Vassalboro conservation committee unanimously votes to replace trees at cemetery

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Janice Clowes, president of the Vassalboro Historical Society, captured the silhouette of the monument in the park, next to the historical society building.

by Mary Grow

At their April 8 meeting, Vassalboro Conservation Commission members unanimously voted to have three trees planted on Bog Road in front of the Methodist cemetery, replacing trees removed, to some residents’ dismay, several years ago.

Commission chairman Holly Weidner attended the March 16 Vassalboro Cemetery Committee meeting. That group talked about the value of trees near cemeteries, as long as they are not close enough to damage gravestone or fences if they drop branches or are blown down. Cemetery committee members prefer trees that do not exceed 30 feet high, Weidner reported.

Commission member Steve Jones said a donor will pay for three trees, which will replace two ash trees bought with Project Canopy funds and a dead elm he said was donated by the City of Waterville some years earlier.

Implementing the management plan will be very expensive and will require outside funding.
– Mary Schwanke

Commission members unanimously approved accepting the trees, with Jones to choose appropriate ones. He does not plan to plant more ash trees because of the invasive Emerald ash borer.

The commission meeting began with member Mary Schwanke reporting that a draft management plan for the watersheds of Three Mile Pond, Three-Cornered Pond and Webber Pond was ready to be submitted to municipal officials in Vassalboro, Windsor and Augusta.

The report summarizes two summers’ study by many volunteers, and is a major step toward a ten-year watershed management plan, Schwanke said. She reminded the other commission members that last fall she talked with Vassalboro select board members about culverts the town should replace to minimize erosion into the lakes.

Both Three Mile and Webber ponds also have a lot of phosphorus in bottom sediments, Schwanke said. Every summer, a new phosphorus release feeds blooms of algae and cyanobacteria in the water.

Implementing the management plan will be very expensive and will require outside funding, Schwanke said.

Weidner reported that Rob Lemire, owner of Adirondack Chairs, had offered to donate chairs to Eagle Park. Board members discussed the need to chain them down so they won’t be stolen, and how to put a small plaque recognizing the donor on each.

They talked about how to enhance the Conservation Commission’s information on the town website, and about grant opportunities that might be available.

The next Vassalboro Conservation Commission meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 13, in the town office meeting room. After select board members change their meetings to the second and fourth Wednesday evenings, planned to start in July, commission members proposed shifting theirs to the third Wednesday.

Vassalboro funding requests, borrowing debate shape March 31 budget meeting

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Vassalboro Town Officeby William Paquet

The Vassalboro Budget Committee reviewed a range of financial issues during its March 31, 2026 meeting, including funding requests from the Vassalboro Sanitary District and the library. The committee also examined municipal borrowing practices, along with other budget considerations.

Sanitary District Chairman Lauchlin Titus presented a request for $80,000 in town support, explaining that the proposal has evolved over several months. It initially included a $25 per tax bill increase and $40,000 in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds. Following discussions with the select board, the request was revised to $50,000 in TIF funds, along with the potential use of $30,000 from the alewives fund.

Titus said the district’s annual debt service is approximately $133,000, spread across roughly 197 customers. That equates to about $645 per customer annually, which is among the highest in the state and represents a financial strain for many residents in North Vassalboro.

During questioning, Titus acknowledged that the requested funding would not reduce current sewer bills. Instead, the funds would be set aside for future debt service payments, with the primary effect of preventing future rate increases. He also noted that a rate study is likely to be conducted this summer.

The committee also heard from a representative of the Vassalboro Public Library, who requested an increase in the town’s annual contribution. The library is seeking an additional $4,000, including $2,000 to offset rising salary costs and $2,000 to address increased insurance expenses. Officials said the library has not requested an increase in at least two to three years.

A significant portion of the meeting focused on capital expenditures and whether the town should reconsider its long-standing practice of avoiding borrowing.

Town Manager Aaron Miller presented an updated budget draft reflecting several changes, including a $2,000 increase in the cutting edges line, bringing it to $10,200, as well as placeholder figures for the sanitary district request and a potential equipment purchase.

