ST. GEORGE NEWSLETTER Volume 19, Issue 2 March/April 2018 The Town of St. George received the following petition on November 14, 2017. It was signed by 299 people, 286 of them are registered voters. The town will have a vote on the petition as received at the May 2018 Town Meeting. We, the undersigned resident voters and/or taxpayers, hereby petition the Select Board, Town Manager and MDOT to take appropriate action to ensure the safety of residents and visitors to Saint George by promptly implementing the best available methods to promote vehicle, pedestrian & bicycle safety. Our action requests include the following: 1. Post 25 mph speed limit signage in MDOT qualifying village density areas on Glenmere & Wallston Rds approaching Port Clyde and Tenants Harbor. 2. Provide pedestrian crosswalks, crosswalk signage, and curb cuts as needed in the villages, with annual maintenance verified prior to each Memorial Day. 3. Post a 90-degree turn arrow sign before the entrance to Monhegan Boat. 4. Increase traffic surveillance by State and County law enforcement from Memorial Day to Columbus Day. 5. Frequently set up speed feedback devices on Rte 131 in Wiley s Corner, Tenants Harbor, Port Clyde, and elsewhere on Town roads as needed. 6. Seek cooperation from businesses to safely control the extra vehicular and pedestrian traffic they create, and seek ways to educate their customers. 7. Maintain street lights in village pedestrian areas and at main intersections. 8. Publicize regular updates on the above requests including targeted projects communications, budget allowances, contractors and dates completed. The Town has reviewed all the items listed in the petition and has initiated a fact finding review. The Town has jurisdiction over some of the requests but not all. #1. Maine DOT sets speed limits and signage. We are in communication with them to see what options are available. #2. We must determine what as needed means. Pedestrian crosswalks must follow the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, such as sight distance, safe landing areas and places where pedestrians will be safe at both ends and while crossing the street. Also, crosswalks should be in places pedestrians want to go. #3. All signage is the responsibility of the Maine DOT. We have had discussions with them. #4. The Knox County Sheriff s department provides patrols to the Town of St. George and does a good job. Our payment for the County budget pays for the current level; we are in discussion with the Sheriff s office on how to increase coverage. #5. Currently we borrow speed feedback devices from the State or the Sheriff s office. The devices are used by many towns and we have to share. We are researching the cost to purchase a speed feedback device. #6. The Town and the St. George Business Alliance have discussed safety at businesses. It is difficult for the Town to dictate without providing financing for any changes suggested. #7. Streetlights in village pedestrian areas and at main intersections are currently maintained. #8. Updates on actions taken to promote vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle safety will be placed on Select Board agendas and discussed at meetings.
TOWN CALENDAR (see www.stgeorgemsu.org for school events) March 2018 Mar 1 Conservation Commission 4:00pm Mar 5 Select Board Mar 5 Parks & Recreation Committee Mar 8 Senior Pot Luck Luncheon 11:30am Mar 13 Planning Board Mar 16-18 Mussel Ridge Tournament Mar 19 Select Board Mar 21 Solid Waste/Recycling Committee 7:30am Mar 26 Select Board Mar 27 Planning Board April 2018 Apr 2 Select Board Apr 5 Conservation Commission 4:00pm Apr 9 Select Board Apr 9 Parks & Recreation Committee Apr 10 Senior Pot Luck Luncheon 11:30am Apr 10 Planning Board Apr 16 Closed for Patriot s Day Apr 18 Solid Waste/Recycling Committee 7:30am Apr 24 Planning Board Apr 30 Select Board The St. George Fire Department meets every Wednesday at at the Tenants Harbor Station. *********************************** TOWN INFORMATION Town Office: 372-6363 FAX 372-8954 Hours: Monday-Friday 8am 4pm Wednesday until 7pm Select Board and Assessors Richard Bates, Chair 372-6904 Tammy Willey 372-8904 Wayne Sawyer 372-6489 Randy Elwell 372-0602 Jerry Hall 372-8199 Transfer Station: 372-6451 Hours: Tuesday thru Saturday 8am-4pm Closed Sunday & Monday *********************************** Nomination Papers Are Available For St. George Select Board and MSU School Committee At the annual town meeting in May there will be an election held for one (1) Select Board Member and one (1) MSU School Committee Member. The positions will be for a 3-year term. The Select Board position is currently held by Randall Elwell; the MSU School Committee position is currently held by Jennifer Garrett. Nominations papers are currently available at the Town Office. Each candidate must obtain at least twenty-five (25) valid signatures of registered voters and return the papers to the Town Office by March 16, 2018. Senior Pot Luck Luncheon Schedule (Second Tuesday of the month except the March luncheon will be Thursday, March 8) March 8, 11:30am Menu: Soup, Grilled Cheese Program: St. George School Chorus and Susan Iltis April 10, 11:30 am Menu: Pizza Program: Debby Wheelock Pictures from away Lots of good food and FUN!! A Friendly Reminder from the Harbormaster Boats need to be renewed starting January 1, 2018 Moorings need to be renewed by April 30, 2018 to avoid a late fee of double your mooring fee!!! Property Taxes The second payment of the 2017-2018 property taxes is due on March 31, 2018. If you have any questions concerning the amount you owe, please call Tara Elwell at the Town Office (372-6363) or email her at t.elwell@stgeorgemaine.com for assistance. The intent of this newsletter is to provide bits of information concerning your local government. Because of the many aspects that need to be covered, we hope these newsy items will encourage you to ask questions and learn more about what s going on. If anything catches your eye or piques your interest, please let us know.
