Referendum ballot set for June 10

By Stuart Hedstrom 
Staff Writer

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — On Tuesday, June 10 residents will head to the polls to vote on both the town meeting warrant as well as the budget for RSU 68 — along with citizens of the other school district communities in Charleston, Monson and Sebec — after the selectmen signed both documents during a May 12 meeting.

    The RSU 68 district budget meeting is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 27 at the SeDoMoCha School, and the spending plan approved that night will go out to the ballot in the four district communities. Dover-Foxcroft’s town meeting warrant was approved for the referendum at the annual meeting last month, and a public hearing on the articles will be a part of the next selectmen’s meeting on Wednesday, May 28 at 6:30 p.m. at the Morton Avenue Municipal Building.
    Town Manager Jack Clukey said absentee ballots are available at the town office, and this method of voting can be done through Thursday, June 5.
    In other business, community officials met with Cindy Woodworth of the town office and Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society President Mary Annis who both have been working on guidelines for the awarding of the Boston Post Cane to the eldest resident of Dover-Foxcroft.
    “We are one of the communities that gives out the Boston Post Cane and we kind of noticed we aren’t as formal as other communities in the awarding of the cane,” Clukey said.
    “I think the reason this came up is there are so many people this time,” Woodworth said, saying there are about 10 residents at the age of 100.
    Annis said a challenge posed is the fact there are several residential care facilities in Dover-Foxcroft, and some of those living there may be residents at the present time but previous had lived in other communities. “We would like to give it to someone who truly is a resident of Dover-Foxcroft,” she said.
    In the proposal drafted by Annis and Woodworth, a committee would be formed to determine the Boston Post Cane recipient and the group would be flexible with procedure and guided by common sense. A holder of the cane must reside in town for a reasonable number of years, and potential recipients would be voted on by the committee.
    To protect the original Boston Post Cane, which was one of over 600 presented to towns across New England by the former newspaper in the early 20th century, a replica will be given to honorees and the original will be retired and displayed by the Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society.
    “Charleston’s working on providing us a replica,” Clukey said.
    The Boston Post Cane guidelines also acknowledge the great distinction of reaching 100 years in age. The town will honor residents who have reached this milestone, regardless of length of residency or Boston Post Cane eligibility, with a certificate of celebration/recognition.
    Clukey said the Maine Department of Transportation is scheduled to pave a section of Route 15 from the Norton Hill Road to the Shamrock Road during the summer, possibly in mid- to late-August. He said this will continue from the end of previous paving that was finished near the Charlotte White Center.
    “Upfront they ask that we issue them a permit for driving over a posted road,” he said. The permit would enable a project contractor to exceed weight limits if need be to get to the site with materials or equipment. The town could require the contractor, who will be determined, to have a bond.
    “Work continues on the Riverfront Redevelopment project, aka the Moosehead property,” Clukey said in his town manager’s report. He said developer Jonathan Arnold is expected to close on the acquisition of the property and project financing later in the month.
    “Last week we talked about three different community development applications for business assistance,” Clukey said. He said efforts continue for the reuse of the Creative Apparel building at the Pine Crest Business Park, with GlobEco Maine, LLC working to establish a wood fiber cloth manufacturing facility at the site.
    “I know things continue to be put in place for that business reuse,” Clukey said, with the grant application seeking up to $450,000 for the project with monies awarded to be matched by the company for a possible $900,000 total in redevelopment.
    “I think not having (the grant funding) would cause them to find that financing some other way,” Clukey said in response to a question about if monies are not awarded. “It would certainly delay things not being successful.”
    During the summer the selectmen have one month regular monthly meeting, and these sessions were scheduled for the Mondays of June 16, July 28 and Aug. 18.