CHINA: Town appoints new codes officer; rec. committee member

Discuss holding in-person town meetings, pre-pandemic

by Mary Grow

China select board members faced a long and varied agenda for their Aug. 14 meeting. They settled some items and postponed others for more discussion.

They unanimously approved the appointment of Zachary Gosselin, of China, as the new codes enforcement officer and health officer. Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood, who has been filling the codes enforcement position since Nicholas French left, expressed thanks to French for continuing to answer questions long-distance, and to others who have assisted her, especially deputy clerk Tammy Bailey.

Also appointed was Kevin Freeman as a member of the town recreation committee.

Select board members had planned to consider a November local ballot to present ordinances prepared by the planning board, a new solar ordinance and an amended planning board ordinance. However, Hapgood had not received the expected drafts for them to read.

Board members therefore postponed action to their Aug. 28 meeting. The ordinances will need review by the town attorney and approval by the select board to go to voters on Nov. 7; the deadline for warrant articles is Friday, Sept. 8.

Select board member Janet Preston reminded the others that they previously talked about asking voters whether they prefer the annual town business meeting in the spring to be an open meeting, as in pre-pandemic days, or a written ballot. She and Hapgood will discuss preparing an opinion survey for the polls Nov. 7.

Robert O’Connor, chairman of China’s broadband committee, gave select board members a letter supporting China’s application for a state grant to expand broadband access and asked them to sign it. They voted unanimously to do so.

O’Connor collected letters of support last fall, before an unsuccessful grant application, and is asking writers to re-sign and re-date them. The deadline for the next application is Sept. 14; awards are to be announced Nov. 17.

China residents who support China’s application for a grant in Cohort 2 of the Maine Connectivity Authority’s “Connect the Ready” program are invited to write letters addressed to China Broadband Committee and send them by email to bob@mainebob.com or by the postal service to Bob O’Connor, China Broadband Committee, 8 Great Oak Ln, South China ME 04358.

Another Aug. 14 select board decision was unanimous approval of the contract with Travis Mitchell for repairs and painting for the town office and associated buildings on Lakeview Drive, postponed from the July 31 board meeting (see the Aug. 3 issue of The Town Line, p. 3). Since the July 31 discussion, Hapgood and Mitchell had added more painting to the contract. Should other changes be needed, Hapgood and Mitchell said they and China Director of Public Services Shawn Reed will continue to work together.

Mitchell was the only bidder for the building repairs, and Hapgood said no one had submitted a bid to build the planned storage vault on the south side of the town office. She, select board members and building committee chairman Sheldon Goodine discussed reasons and options.

Reasons, they agreed, were mostly that local contractors have all the work they can handle, and this summer’s weather has not helped them keep to schedules. A lack of employees is another problem.

Board members will decide at their Aug. 28 meeting whether to seek bids for the foundation soon and the building early in 2023, or to postpone the whole project to 2023. They expect whenever the work is done, the cost will be higher than projected months ago.

Hapgood reported that China’s senior citizens’ fuel fund, which used federal ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds to help senior residents pay fuel bills, needs to be renewed if it is to continue. So far, she said, $36,500 has been spent; $38,500 is left.

Board members supported continuing the program. Hapgood will check with the town attorney to see whether they can renew it or whether voter approval is required.

The manager said the town needs to change its website company. Board members accepted her recommendation to change to A2Z Computing Services, in Oakland, Maine, which she said does the Town of Albion’s website, among others.

Summer intern Bailee Mallett and staff members have been working on a new town logo, Hapgood reported. Select board members chose their favorite from samples she shared; Mallett will continue refining the logo.

In other business, select board member Jeanne Marquis said she attended a Palermo select board meeting at which residents discussed ways to minimize effects of, or perhaps block, the proposed LS power line, planned to bring wind-generated electricity from northern Maine to Coopers Mills. One suggestion, she said, was a town vote on a power line moratorium.

One of two proposed routes for the line would go through Albion, China and Palermo. Information is not yet available on when a final route will be chosen.

Board members took no action. As board chairman Wayne Chadwick pointed out, the issue is two-sided and complicated: people don’t want power lines cutting through their back fields and woods, but they do want power, especially renewable energy.

Kennebec County Sheriff’s deputy Ivano Stefanizzi repeated his usual warnings – beware of scams of all sorts, and don’t speed unless you want a ticket – and added another: don’t leave your car unlocked in the driveway, especially with the keys in it. Several cars have been stolen locally in recent days, he said.

China Lake Association vice president Eric Lind reported that the Maine Department of Environmental Protection has conditionally approved the association’s application for a 319 grant (named for the authorizing section of the federal Clean Water Act) to help improve China Lake’s water quality. He commended Hapgood for writing a supporting letter saying the local match would be in kind, not in money, and praised Bruce Fitzgerald for heading up projects.

The next regular China select board meeting is scheduled for Monday evening, Aug. 28. Hapgood hopes the agenda will include, in addition to questions postponed from the Aug. 14 meeting, the commitment of 2023-24 local taxes.