Committee members discussed the planned purchase of a small plow truck, with estimates ranging from the high $70,000s to low $80,000s for the chassis, plus additional costs for the body. One member suggested financing the purchase rather than using reserve funds, noting that at an estimated 2.9 percent interest rate, a $200,000 loan over three years would result in roughly $14,000 in interest.

The discussion expanded to larger capital projects, including the town’s transfer station, which carries an estimated cost of approximately $780,000. Officials indicated that grant funding is being explored, though the final scope of the project remains uncertain.

Several members suggested that long-term infrastructure projects, particularly those with useful lives of 20 to 30 years, may be better suited for financing rather than being funded through short-term reserve allocations. They noted that spreading costs over time could reduce annual tax impacts compared to concentrating expenses over a few years.

The town has historically avoided borrowing, a practice attributed to prior opposition based on concerns that debt service becomes a fixed budget obligation that cannot be easily reduced. However, some members indicated that approach may warrant reconsideration for large-scale investments.

The committee also reviewed the Mill Hill Road bridge project, estimated at approximately $770,000. Available funding sources include a $200,000 municipal stream crossing grant, roughly $200,000 in TIF funds, approximately $130,000 in accrued interest, and about $90,000 from the town’s Alewives fund. The remaining balance would likely require financing. Officials noted that construction must begin by spring 2027 to retain grant eligibility.

Additional discussion addressed road paving practices, including whether adjusting pavement thickness on lower-traffic roads could reduce costs. No formal action was taken, and members indicated any changes would require input from contractors.

The committee also considered staffing and compensation issues, including a proposed administrative and financial management study budgeted at up to $10,000 and a salary scale review estimated at $4,500. Officials said wage compression, particularly in public works, has created recruitment challenges and may require adjustments to the current pay structure.

Finally, the committee reviewed the town’s contract with Delta Ambulance. Vassalboro recorded approximately 505 calls last year, with about 312 resulting in transport. The Chair noted that it is roughly $500 per call.

Discussion highlighted broader financial pressures facing regional EMS providers, including declining reimbursement rates, staffing shortages, and the loss of larger member communities. One member suggested that remaining municipalities consider negotiating a multi-year agreement to stabilize costs.

The budget committee is scheduled to meet with school officials early this week to review education-related expenses, with a follow-up meeting if needed.

The last committee meeting is planned for April 21 at 6:30.

CORRECTION: The print edition of this article incorrectly stated the Vassalboro Budget Committee took place on March 19. It occurred on March 31. This story has been updated.

Winslow council reviews reduced school budget

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by William Paquet

The Winslow Town Council reviewed a revised school budget proposal Thursday, April 9, that now reflects a net reduction to the local tax request after district officials made more than $460,000 in cuts in response to council concerns over rising costs.

The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. Council Chairman Fran Hudson noted that, under council rules, the workshop format does not allow for public comment, with input reserved for the regular meeting held the following Monday.

Superintendent Peter Thiboutot addressed a question from Councilor Doris Labranche regarding whether federal revenues had been used to offset the local budget request. Thiboutot explained that federal education funds are governed by a “supplement, not supplant” rule, meaning they must be used to expand services rather than replace local funding.

He also confirmed that accumulated MaineCare reimbursements would be used to fund approximately $150,000 in steam pipe repairs at the elementary school this summer. A councilor raised concerns about how those funds are presented publicly, noting that while the expenditures are legitimate, they are not clearly reflected in the district’s operating budget documents. Thiboutot acknowledged the limitation, explaining that including those funds directly in the budget could negatively impact state subsidy calculations.

The original school budget proposal represented a 1.12 percent increase to the local tax appropriation. Following direction from the council to identify additional reductions, the district’s administrative team developed over $460,000 in cuts, focusing on deferred maintenance, unfilled positions, and program adjustments.

Key reductions included leaving a third grade teaching position unfilled, resulting in projected class sizes of 19 to 22 students, reducing the alternative education program contracted through Waterville, and cutting the Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG) program line by $27,000. An anonymous donor has committed to covering the JMG funding for the current year.