St George Volunteers Make House Calls to Help Neighbors Connect to the Internet Got Internet? If you don t, and would like to learn what it would take to get it, one of your St George neighbors can help - at no charge. If you already have it, but are having issues connecting to the internet, you can ask for a free home tech visit and diagnosis. A volunteer can also help you figure out what internet plan will best fit your needs. This outreach project is brought to you by the St George Community Development Corporation. The goal is to make residents more self-sufficient with technology and improve internet access for all. The St George Community Development Corporation is building on the work of the Town s Broadband Committee to create a comprehensive picture of internet service, or broadband access, on the peninsula. That includes discovering where there are gaps in service, or dark spots, and why they exist. The Got Internet? free home tech visits will both help residents get or improve access and provide data that can inform a solution to bring broadband to everyone in St George who wants it. For more information or to schedule an appointment for a home tech diagnosis, please call Alane at the Community Development office: 372-2193. Her email is: info@stgerogecommunity.org. The mission of the St George Community Development Corporation is to help make the town of St. George and its villages livable for all residents. We lead and fund innovative projects that enhance the community s resiliency by supporting community and economic development, developing workforce housing, expanding educational opportunities, and increasing access to healthcare. Pictured are: Jeff Boulet, Alane Kennedy, John Maltais, Van Thompson ********************************************************************************************************************************** A note from the Neighbor to Neighbor folks Baby its cold outside!!! Do you have a doctor s visit, need to go shopping, or even visit a friend? Why not call Neighbor to Neighbor for a free ride? The car will be warm, someone can help you walk across the ice and you ll have a fun conversation with your driver. Just call 207-691-7069.
Carl Sublett Painting On Loan To The Town Of St. George On January 8, 2018, meeting of the St. George Select Board, members of the Marshall Point Lighthouse and Museum Committee presented a 1940s painting of the lighthouse to the town. It will be on permanent loan to the town for as long as they wish to display it. On behalf of the Select Board and the Town of St. George, Chair Bates thanked Chair Diana Bolton, Nat Lyon and the Marshall Point Lighthouse and Museum Committee for their generous loan of the Carl Sublett painting. Left to right: Tammy Willey, Tim Polky, Diana Bolton, Randy Elwell, Nat Lyon, Richard Bates, Wayne Sawyer The painting is a watercolor created by artist Carl Sublett, 1918 2008. Sublett was born in Kentucky. He married Helen Davis of Port Clyde in 1942. During World War II he served in Italy. After the war, he participated in an affiliate program at the University of Florence, Italy. The couple lived in Tennessee, visiting Port Clyde seasonally. In addition to a long career as Professor of Fine Art at the University of Knoxville, Tennessee, Carl Sublett exhibited his art, winning many prestigious awards and national recognition. He painted easily in both abstract and realistic styles in various mediums. In the 1970s he started painting exclusively in watercolor. After retiring, he painted full-time. He exhibited paintings in the 1998 Masters of Port Clyde Invitational with artists: Ranulph Bye, Ronald Frontin, Robert Hamilton, Greg Mort, William Thon and Jamie Wyeth at the Gallery by the Sea in Port Clyde. Carl Sublett died in Union, Maine in 2008. The Mars Hall Gallery in Tenants Harbor features many fine works by this prolific artist. Conservation Commission News -- Town Solar Energy System Installation progress as of February 19 th ReVision Energy is installing the Town approved Solar Energy System on the transfer station roof. This will supply an estimated 90% of the town s electrical power over the course of a year. Thanks to a Power Purchase agreement with ReVision, the installation costs the Town nothing and the power will be purchased for less than CMP's rate. After six years the Town can buy the system for half the installation cost and save thousands of dollars every year. This will not only pay for the purchase price but continue to save thousands for at least thirty years. So not only is solar a cost saver but it will reduce the carbon footprint of the Town tremendously, which is good for the environment. Check the town website for the system completion and come join the turn on celebration in the near future...
