China resident proposes to have Hometown Heroes flags installed in town

by Mary Grow

At their May 19 meeting, China select board members were presented with a proposal to have Hometown Heroes banners in town.

Resident Jacinth Allard, who was unable to attend the meeting, had proposed to Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood that China join other area towns – Clinton and Benton were mentioned – with flags honoring individual veterans. With Hapgood’s encouragement, Allard provided select board members with information on the program.

Hapgood explained that each flag has a photograph of the service member and relevant information. Allard had presented two pages showing flags in a variety of colors and designs.

Veterans’ families are expected to pay for their flag and the hardware to hang it. Permission to attach the flags to power poles, and municipal approval, are needed.

Allard had approached Central Maine Power Company and was waiting for a reply, Hapgood said.

Select board members unanimously approved the idea and voted to continue to follow up with Allard.

The other major issue May 19 was left over from the board’s April 22 meeting: approval of remaining TIF (Tax Increment Financing) Committee’s recommendations (see the May 1 issue of “The Town Line,” p. 3). On April 22, board members ran out of time before acting on the town’s three requests; Hapgood added them, plus one, to the May 19 agenda.

Board members unanimously approved $490 for Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce dues and $15,000 for the 2025 China Days celebration.

They approved another $15,000 for a 2025 summer intern, on a 4-1 vote, after a discussion of past interns’ usefulness. Hapgood supports the idea, and board members Edwin Bailey, Blane Casey, Jeanne Marquis and Thomas Rumpf agreed, despite some reservations. Board chair Wayne Chadwick argued that since past interns had brought in no new businesses, it is time to scrap the program.

A request for $7,504 for Kennebec Valley Council of Government dues was postponed two weeks, as members wondered what KVCOG has done for the town to justify the money. Hapgood and audience members mentioned collective purchasing (culverts and road salt, for example) and help with planning.

In other business May 19, select board members:

— Approved draft mission statements from the town’s transfer station committee and building committee.
— Accepted a bid for this summer’s roadside mowing, choosing Pierce Works, LLC, of China over a competitor whose proposed hourly rate was called “too open-ended” and “worrisome.” Hapgood said Pierce had the contract last year.
— Accepted the low bid for carpentry for the new vault at the town office, from Foote Construction, of China. Casey abstained, because he was involved in arranging for the bidding.
— Appointed ballot clerks and set town clerk’s and registrar’s hours (the normal town office hours) in preparation for the June 10 annual town business meeting.

The next regular China select board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, June 2. Board members hope to be done by 7 p.m., so they can accept invitations to tour China’s three fire stations after the meeting.