Additional adjustments included reductions in supplies, technology upgrades, and other operational areas, as administrators sought to limit direct impacts to students where possible. Thiboutot noted that because approximately 80 percent of the school budget is tied to personnel, deeper reductions would increasingly affect staffing levels and educational programming.

After accounting for higher-than-anticipated insurance increases and personnel transfer costs, the revised proposal results in a net reduction to the local tax appropriation of $265,875, or a 2.88 percent decrease from the prior year. Combined with a reduction in the previous budget cycle, district officials stated that the school system has lowered its local tax request by roughly $500,000 over the past two years.

Council members acknowledged the effort to reduce the budget while raising concerns about the impact of specific cuts, particularly the third grade teaching position and the alternative education program. Several members also pointed to ongoing pressure from residents facing higher costs, while balancing the need to maintain school services.

Finance Director Sheri Carver projected a mil rate of 15.13, up from the current 14.85, if the budget is approved as proposed.

The council is scheduled to take a vote at its next regular meeting. Full coverage of that meeting will appear in next week’s edition. More discussion on long-term budget pressures and service levels is anticipated in upcoming meetings.

The next regular council meeting will be held May 11 at 6 p.m.

Vassalboro planners approve two applications

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Vassalboro Town Officeby Mary Grow

Vassalboro Planning Board members approved two of the four applications on their April 7 agenda.

They granted permits to Timothy Dutton to reopen the former Renarda’s Restaurant at 729 Main Street as a two-part eatery; and to Chad Martin, at 209 Mudget Hill Road, to open a dog kennel on his property.

Postponed were applications from Nick Jose, representing Dorothy Ross, of Lexington, Kentucky, to repair a cabin at 25 Plummer Road, on Webber Pond; and from Rick Woods, of SBA Communications, to add to a cell tower on the north side of Bog Road, a short distance west of the Webber Pond Road intersection.

Neither applicant was present. Board members were unsure of the extent of the work Ross planned. They found SBA’s application incomplete.

Dutton plans to run a diner plus a pizza and sub shop in the former restaurant. He intends to have the diner open for breakfast and lunch daily except Sundays, and the other two businesses Thursday through Saturday, probably from mid-morning to early evening.

On board members’ advice, he did not apply for specific, limited hours that he might not be able to change without a revised planning board permit.

Board members found his plan met all criteria and approved the permit.

Martin applied for a permit to add a single-story kennel building on his property. Board members were not sure whether he intends to breed dogs there.

They found that the building and its surroundings – buffers from neighbors, for example –met applicable criteria. Main concerns discussed were disposal of solid waste and noise.

The permit was approved conditional on Martin’s providing an operating plan that included information on how many dogs he planned to have; whether he would be breeding, training or both; and planned waste disposal.

The next regular Vassalboro Planning Board meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, in the town office meeting room.

Vassalboro selectmen discuss Mill Hill bridge

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Vassalboro Town Officeby Mary Grow

Two Vassalboro select board members spent the first hour of their April 9 meeting discussing the Mill Hill bridge project with Calderwood Engineering structural engineer Mohamed Mohamud, who attended the meeting virtually.

Select board members have known for more than a year that the existing culverts need replacement, and have feared a collapse that might require immediate work to restore access to the four or five families who live past the culverts on the dead-end road.

They thoroughly canvassed options with Mohamud, without reaching consensus and without getting a firm cost estimate to present to town voters. As the discussion wound down, acting board chairman Chris French was considering postponing a fund request from the June town meeting to the November elections.

“It’s a big project, and we’re behind, and there’s still some grants we’re looking at,” French said.

Turning to Town Manager Aaron Miller’s first draft of the June 1 town meeting warrant, board members talked briefly about some of the proposed articles, including fund requests, ordinance amendments and “a lot of standard language:” the requests made to voters year after year, many to authorize select board members to act on their behalf until the next meeting.

