Town Council
Members of the Washburn Town Council held their regular meeting on Monday, May 12, with approximately 13 residents attending. The Council accepted and signed off on the April 14 Council meeting and the special Council meetings of April 23 and May 7, a special Town Meeting of May 1 and an emergency Council meeting of May 9. They also reviewed and accepted the financial figures through April 30, 2008.
Also included in the Council meeting was the approval of the replacement of three pole locations from Maine Public and a review of the City of Presque Isle inter-community agreement for solid waste, with councilors voting to renew. They also reviewed an appraisal regarding the Washburn Regional Health Center.
Information regarding town ordinance violations was reviewed and the Council voted to proceed with municipal fines, with attachment of liens if necessary.
The Washburn Fire Department informed the Council of their current need of a grass fire truck. The Council authorized the town manager to purchase a pick-up for this purpose by a loan.
The Council was also given a heads up for the future needs of the fire department including a pump truck and a request for health, disability and accident coverage to be included in the next year’s budget.
Councilors were informed of upcoming mandatory training that they can complete online concerning right-to-know information.
Christopher Ciolfi, the chief development officer for Mariner Tower, attended the May meeting of the Washburn Town Council. He gave those attending information on the current status of the town’s tower installation progress. The current base for the tower is in poor condition, and the tower ordered by a prior company is not the correct one for the town’s needs.
Mariner Tower Company has bid to take over the installation of a good tower and will be going over the project in the next few weeks. The new tower will include cell service and GPS, along with other items including municipal signals. Mariner Tower will also be assisting us in recouping the cost incurred by the town so far. This new service should be available to residents by the end of summer.
The Council voted to accept going forward with this agreement, pending validation from Washburn’s municipal attorney.
Included in the manager’s report was a plan for making taxes easier for residents to pay. The manager is proposing a “Tax Club” which will go with monthly payments including a payment book. This hopefully would make taxes spread out for a 12-month payment period much easier for residents and commercial taxpayers to deal with. The Council approved the issue, and anyone interested in joining the Tax Club is asked to contact the Town Office during regular business hours.
Executive Session included legal and personnel matters, as well as information on economic development.
The next Town Council meeting has been scheduled for Monday, June 16, at 7 p.m. at the Civic Center. Note that this is a week later, due to the June Primary elections being held on Monday, June 9. Just prior to this meeting, on Monday, June 16, at 6 p.m. there will be an informational meeting concerning the Mill Pond Park Trail. The National Trail Association Representative Burnham Martin will be conducting this meeting, and all interest residents are urged to attend.
Birthdays/anniversaries
Those celebrating birthdays this week include: Rayne Whitten, Gabi Ingersoll, Dawn Corey, Don Thompson Jr., Louise Cole, Rene Gabourie, Russell Woodman, Karen Wilson, Shirley Everett, Kristen Bodecker, Lewis Tuttle, Justin Bell, Dave Levesque, Colleen Plumer, Mason Sargent, Alice Bragg, Julie Tisdale, Steven Pesut, Kent Cunningham, Winston Brag, Gary Milton, Ardis Humphrey, Lona Henderson, Linda Tupper, Roger Fitzgerald, Philip Helton, Katie McIntosh, Randy Plissey, Athena Sargent, Sylvia Wardwell, Donna Tilley, Louise Cole, Tyler Belk, Lucas Tarbox and Devin Grant.
School notes
All ages enjoy music, and family members like to hear their children and grandchildren play in local concerts. A new Band and Chorus Committee is trying to get started in order to help keep school music active in Washburn. Input is needed and anyone interested in music for our school including a possible pep band, school band and any form of the arts is urged to comment. This will be for the junior high, middle school, elementary and high school levels. For further information, contact Larry Jenkens at the elementary school at 455-4504.
Ongoing events/reminders
On Fridays, the Trailrunners Snowmobile clubhouse kitchen will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. with a light lunch including burgers and hot dogs and Stew Night features a variety of great homemade soups and stews served starting at 4 p.m. Saturdays, the kitchen is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. serving breakfast and lunch. Sundays, the clubhouse will be serving breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
TOPS will be meeting each Monday at the Washburn Trailrunners clubhouse, starting with weigh-in at 4:15 p.m. and the meeting from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. For further information, contact Birdena Cochran at 455-8353
A fund-raising event for the class of 2011 is ongoing, and the group will be volunteering to do yard work through the month of May for donations. Anyone interested may call Mrs. Knowles at the school at 455-4504.
