collapse, endangering East Vassalboro Water Company pipes under the stream as well as people trespassing on mill property.

Hudson said mill owner Don Robbins made a presentation on the historic mill to the Vassalboro Historical Society.

Jan Clowes of the society said the group did not understand the urgency of his situation and hoped the society would not “drop the ball” should a similar problem arise in the future.

A related concern was that lower water above the water company’s pipes would expose them to freezing. The pipes have been relocated, Hudson said.

Charlie Hartman, Clowes and other East Vassalboro residents argued Nov. 7 that they have lost a pond that was a significant recreational and community center, that trees and perhaps buildings are endangered by the changed shoreline configuration and that there is not enough water in the stream for all the good things predicted.

Project Manager Matt Streeter said the application process includes a hydrogeologist’s study of the impact of lower water on buildings and retaining walls. Conclusions from the study will be submitted to DEP.

Water flow from China Lake down Outlet Stream is regulated by a Board of Environmental Protection order specifying maximum and minimum flows at different seasons. The Outlet Dam is managed to meet the state requirements.

Discussion also covered the validity of the claim that alewives will improve lake water quality, a statement everyone agreed is so far unproven. Dam removal proponents think improvement is likely; opponents are skeptical.

Resident Bill Pullen queried the cost of the project, getting no answer. Streeter said arrangements with contractors are not part of the public record. He assured the audience that so far the cost is within $1,000 of the original budget.

In May, Vassalboro selectmen approved giving the China Region Lakes Alliance $150,000 in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds to support ARI’s work, $65,000 in the spring and $85,000 after the November tax payment.