Alna may follow neighboring Whitefield’s lead and have a contractor assess the value of the equipment Central Maine Power has in town.

Currently, the two towns go by figures CMP provides, according to Alna Town Clerk Amy Warner and Whitefield Town Clerk Aaron Miller.

Alna selectmen on July 23 expressed an interest in possibly hiring out an assessment, after Warner told them she’d heard from Miller that Whitefield was doing it. Miller serves as treasurer in both towns.

Whitefield has hired William Van Tunein Real Estate Appraisal & Tax Assessment Services of Madison for $1,000. Van Tunein did field work for the assessment on July 18 with Whitefield’s assessor’s agent Tom Hayes, Miller said. Based on a discussion Miller said he later had with Hayes, Miller anticipates a higher valuation for the equipment; the land the equipment sits on is not part of the assessment Van Tunein is doing, Miller said.

Whitefield is awaiting Van Tunein’s report, Miller said.

Alna Second Selectman Jonathan Villeneuve said the idea of hiring out the work was worth looking into.

“Sounds good,” Third Selectman David Reingardt said. Warner will gather more information for the board.

CMP’s parent company Iberdrola USA Management Corporation is responsible for CMP’s property tax management, according to this year’s property declaration letter to Alna.

The declarations are a routine item that Maine law allows CMP to send out to the hundreds of towns where it has property, CMP Spokesman Gail Rice said July 24; an Iberdrola spokesman did not immediately return a message.

Careful making that turn

The corner of Route 218 and Sheepscot Road needs some shoulder work, selectmen said.

“It’s been getting worse and worse all spring,” Villeneuve said.

First Selectman David Abbott planned to contact Road Commissioner Jeff Verney; Abbott called the matter a safety issue, particularly for motorcycles that could have trouble from sand in the roadway.

The Maine Department of Transportation may be asked to do the work, since a state road is involved, board members said.