The Salmon Brook Historical Society will be holding their quarterly meeting on Friday, June 6, at the Washburn Civic Center at 6 p.m. There will be a potluck supper; please bring a main dish or dessert and a place setting. There will be a business meeting and entertainment will be provided by the Main Event Singers.
Aroostook River Fun Run
There is only one week left before the canoe and kayak race taking place on Saturday, May 31. The Aroostook River Fun Run will begin at the Thomas Brewer Park in Washburn and will end at the Presque Isle Fish and Game Club. Registration will begin at the Washburn site starting at 8:30 a.m. and you can also register by mail. Please make checks payable to Presque Isle Rotary Club and mail completed and signed registration for to: Presque Isle Rotary Club, P.O. Box 641, Presque Isle, ME 04769, Attention: Canoe Race Committee.
There will be various classifications with various prices per paddler according to age. Leaflets with registration forms and much more information on the race are available at various businesses and by phoning any Rotarian.
This is an event to celebrate the natural beauty of our river and promote water sports for family-oriented recreation. The proceeds will benefit the Wintergreen Arts Center, and for further information contact: Keith Brown at 455-4717 or krbrown@mfx.net or Mark Putnam at 764-4471 or editor@nepublish.com.
This race event is being sponsored by the Presque Isle and Washburn Rotary clubs.
Lobster Fest
You only have six days left to reserve your seats (or take out orders) for the great lobster meal to be served at the Crouseville Advent Church Mission Building. Tickets must be reserved in advance, and the cost for the total meal is $25 and the cutoff date for tickets is Monday, May 26.
The meal is being served on Saturday, May 31, and seating is limited, so be sure and get yours reserved early! These lobsters will be totally fresh, straight out of the ocean the morning of the supper!
The meals include the average one-and-one-half-pound Maine lobster, a baked Maine potato, green salad and a delicious dessert made by the famous good cooks of Crouseville.
The meals can be eaten at the Church Mission building in two settings, 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The tickets will have the times and which seating on them. Take-out orders will be available starting at 5:45 p.m. and reserved tickets are also required.
To reserve your ticket, leave a message for Pastor Paul at 455-4714 or e-mail him at carterscraftsme@yahoo.com. Proceeds from this event will go towards the church’s Youth Programs and the parking lot expansion project.
August Festival
The August Festival Committee has officially set the date for the 2008 event for Friday, Aug. 15, Saturday, Aug. 16 and Sunday, Aug. 17. Andrea Powers was selected co-chair along with Peggy Bugbee and “Generations: Past, Present and Future” was chosen as the theme. Participation letters for parade entries, sponsorship and donations will be in the mail in the near future. Powers can be reached at 455-8485 or e-mail her at townmanager@washburnmaine.org.
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 4, at 6:30 p.m. at the Washburn Civic Center. All volunteers are welcome and interested residents are urged to attend. Among the many opportunities to help include chairperson or volunteer for the Car Show. Anyone wishing to volunteer, please contact Andrea Powers.
Correction
Attending the party for 7-year-old Jayden Grace Harris but inadvertently omitted was Jessica Aube, and Quintin Thompson’s name was spelled incorrectly.
Christie Cochran is the correspondent for Washburn, Wade and Perham. She can be reached at 455-8034 or gramchristie@yahoo.com.
Contributed photo
Reunion of babies with Presque Isle roots — These babies, whose fathers are all former Presque Isle residents, spent time together recently at the home of Heath and Karen Savage, in Manchester, N.H. L-R: Camdyn, daughter of Kyle and Kristalyn Keenan; Emma, daughter of Heath and Karen Savage; Calia, daughter of Kyle and Kristalyn Keenan; Meghan, daughter of Adam and Kristen Schmidt; and Madison, daughter of Matthew and Anna Madore. Grandparents who still live in Presque Isle are: Frank and Darrylin Keenan, Spike Savage, John and Winnie Schmidt and Barry and Alexis Madore.
Photo courtesy of Christie Cochran 
SERVING LINE – Washburn Rotarians enjoyed the work of feeding over 100 people at their annual supper auction.
Photo courtesy of Christie Cochran
JAYDEN HARRIS recently celebrated her 7th birthday, enjoying cake and much more with family and friends.