Creating a Municipal Budget Tim Polky and I have been working together to create next year s budget which covers the period from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. This budget will be voted on at our Town Meeting on May 15, 2018. We start by reviewing Municipal expenses over the past several years. The Budget Committee recently completed a similar review and we were able to use their results. While many line items are consistent year to year, other expenses may increase or decrease based on contracts and policies. The Select Board and Budget Committee are asked to provide input on all areas and to address any specific areas of concern. Some Reserve funds created in past years may continue to be funded, such as the $125,000 budgeted each year for the fire truck replacement fund. Other Reserves are fully funded and will not require additional funds in this budget. An example of this is the Public Land Acquisition reserve. On January 29, 2018, Tim presented the Town Manager s budget to the Select Board and Budget Committee. There may still be revisions as information is received until the time Departments begin their review of the budget. Once that review begins any changes will be shown as Select Board recommendations. The Select Board will finalize the budget on March 5 th. The Budget Committee has until March 19 th for its final recommendations but may complete this sooner. The initial Town Manager s budget is posted on the Town website and the final approved budget will be printed in the 2017 Town Report published in April 2018. If you have any questions about this process please feel free to call or stop by my office. Select Board meetings are open to the public. Check the Town website calendar for schedule. Elizabeth Curtis, Finance Director Scholarship Information The Town of St. George currently offers the Wilson Scholarship Fund and the Colson Scholarship Fund. The applications can be obtained online at www.stgeorgemaine.com or stop by the Town Office to request an application. The deadline for submitting applications is May 1, 2018. There are other local scholarships available Marshall Point Lighthouse, Odd Fellows Lodge, Eureka Lodge, etc. For more information on these scholarships, and more, please contact the St. George School guidance office or the guidance office of the high school the student attends. St George Business Alliance announces 2018 Scholarship Program "The St. George Business Alliance is pleased to announce that it plans to award one ($1,000) scholarship to a deserving high school graduate from the Town of St. George in the spring of 2018. The student and one parent must be full-time residents of St. George for the last two school years, and the applicant must be accepted by and planning to attend an accredited college, university, business or trade school in the fall of 2018. The deadline for applications is April 30, 2018. Application packets will be available March 1, 2018 in the St. George Town Office, at the Jackson Memorial Library, and from guidance counselors at high schools attended by our St. George students. For more information, please contact Rosemary Limmen at 372.8102 or rlimmen@gmail.com." Do you have invasive plants at your house??? On Thursday April 26 th the St. George Conservation Commission will be hosting an educational presentation on invasive plants. The presentation will take place at the St. George Town Office starting at. Friends of St. George are co-sponsors and will provide yummy treats and coffee for attendees. Check the town website for more details as the date approaches.
The St. George Parks & Recreation Department Boosters is pleased to announce our 2018 INVITATIONAL MUSSEL RIDGE HOOPS TOURNAMENT For 4 th grade boys & girls (With allowances for 3 rd, 2 nd graders if needed). We begin Friday, March 16 th (w/local teams), and resume play all day on Saturday, March 17 th leading up to the tournament championship games @ Noon & 1:30 pm on Sunday March 18 th. (NOTE: POSSIBLE IF NECESSARY GAMES) We look forward to 3 days of good competition, great sportsmanship & a lot of fun for all players, coaches and fans. For more information, contact Ben Vail, St. George Parks & Recreation Director at 372-6363 x203 Email: b.vail@stgeorgemaine.com Web site: www.stgeorgemaine.com