Select board members plan a more detailed review of the warrant at a Thursday, April 16, meeting, when they hope board chairman Frederick “Rick” Denico will be back. They are scheduled to meet with the budget committee on Wednesday, April 21, a meeting advertised on the website as the budget committee’s final meeting to review and make recommendations on school and municipal funding requests. Both meetings are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in the town office meeting room.

In other business, Miller reported that the lawsuit between the town and the owners of the Rage Room, in North Vassalboro, has ended with a consent decree that he presented and select board members signed.

The Rage Room has operated since last summer in defiance of Vassalboro Planning Board requests that the owners apply for and receive a business license. Under the consent decree, the owners will clean up the property by July 1, and will pay the town $100 a month for five years to cover attorney’s fees.

Miller said Recreation Director Danielle Brox is drafting policies for groups using town recreation facilities. There should also be one for groups using other town facilities, like the town office meeting room, he said.

Vassalboro budget committee meeting focuses on major costs

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Vassalboro Town Officeby Mary Grow

The March 24 and March 31 Vassalboro Budget Committee meetings each ran more than two hours and focused on some of the town’s major costs, like public works equipment. (See The Town Line issues of March 19, p. 2, and April 2, page 2, for more financial information.)

One issue debated at both meetings was how the town pays for major items, like a new truck. Currently, money is set aside for years until the accumulated fund almost equals the cost of a truck; then voters are asked to raise enough more to buy it immediately.

Why not, budget committee member Phil Landry asked at the March 24 meeting, buy a truck immediately and make payments?

Good idea, said fellow committee member Frank Richards, considering how much prices go up while the town is collecting the money.

Select board member Chris French said “the town” is “culturally” against borrowing. At the March 31 meeting, budget committee chaiman Peggy Schaffer remembered that historically, one budget committee and one select board member have opposed borrowing.

Schaffer’s interpretation was an annual debt payment created a “hard chunk we can’t move” that would appear in each future budget. On the other hand, she said, long-term financing might be easier on taxpayers.

On March 24, Schaffer pointed out the request for more than $35,000 for vehicle repairs for next year. She and committee member Douglas Phillips asked for more information on the trucks the town now has, which Road Commissioner Brian Lajoie supplied at the March 31 meeting. No decisions were made.

Also discussed repeatedly was whether Vassalboro should buy, or alternatively rent, portable traffic lights to put up at construction sites, instead of using road crew members as flaggers to control traffic when a road is partly closed.

Lajoie favors lights, so that all crew members can work on the road repair or on their many other jobs. Lights would require a utility trailer to move them. Again, no recommendation was made.

Discussion of road paving led Phillips to ask if money could be saved by making the new pavement layer thinner. Lajoie feared thinner pavement would break down faster.

Paving cost depends heavily on the cost of paving material. Lajoie said this year’s bids were to be opened on April 14.

The March 31 meeting began with Lauchlin Titus, chairman of the Vassalboro Sanitary District Board of Trustees, explaining why they are asking for town funding: multiple experts who are helping the district through hard times say it’s perfectly normal to ask town voters for up to two-thirds of annual debt service. VSD’s debt service is $133,000 a year.

With fewer than 200 customers to pay it, each contributes $645 a year, making Vassalboro’s sewer bills among the highest in Maine and a hardship for many customers, Titus said. Consequently, trustees agreed to ask for $30,000 from taxpayers town-wide.

Asked how long the debt payments continue, Titus’ first answer was “I’ll be dead” before they end. About 53 years, he said.

Budget committee member Richards hoped the committee would endorse the request, as preferable to “the nightmare that would ensue if the sanitary district goes belly up.”

Also attending the March 31 meeting were representatives of the Vassalboro Public Library. Co-Treasurer Dean Limberger explained the library’s first request in two years for a small increase in town support, saying it’s needed to cover increased – from inadequate to adequate – insurance coverage.

Phillips questioned the town employee pay scale that includes annual merit raises, as well as an annual cost of living increase. Schaffer expanded the discussion: the town has given the public works department new equipment and a new garage, the first responders who started working from home now get paid for a few hours a week at the fire station, there is discussion of an additional town office employee: expense “creep that hits the budget pretty hard.”

