VASSALBORO: Town receives good news of $200,000 grant for Mill Hill bridge replacement

by Mary Grow

Vassalboro select board members began their Aug. 8 meeting with the good news of a $200,000 grant toward the Mill Hill bridge replacement project.

The Mill Hill bridge, also called the Dunlap bridge, is actually a double culvert. It carries Mill Hill Road over Seven Mile Brook, which alewives use to migrate from the Kennebec River into Webber Pond.

The Maine Department of Transportation (DOT) letter announcing the award says the $200,000 Municipal Stream Crossing Grant requires a local match of $68,000.

Lars Hammer, of Maine’s Department of Marine Resources, explained that the money comes from a federal Department of Transportation program created to repair or replace culverts in order to improve passage for anadromous fish. He said state DOT officials intend to apply for additional federal grants, perhaps including more money for the Vassalboro project. They expect to hear next spring how successful they have been.

Eric Calderwood, of Brunswick-based Calderwood Engineering, the town’s consultant, said the culverts are in bad shape and should be replaced as soon as possible. The company presented three alternative replacement plans, with different costs and grant opportunities.

Select board members were considering the possibility that this and potential future grants might require a hasty special town meeting to raise more local money. They focused on whether town funds already set aside will be enough for the required local share and when the town will be expected to make payments.

After considerable discussion, with Mill Hill Road residents and the majority of the town budget committee among a larger-then-usual audience, they concluded the project does not require voters’ action this fall.

Select board members considered two related issues. They approved Town Manager Aaron Miller’s draft request for proposals from alewife harvesters; and they reviewed plans for work at the Webber Pond dam, where Seven Mile Brook leaves the pond.

Miller said dam improvements might also be partly funded with grant money, though there is no guarantee.

Select board sets mil rate at 13.33 mils

At their Aug. 8 meeting, Vassalboro select board members set the 2024-25 local property tax rate at 13.33 mils ($13.33 for each $1,000 of valuation), in the middle of the range of possible rates presented by assessor Ellery Bane, of RJD Appraisal in Pittsfield.

Town Manager Aaron Miller said last year’s rate was 12.72 mils; so current-year taxes increase 61 cents for each $1,000 of valuation, or about 4.8 percent.

Town office staff will promptly send out tax bills. By town meeting vote, the first quarterly payment is due by the 3:30 p.m. close of business Monday, Sept. 30. Subsequent due dates are Nov. 25, 2024, and Feb. 24 and April 28, 2025.

On another issue, select board members added a local referendum question to the Nov. 5 national and state voting. They will ask voters’ approval of a revised charter for the Vassalboro Sanitary District, which maintains sewer lines in East and North Vassalboro.

The principal change discussed would be to have VSD trustees elected by the residents of the area served. If voters approve the change, Miller and board members expect VSD elections to be held with municipal elections in June 2025.

In other business Aug. 8:

— Board members and the manager discussed whether their fall meeting schedule should avoid Thanksgiving, Nov. 28, or whether they could plan to skip that meeting. They decided to plan to skip it: regular select board meetings are scheduled for Sept. 5 and 19, Oct. 3, 17 and 31 and Nov. 14 and 28.
— Miller reported that China Lake water level reports are being forwarded to state officials as requested, after the high water this spring led to on-going discussions among interested parties in Vassalboro, China and the state Department of Environmental Protection. Select board chairman Frederick “Rick” Denico, Jr., added that a newly-installed rain gauge at the town garage should provide more accurate measures of local rainfall.
— Miller said the transfer station is running smoothly under new manager Adam Daoust.

The next regular Vassalboro select board meeting is scheduled for Thursday evening, Sept. 5.