China select board continues prep work for June 11 town meeting

by Mary Grow

At their March 25 meeting, China select board members continued preparations for the June 11 annual town business meeting. They scheduled a special meeting Monday evening, April 1, to review the town meeting warrant (if Brent Chesley, who was absent March 25, is able to attend); their regular meeting April 8 is the deadline for a final warrant.

As of March 25, the draft warrant includes three ordinance revisions: amendments to the Planning Board Ordinance; changes to chapters 2, 3, and 11 of the Land Development Code, prepared by town attorney Amanda Meader to meet new state affordable housing requirements; and a new solar ordinance that, if approved, will become chapter 8 of the Land Develop­ment Code.

As of March 25, the draft warrant includes three ordinance revisions: amendments to the Planning Board Ordinance; changes to chapters 2, 3, and 11 of the Land Development Code, prepared by town attorney Amanda Meader to meet new state affordable housing requirements; and a new solar ordinance that, if approved, will become chapter 8 of the Land Development Code.

In other business March 25, select board members awarded the bid for a new storage vault attached to the town office to the lower of two bidders, Ralph McNaughton Construction, of Corinna, Maine, for more than $267,000.

Sheldon Goodine, chairman of the building committee, reminded board members that the high price includes a lot of “mechanicals” to keep the addition lighted and heated.

Board chairman Wayne Chadwick commented that delaying a decision would not bring the price down. Goodine said the project has been under discussion for four years.

Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood said the town does not have $267,000 to spare at the moment. She and board members discussed funding sources, like the board’s voter-approved contingency fund; the town’s undesignated fund balance (informally called surplus); or perhaps, with voter approval on June 11, reallocated Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds.

Board members authorized Hapgood to discuss with the McNaughton company reducing the cost by having China’s public works crew do some of the groundwork.

Hapgood warned board members of another large pending expenditure: the proposed 2024-25 Kennebec County budget would raise China’s county tax by 39 percent, an increase of $238,000.

The public hearing on the draft county budget was scheduled for Wednesday evening, March 27. Hapgood planned to attend; Chadwick said he would if he could.

Board members postponed action on two agenda items, a request from the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office (KSO) to put an antenna on the radio tower at the China town office and a proposed easement over land at the Branch Mills dam.

Hapgood said attorneys were discussing liability issues that might come up if KSO shared the town’s tower. She proposed offering use of the tower for free, since expanding KSO’s range would be a public service. Chadwick and fellow board member Blane Casey, with the proposed county budget fresh in their minds, leaned toward asking for payment.

The manager said there were still unanswered questions about the proposed easement.

In addition to final action on the June 11 meeting warrant, Hapgood expects the April 8 meeting agenda to include a presentation on the town’s valuation from assessor William Van Tuinen.