“Maybe we need to do these things, but what’s the five-year impact?” she asked.

Select board member Chris French’s reply focused on benefits Vassalboro offers employees. Some people might accept salaries lower than in the private sector because of the benefits, like the generous number of paid holidays and the public works staff’s four-day week in the summer, he said. On the other hand, lack of family health coverage has cost the town some good employees.

Before the March 31 meeting adjourned, committee members briefly discussed the increased Delta Ambulance request, over which towns have no control, and the Mill Hill bridge project.

Vassalboro school board, budget committee meet jointly

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Vassalboro Community School

Vassalboro Community School (contributed photo)

by Mary Grow

Vassalboro School Board members met in a special meeting for three-quarters of an hour April 7 before budget committee members joined them for a preliminary discussion of the 2026-27 school budget.

School board members planned to have budget committee members join them again at their regular monthly meeting Tuesday, April 14. Their April 14 agenda included time for further budget discussion before the joint meeting.

The April 7 meeting added budget information to that acquired at the February 10 meeting. Presentations February 10 included:

— Will Backman, technology director for Winslow and Vassalboro, presented a draft budget that increased by $12,710.58, mostly because he proposes replacing about 50 aging staff laptops, by leasing (to own) from Apple. Decreases in other accounts offset part of the cost of the laptops.

Backman warned of potential big future expenditures, including replacing Vassalboro Community School’s phone system and the cameras in the building.

— Waterville-Winslow-Vassalboro Transportation Director Ashley Pooler proposed a budget increase of more than $141,000, mostly for salaries and benefits. Pooler is requesting one new school bus in 2026-27, payable on Vassalboro’s usual lease-purchase plan.

Superintendent Alan Pfeiffer said bus prices are now up to $150,000. Buses and special education, he said, are expenditures for which the state reimburses generously under the funding formula, and the state has approved Vassalboro’s proposed purchase. Vassalboro bought extra buses with Covid money and is now getting back into a regular cycle.

— Paula Pooler, Finance Director for Waterville, Winslow and Vassalboro, began by explaining the $500 “placeholder” budgeted in case VCS needs an ESL (English as a second language) program. Pfeiffer praised superintendents in neighboring districts that have programs for accepting students that might otherwise come to VCS.

Pooler’s presentation included health services, going up almost $14,000, mostly for salaries and benefits. Pfeiffer followed up by warning of a large increase in secondary tuition.

School board members planned to have budget committee members join them again at their regular monthly meeting Tuesday, April 14. Their April 14 agenda included time for further budget discussion before the joint meeting.

At the April 7 meeting, board members heard presentations on budget requests for special education, regular education and central office expenses (the last shared with Waterville and Winslow).

Special Education Director Judi-Ann Bouchard summarized major expenses. She said Vassalboro pays tuition for 32 special education students in area high schools, plus five students who attend special-purpose private schools, in addition to providing services for students with special needs at VCS.

VCS Principal Ira Michaud listed and explained the more significant changes in the regular education budget request. Increases include $5,000 in the wages line; $6,000 in contracted services (adding Kennebec Behavioral Services); and a new $13,700 math program for grades three through eight.

Decreases include $3,000 less for staff to attend trainings; more than $5,000 less in supplies and textbooks for the English department and for the science department (requests are down, Michaud explained); and elimination of a $3,800 line for library certification, because, Michaud said, librarian Erin Sirois finished her course work last year.

Cory Eisenhour, Director of Facilities for Winslow, whose services Vassalboro shares, reported that a group of local schools, including Vassalboro, have locked in a 2026-27 fuel oil price of $2.51.5. The amount ordered has been increased by 22,000 gallons, in case next winter is as cold as the last one.

Pfeiffer and Paula Pooler explained pending changes at VCS, after Pfeiffer and Principal Michaud leave at the end of the current school year. The plan is to replace them with a full-time superintendent who will also be curriculum coordinator and grant writer, plus a new principal.

Pooler summarized the presentations: with the current draft budget, expenditures will reach almost $11 million, an increase of more than $500,000.

