Vassalboro select board seeks ways to relieve VSD financial crunch

by Mary Grow

Vassalboro select board members began their May 30 meeting with a discussion with Vassalboro Sanitary District trustees about ways to relieve the VSD’s financial crunch. Auditor Ron Smith, of Buxton-based RHR Smith and Company, joined the discussion virtually to offer his advice.

A major problem for the VSD is interest payments on the loans the district took out to fund connecting the original in-town treatment system to Winslow’s sewers, whence waste goes to Waterville’s treatment system. Winslow’s recent rate increase has added to the need for funds.

A major problem for the VSD is interest payments on the loans the district took out to fund connecting the original in-town treatment system to Winslow’s sewers, whence waste goes to Waterville’s treatment system. Winslow’s recent rate increase has added to the need for funds.

The May 30 group discussed uses of Vassalboro’s TIF (Tax Increment Financing) money to help cover some VSD expenses. They said $100,000 was previously allocated from the TIF fund to the VSD to help fund the connection to Winslow, but was not used.

As at a prior discussion, Town Manager Aaron Miller said he needs to know what money was spent in Vassalboro (and is therefore TIF-eligible) and what was spent across the Winslow town line. And to make proposed use of additional TIF funds legal, Miller needs more information on other expenditures.

VSD Treasurer Rebecca Goodrich promised figures as soon as she can assemble them from records, perhaps in time for the June 13 select board meeting.

In addition to money questions, Smith agreed with earlier recommendations to amend the VSD charter. Goodrich said a revised draft is already with the VSD’s attorney.

After Smith signed out of the discussion, select board member Frederick “Rick” Denico, Jr., asked if the group had done anything to bring rate-payers immediate relief. There was no affirmative answer.

The other time-consuming issue at the May 30 select board meeting was, again, the town’s personnel policy (see the May 30 issue of The Town Line, p. 3). Half a dozen town employees contributed to the discussion. The topic will be continued.

Select board members signed a proclamation honoring Vassalboro sixth-grade student Sarina LaCroix, a state winner in the Elks Club’s Americanism Essay Contest (see the April 25 issue of The Town Line, p. 1).

They continued consideration of keeping part of a foreclosed property adjoining the transfer station on Lombard Dam Road, to enlarge the transfer station property.

Miller said two pending projects should be done by the end of June, rearranging the fuel pumps at the public works garage and repaving the parking lot at the former East Vassalboro schoolhouse.

Board members accepted Miller’s preliminary recommendation to close the town office at 3 p.m., Thursday, June 27, so staff can do necessary end-of-year bookkeeping before the fiscal year ends Sunday, June 30. The closing time might be changed at the board’s June 13 meeting.