OPINIONS: Open letter to Vassalboro residents

COMMUNITY COMMENTARY

by Christopher French
Selectboard member Town of Vassalboro

To the respective Voters of the Town of Vassalboro:

In addition to the Presidential election this upcoming November the [Vassalboro] selectboard has presented three referendum questions for your consideration and support. The purpose of my letter focuses on the two questions seeking permission to allocate funds towards a bridge repair.

In the Fall of 2023 engineers connected with the State of Maine alerted the town of the most recent inspection report of the “Dunlap” bridge located on Mill Hill. This culvert-style bridge traverses Seven-mile Brook connecting Webber Pond to the Kennebec River. The report stated, “The culverts are deteriorating at an accelerated rate, and they have dropped from fair condition to serious condition in just a couple of years.” The engineers strongly recommended that the town take action to replace the bridge. Additionally, the engineers advised the town that it may be necessary to “post” the bridge or restrict the maximum weight to as low as “3-tons”. Due to the minimum amount of traffic on this bridge it does not qualify as a state responsibility and replacement falls squarely on the shoulders of the Town.

In the wake of the report the town has taken the following steps.

• Established a committee of local citizens to assess our options.
• Opened communication with our partners at the state level.
• Allo­­cated American Rescue Plan Act funds and hired an engineer to present bridge replacement options.
• Option #1: $1.8 million full span bridge, designed to last 75 years.
• Option #2: Dirigo Timberland design estimated cost $700,000.
• Option #3: Replace the bridge with the existing twin culvert style estimated cost $500,000 and expected to last 30 years.
• The selectboard and budget committee recommended establishing a capital expense fund budgeting $40,000. This request was approved at the annual town vote in June.
• Secured a $200,000.00 grant. This grant may only be used if the town chooses to construct either option #1 or option #2.
• Applied for additional grants, including Federal based.
• Public works removed debris and cut back any jagged or distorted portions of the culverts
• The town has negotiated a contract in the amount of $58,000 with a local engineer pending voter approval.

In June/July 2024 our state partners identified Seven-mile Brook as a crucial spawning ground for migratory fish, to include Salmon and Alewives, catapulting our grant request to the top of consideration. A qualifying factor requires the town to have access to the matching $360,000 in funds which cannot be spent until Vassalboro accepts and signs the grant paperwork.

Referendum #1 authorizes the selectboard to spend up to $360,000 from funds already collected through taxation.

Referendum #2 makes a minor change to the 2014 TIF ordinance that allows for the selectboard to divert existing TIF dollars (currently in the ballpark of $170,000) to environmental projects.

Supporting the selectboard recommendations will provide the town with the necessary financial support to move forward with bridge replacement without negatively impacting the property taxes.

The voters can expect the following distribution of town funds

• $115,000 in accrued interest from our surplus account,
• $170,000 from the TIF account
• $40,000 from the bridge capital expense account
• $200,000 in allotted grant funding.

The total amount of $525,000 will satisfy the required grant match and allow the selectboard to hire the engineer to begin necessary groundwork ahead of construction. If we are not successful in receiving the grant we will be in a healthy position to move forward with option #2.

It is important that the town assumes a proactive position with the replacement of the DUNLAP bridge. I hope you will support the selectboard’s recommendation of voting yes. I would encourage anyone who has questions or requires further information to contact the Town of Vassalboro at 207-872-2826 or email the Town Manager Aaron Miller AMiller@vassalboro.net.