She then presented a list of expected 2026-27 revenues other than Vassalboro tax money. They, too, have increased, though not enough to cover the increased costs.

Pooler and board members discussed briefly how much could be taken from the school’s undesignated fund balance (once known as surplus). Pooler said of $!85,000 allocated for last year, all but about $47,00 was used. Another $185,000 was allocated for the current year, and the same amount is proposed for 2026-27.

If all money allocated both years were to be used, Pooler calculated that a fund that used to have more than $1 million would be reduced to $729,000 – enough for another three and a half years, at the current spending rate.

School board members unanimously accepted the first reading of the 2026-27 budget. They invited members of the budget committee to come from the audience and join them.

Pfeiffer opened the joint meeting by displaying the large air handler that fell from the gymnasium ceiling last year, missing a youngster by only a few feet, to illustrate the need for significant work on the 34-year-old VCS building. Some work has been done, including repointing the brick exterior and adding energy-efficient LED lighting. Plans for the summer include repairs to the foundation and adding heat pumps that will regulate the upper-floor temperature.

Pfeiffer’s opening speech emphasized two goals: to provide a safe and effective school, and to always consider the taxpayers who pay a large share of education costs.

He mentioned two more pending changes: the school board will not hire a new custodian to replace Paul Gilbert, who is retiring; and the board plans to buy one new school bus in 2026-27.

Yet another change will occur in September, when for the first time VCS offers classes to three-year olds, as the state requires. Pfeiffer currently expects only about four students that young to enroll.

At the March 10 school board meeting, Pfeiffer reported that Bouchard applied for and got a grant for fencing, so that a safe playground area can be provided for the youngest students.

Parents whose children ride the school bus can expect that next fall, the system that allows the central office to know where each bus is in real time will be extended to families, school board member Jessica French said.

Budget committee members got information on a variety of proposed expenditures, and on other topics, like Don Breton’s question about use of the school gym by the community. Assistant Principal Tabitha Brewer said the town recreation committee uses it for basketball, and other groups, like Scouts and the Parent-Teacher Organization, hold events.

Pfeiffer added town voting. In 2026, the June 1 open town meeting is scheduled for the school gym, in the evening. June 9 daytime voting will be in the town office, but town officials will probably ask to use the school all day on Nov. 3.

China select Board approves final version of the June town meeting warrant

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China Town Officeby Mary Grow

China select board members approved the final version of the June 9 town business meeting warrant and discussed transfer station problems, among other issues, at their April 6 meeting.

Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood read the 32-article June 9 warrant aloud, and select board members voted on whether to submit each article to voters. They approved all, mostly on unanimous votes. Because select board and budget committee members have reviewed the warrant in detail in past meetings, there was little discussion.

Hapgood intended to post the warrant on the China website, chinamaine.org, under the Administration heading, budget subheading (where there is other useful information). She said Town Clerk Angela Nelson might add copies elsewhere.

Doris L. Young scholarships.

China’s Doris L. Young Scholarship program started after a long-time China teacher left money for college scholarships “for worthy children from China” in 1982. The town invested the money and has since used the income to offer scholarships, in varying amounts, to college students.

Scholarships were awarded for up to five years – four for undergraduate study and one for graduate work – with a maximum age of 25

At their April 6 meeting, select board members unanimously extended the time to six years, adding a year to study for a doctorate, and increased the maximum age to 26. They agreed to use up to $40,000 from the fund’s income in 2026-27 and to set the 2026-27 scholarship amount at a maximum of $1,500 per student.

Requirements, notably seven years’ continuous residence in China, and an application form are on the town website, under Administration, under Town Clerk, seventh on a list of services, after availability of census data. The title is “Here is a printable version of the Doris L. Young Scholarship.”

Application forms are also available at China primary and middle schools, Erskine Academy and other area high schools, the website says.

The deadline for applications is Friday, May 1. Applications should be sent to Doris L. Young Scholarship, c/o Town of China, 571 Lakeview Drive, China ME 04358; or emailed to info@chinamaine.org.

