China budget committee urges approval on 6 ballot questions

by Mary Grow

China Budget Committee members have recommended voters at the town’s Nov. 8 town meeting approve all six proposed expenditures from federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grants.

All votes but one were unanimous. Select board members have unanimously recommended approval of the expenditures (see The Town Line, Aug. 25, p. 2).

The split vote was on the article requesting $70,000 to expand broadband service to unserved and underserved areas of China. After a brief question and answer session, committee chairman Thomas Rumpf, secretary Trishea Story and members Kevin Maroon, Timothy Basham and Elizabeth Curtis voted to recommend voters approve the expenditure; Michael Sullivan dissented.

The other proposed ARPA expenditures presented to voters, with unanimous affirmative recommendations from both town boards, are:

• Up to $21,590 to reimburse China Rescue Unit’s reserve fund for the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) the unit bought. Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood said the machine was used frequently for diagnoses during the Covid epidemic, justifying use of ARPA money.
• Up to $7,000 for improvements to the radio tower at the town office.
• Up to $22,000 to buy three heat pumps, for the town office, the transfer station office and the scale shack at the transfer station. Hapgood assured committee members the pumps are eligible for Efficiency Maine rebates; she does not know how long it will take to get bids, choose a vender and have the pumps installed.
• Up to $75,000 for the new 2022-23 fuel assistance program for senior residents.
• Up to $30,000 to replace or repair fences around China cemeteries.

At the select board meeting following the budget committee meeting, select board members unanimously approved rules for the fuel assistance program. After the previous discussion Aug. 22, Hapgood had checked the 2020 census records; she estimated that 136 households would have been eligible that year.

Select board members left the maximum household grant at $500. They approved maximum income limits – $30,000 for a one-person household, twice that for two people – and a residency requirement. The application process will be as simple as possible; the $500 will be sent to the fuel company, not to the householder.

If voters approve the proposal on Nov. 8, application information will be publicized.

Budget committee members do not plan to schedule another meeting until January 2023, when town officials begin work on the 2023-24 municipal budget.