Alna may follow its neighbor Whitefield in reviewing Central Maine Power’s property values. The result could be a lightened tax load on other Alna property owners, newly elected Alna Third Selectman Douglas Baston said on March 25.

Second Selectman Melissa Spinney, also in her first meeting since winning office, asked how the town would proceed if the review instead pointed to lower property values for CMP. Baston doubted it would.

“My expectation based on Whitefield is that’s a very unlikely outcome,” Baston said. The independent assessor on Whitefield’s review came up with significantly higher values than those the town was using in taxing CMP, he said.

Baston said he has contacted the same assessor and given him the CMP values that Alna uses. Selectmen planned to discuss the possible review again after Baston hears back from him. Baston did not project a cost for the review but said it could be a very small investment in impacting local taxes.

“The citizens shouldn’t be subsidizing (CMP’s) valuation,” First Selectman David Abbott said in support of exploring a review.

Selectmen follow up on fireworks vote

Selectmen planned to contact the Alna Planning Board about possibly having it take the lead on drafting local rules about fireworks use. Town meeting voters on March 21 agreed to have either the planning board or a selectmen-appointed committee draft an ordinance in time for the 2016 annual town meeting.

Fireworks use could be considered a form of land use, which is what the planning board deals with, Abbott said.

Past selectman Chris Cooper favored having the planning board do the work.

“My feeling ... is that if (it) does it, their charge is to look at everything presented and sort it out to the public good,” Cooper told selectmen. A committee would draw people of opposing views on fireworks use and might lack the planning board’s focus on the best interests of the town, he said.

When the planning board meets in April, it can discuss taking on the project, Town Clerk Amy Warner said.

Reingardt aids selectmen

Former Third Selectman David Reingardt agreed to coordinate the Head Tide Dam committee. In asking for Reingardt’s help, Abbott cited Reingardt’s legwork when they and and then-Second Selectman Jonathan Villeneuve were mulling the committee. Reingardt was still in office when the board agreed to create the panel that will explore possible projects at the town-owned dam.

The committee could end up proposing or not proposing a project to the town, Abbott said.

Also on March 25, selectmen decided they will normally meet every other Wednesday at the town office, at a new start time of 6 p.m. The board’s next meeting at 6 p.m., April 8 will take place at the Alna fire station; its larger space is needed because Regional School Unit 12 officials will be presenting the district’s budget proposal, Warner said.