At the Alna Selectmen’s special meeting on April 29, Lisa Packard came in to discuss ways to provide in-kind work for the town in lieu of part of her shoreland zone violation fine. The selectmen and she agreed that landscaping work around the town office and help in cleaning the town’s historic buildings would be very useful.

Work will be coordinated through Town Clerk Amy Warner and Doreen Conboy (for the Committee on Alna History), and will be credited at the normal hourly rate for town casual labor.

The Fire Department has nominated Mike Trask to continue as fire chief. The selectmen approved the nomination.

Chief Trask has suggested that we contact Central Lincoln ambulance to see what its cost to serve Alna would be. This is a precaution because Wiscasset is discussing abolishing their ambulance service and contracting it out.

Amy will contact Lincoln County Sheriff Todd Brackett again to meet with us to talk about the county’s Animal Control Officer service, as we have no ACO at present.

Amy sent out an email asking for citizen input on the proposed new office hours for the clerk. So far response has been positive.

The town is still looking for applicants for appointment to fill out the term of the town treasurer. The stipend is $4,000.

We will receive a draft contract from William Van Tuinen to reassess Central Maine Power’s property in town shortly. He has been tied up defending his assessment of one of the paper mills.

The acting treasurer, Honora Perkins, is still trying to determine how much (if anything) we owe the IRS and the state of Maine in back payroll taxes, as well as what the total fines assessed to the town will be for late filing.

The selectmen discussed asking the town if they want to make the treasurer an appointed position at the next annual town meeting.

Public comment

A citizen was concerned that the code enforcement officer is sometimes unresponsive. First Selectman Dave Abbott will call him.

A citizen was concerned about gravel at the bottom of Head Tide Hill. This is a matter for the Maine Department of Transportation.