Board members had one transfer station issue on their agenda, and station manager Thomas Maraggio added a second during the public comment period.

On the agenda were two proposals for relocating the brush pile to meet state requirements. Maraggio explained that state Department of Environmental regulations require frequent testing under the pile. To do the testing, he must find a qualified, licensed soil expert and must dig down two feet under the pile to provide the soil the expert needs to test.

Alternatives, he said, are figuring an easier way to test; or paving an area for the brush pile; or refusing to accept brush at the facility.

Board members said not accepting brush would inconvenience residents. They consider paving the best option, and talked briefly about how to get it done.

Maraggio’s other issue is the overlarge compost pile. For years, the station has given away finished compost to residents, but two years ago selectboard members ruled that staff cannot help load it, after incidents with heavily loaded trailers creating traffic problems.

Since then, Maraggio said, fewer people take significant amounts, being unwilling to spend time shoveling.

Discussion covered letting staff load limited amounts for people, or selling compost in quantity. Hapgood suggested the compost might be contaminated, for example with PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or “forever chemicals”). No one knew what the consequences would be if the town unknowingly sold contaminated compost.

Maraggio got no answer to his problem until board members have more information.

In other business, select board members:

— Approved proposed changes in the Doris L. Young scholarship program (see box).
— Approved the mission statement for the new China Emergency Services Assessment Committee (CESAC). The committee’s first meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, April 16, in the town office meeting room; interested residents are welcome to attend.
— Approved creating two categories for the annual Spirit of America award, youth and adult; and approved a 2026 nominee in each category. When China held an open town meeting in the spring, awards were presented then; this year, Hapgood said, announcement will be made at a select board meeting, she hopes May 4.
— Approved a 2026 contract for continued law enforcement dispatching.

The next regular China select board meeting should have been Monday, April 20. Because that day is the Patriots’ Day holiday, the meeting is rescheduled to 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, with a short agenda.

All China town departments will be closed Monday, April 20.

Winslow school budget workshop draws questions, debate over costs and transparency

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by William Paquet

The Winslow Town Council held a school budget workshop on March 26 with Superintendent of Schools Peter Thiboutot and the district’s administrative team to review the proposed fiscal year 2026-27 school budget and hear a facilities improvement presentation from an outside engineering firm.

Thiboutot opened the meeting by thanking his administrative team for their work preparing the budget, which began in January and included reviews across 11 cost centers. He framed the presentation around a recurring theme: the budget is built on needs, not wants.

The total budget request is $21,669,334.87, an increase of $699,329, or 3.3 percent, over the prior year. After accounting for state subsidy, tuition revenue, grants, and other sources, including $350,000 drawn from the district’s undesignated fund balance, the proposed local tax appropriation increase is $112,512.86, or approximately 1.22 percent. Thiboutot noted that figure could decrease once health insurance costs are finalized in April.

State subsidy is projected at $10,941,948, an increase of $550,354 over last year. The district is projecting 54 tuition students, primarily from Vassalboro, generating approximately $750,000 in revenue. The district also shares staff and services with neighboring communities, including a maintenance director, occupational therapist, and courier, along with cost-sharing arrangements for functions such as HR, accounts payable, transportation, technology, and food service.

The total budget request is $21,669,334.87, an increase of $699,329, or 3.3 percent, over the prior year.

Thiboutot highlighted several cost-saving measures, including a solar array that reduced electrical costs by approximately $25,000, and a cooperative fuel oil bid locking in 60,000 gallons at $2.52 per gallon. He also noted the district completed a $2.2 million elementary school addition in 2023 using COVID-era funds at no cost to local taxpayers.

The district serves 1,129 students across three schools and employs 224 staff. Thiboutot presented student outcome data showing 79 percent of the Class of 2025 went on to post-secondary education, with assessment scores in English language arts, math, and science above state averages. Math scores have improved over the past three years. He also noted that 52 percent of students are economically disadvantaged, 27 percent receive special education services, and 13 students are currently unhoused.

