China: Role of China forest committee discussed

by Mary Grow

China selectmen discussed two broad procedural questions at their Nov. 2 meeting (moved to Wednesday morning instead of the usual Monday evening because of Oct. 31 Halloween activities), leaving both to be rediscussed in the future.

The first was the role of the China Forestry Committee in relation to other committees and groups that deal with forests in town.

Forester Tim Basham, who asked for the meeting and serves on the forestry committee, sees it as having overarching responsibility for the school forest, Thurston Park, the forested area behind the transfer station and even, he said, cemeteries, since many of them have trees.

China school responsibilities are mostly separate from the town’s. The town has a Thurston Park Committee and a Cemetery Committee.

Selectman Joann Austin thinks the forestry committee is to “fill gaps” between the other committees and to educate and advise them if necessary.

One of Basham’s goals is to harvest in town forests to benefit the forests and to train aspiring harvesters. Whether the town or the trainee woodsmen would benefit financially was left unclear.

Retired teachers Anita Smith and Elaine Philbrook, who are also forestry committee members, focus on the school forest as a site for educational activities for students.

Austin sees educating students and training foresters as different goals, not necessarily compatible (or incompatible).

The school forest was cut heavily after the 1998 ice storm, Smith told selectmen. Forester Morton Moesswilde toured the property a couple years ago and recommended thinning some areas, a project she and Philbrook plan to pursue as an educational venture.

Next year, they said, is the 20th anniversary of the Maine Tree Farm award to the China school forest, which is used as an example for other school units.

Philbrook said she and Smith plan a more comprehensive presentation on school forest activities at a later date. Selectman Neil Farrington recommended continuing the discussion of committee roles at that meeting.

Selectman Ronald Breton raised the second procedural issue, when and why the town of China should seek bids for work done by outside contractors. The immediate issue is the new paving at the transfer station; Breton wants to go out for bid and was dissatisfied with Town Manager Daniel L’Heureux’s getting a cost estimate from the company that had China’s 2016 road paving bid.

The new paving is related to the relocated free-for-the-taking building, also known as the swap shop. Farrington pointed out another area that should be repaved to eliminate a puddle that freezes in the winter and, he said, creates a safety issue.

During the discussion that followed, selectmen established that China currently has no policy stating that work valued at over a certain amount must be bid out. Selectman Irene Belanger questioned the need for a policy, calling L’Heureux “a good, frugal manager.”

Board Chairman Robert MacFarland said since asphalt plants will be closing in two weeks, seeking paving bids this late in the season might not be practical. L’Heureux pointed out that selectmen put him in a difficult position when they tell him to fix things but not to increase the tax rate to do it.

The manager said he was aware of the icy place, but had applied only temporary remedies because there was no consensus on a permanent solution. Normally, he said, he takes care of minor problems as needed, even if they are not specifically listed in the year’s budget.

Selectmen voted unanimously to direct L’Heureux to address the safety issue. Their motion did not include the paving by the swap shop; it does allow the manager to have the same company’s representative do a cost estimate.

Selectmen agreed on a future discussion of whether there should be a town policy requiring bidding out work over a certain amount. The discussion might be at a regular meeting or at the selectmen’s annual post-election visioning meeting, which is also open to the public.

As the transfer station discussion began, Selectman Belanger alleged that the swap shop could have been a two-story building, providing additional storage space, at a lower cost; but, she said, “someone” told the town crew not to build it that way without board approval, and now it is too late.

L’Heureux said the new building is under budget.

The next regular China selectmen’s meeting will be Monday evening, Nov. 14.