China select board gives preview of December meetings

by Mary Grow

China select board members offered the unusually large audience at their Nov. 17 meeting a preview of their Dec. 1 agenda.

On Dec. 1, they intend to discuss with members of the town’s three volunteer fire departments and China Rescue Unit when and how to begin consideration of creating a municipal emergency services department.

Several board members are concerned that the present system of private organizations is not sustainable much longer. For one thing, people said, municipal departments are eligible for federal grants that private ones cannot apply for.

Department representatives at the Nov. 17 meeting included South China Fire Chief Richard Morse, who urged board members to be aware that the rescue unit and the fire departments have different problems needing different approaches.

The bulk of the Nov. 17 audience were town employees, come to hear select board members talk about their health insurance.

China currently uses a Maine Municipal Association (MMA) insurance plan named Katahdin. Two lower benefit plans are named Moosehead and Pemaquid.

After MMA proposed a nine percent rate increase for Katahdin next year, Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood and Brent Chesley, former and newly re-elected select board member, looked into alternatives, including private companies, and adjustments.

Board members spent an hour and a half discussing options. Several employees, and at least one resident who is not an employee, suggested they were risking losing “the people who keep this town running” to save a trifling sum; they should instead start speaking up when the Regional School Unit #18 board discusses the annual school budget, which for China is almost $6 million.

The discussion ended with a vote to keep the present plan, increase and all. Board members Blane Casey, Natasha Littlefield and Thomas Rumpf voted in favor; Chesley was opposed; and Edwin Bailey abstained, because his wife is a town employee.

The nine percent increase amounts to a little over $31,000. After the meeting, Hapgood said China sends out about 3,500 tax bills, meaning the average cost of the increase per bill would be $8.88 (varying with the amount of the bill).

Chesley and other board members said they intended no disrespect to town employees. Chesley explained he was trying to balance employees’ welfare with taxpayers’ welfare, and Bailey thanked those present for their work.

Chesley and other board members said they intended no disrespect to town employees. Chesley explained he was trying to balance employees’ welfare with taxpayers’ welfare, and Bailey thanked those present for their work.

The meeting, the first since the Nov. 4 election, opened with election of board officers. Chesley was elected chairman and Rumpf secretary.

Chesley then opened a public hearing on Littlefield’s application for a liquor license for Nash’s Café, her new restaurant in South China. There was no public comment. Later in the meeting, the license was approved without discussion, with Littlefield abstaining on the otherwise-unanimous vote.

Hapgood listed the town committees on which there are vacancies: the planning board (three; Natale Tripodi and Elaine Mather have declined reappointment, and there was one vacant position); the budget committee (two vacancies, one caused by Chesley’s election to the select board); the appeals board (two vacancies, one Chesley’s former seat); the board of assessment review (one); the tax increment financing committee (three); and the comprehensive plan implementation committee (four).

The planning board is the only one of the six that meets regularly. Hapgood said the main requirements for a planning board member are “an open mind and logical thinking.” Audience members chuckled.

Select board members unanimously appointed Kevin Maroon to the budget committee.

Residents are invited to apply for any committee position. Information is available at the town office, applications there and on the website, chinamaine.org.

China municipal departments will be closed for Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday, Nov. 27 and 28; the town office will be open Saturday morning, Nov. 29. The next select board meeting is scheduled for Monday evening, Dec. 1.