Special Education Director Christine Schmidt said the district currently has no high-cost out-of-district placements, instead maintaining three self-contained day treatment programs within its schools. She noted that out-of-district placements can cost between $67,000 and $110,000 per student annually. The district employs two doctoral-level school psychologists who conducted 118 evaluations last year. Thiboutot said contracting those evaluations externally could cost over $2,300 per student, compared to a combined in-house salary of approximately $147,000.

An unfunded mandate also drew attention during the presentation. The state’s paid family medical leave program adds $65,437 in costs to the current budget, though implementation details are still being finalized. Thiboutot said the district may need to revisit contract provisions once additional guidance is issued.

Councilor Michael Joseph raised concerns about budget transparency, requesting a detailed, line-by-line breakdown including staff salary information. Thiboutot said the district had already responded to a similar request and noted such requests are uncommon, expressing concern about the impact on staff morale. Other councilors and a school board member noted that salary information is publicly available and that recorded budget workshops provide additional detail. West encouraged councilors to review those materials.

Council Chairman Frances Hudson referenced the broader financial pressure on residents, noting that some taxpayers are struggling and that a significant portion of property tax revenue supports the school system. Town Manager Marc Amaral said the issue extends beyond the school budget, noting the combined municipal and school spending for a town of approximately 8,000 residents is approaching a tipping point. He called for closer coordination between the town and school administration in future budget cycles.

Councilor Ray Caron and Councilor Lee Trahan both expressed support for the budget as presented. Councilor Katie Otis said she was not prepared to take a position, raising questions about instructional approaches and the overall budget process. She also referenced declining assessment trends since 2020, though Thiboutot noted that changes in testing methods limit direct comparisons.

Following discussion, a majority of councilors indicated interest in seeing a reduced proposal, though no specific target was formally set. Joseph proposed increasing the district’s use of its undesignated fund balance from $350,000 to $500,000 and reducing the overall budget by $750,000. While some councilors viewed that figure as too aggressive, it was discussed as a starting point for further discussion. Thiboutot requested a defined target to guide revisions, stating that without one, planning becomes difficult and could impact core services. The council agreed to revisit the discussion at a future meeting.

The meeting also included a presentation from Energy Management Consultants of Portland, which recently completed a year-long assessment of the district’s facilities. The firm reported that while the buildings are well maintained, much of the mechanical infrastructure is nearing the end of its useful life.

Proposed capital improvements include options structured around a tax-exempt lease purchase, timed with the expiration of an existing bond. The base option, including boiler replacements, LED lighting upgrades, and system improvements, would require approximately $192,000 annually starting in 2027. A more extensive option would increase that cost and include heating and cooling upgrades.

The firm also identified a limited-time opportunity through Efficiency Maine, offering enhanced incentives for LED lighting upgrades if approved and completed within a specific deadline.

The council is expected to provide more direction at its next regular meeting, on April 13, at 6 p.m.

China budget committee reviews warrant

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China Town Officeby Mary Grow

China Budget Committee members reviewed the warrant for the June 9 annual town budget meeting at their March 26 meeting, which Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood said should be their final one this spring.

The seven members recommended that voters approve all proposed financial articles. Most votes were unanimous; some members abstained on some votes, like a volunteer firefighter on a vote to fund the town’s fire departments, to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.

Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood planned to forward the warrant with the budget recommendations to select board members, who plan to give final approval at their Monday, April 7, meeting.

Major 2026-27 expenditure requests not included in the town business meeting warrant are the Kennebec County requisition and the school budget.

The Kennebec County board whose members approve the county budget is scheduled to meet at noon on April 7 and April 21, in Augusta.

The Regional School Unit (RSU) #18 website says the RSU board (which includes representatives of Belgrade, China, Oakland, Rome and Sidney) is scheduled to adopt its budget either April 1 or April 15.

The annual district budget meeting, at which residents of the five towns discuss and vote on the 2026-27 budget, is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Thursday, May 21, at Messalonskee High School Performing Arts Center, in Oakland. The written-ballot budget referendum, at which voters approve or reject that May 21 decision, will be part of June 9 voting in the five towns.