A message from Brian

Good afternoon Sangerville. The select board met last Wednesday evening the 21st but everything in the meeting would fall under the heading of routine business.

The much talked about, (at least by me), Maine Historic Preservation Commission grant application for $500,000.00 for town hall renovations has been submitted. The preparation for this grant involved a lot of people who worked hard and put forth an outstanding effort to help put this application together, I would like to mention a few and say thank you: Melissa Getchell, Dennis Campbell, Diana Bowley, Dyan McCarthy-Clark, Priscilla Johnson, Jane Boutlier, Sue Griffith, and Steve Govoni.

An upcoming issue for the select board will be openings on the school board. Sangerville has four members on the school board, we currently have one opening and Danielle Gray, a longtime member of the school board informed me last month she would not be continuing on the board for another term because of changes in her job and family commitments. Danielle would be happy to mentor an interested person in her last few months on the board to help with an easier transition.

It is very important to the community to have full representation on this board. Communities are often judged by the quality of their schools, and I believe all of us want to see young people from our community get the best education they possibly can. The future economic development and overall health of Sangerville and Guilford are tied directly to our school system. Also, in Sangerville six out of every ten dollars we raise in taxes go to the school district. So, if you are interested or know someone who is and would make a good school board member contact me or come to our next select board meeting and volunteer.

If you have been in the village area of Sangerville hopefully you have noticed the festive appearance courtesy of Michelle, Drew, Gary and the Sangerville Fire Department. If you don’t have Halloween plans, please join us at the fire department on Saturday between 3:00 PM and 8:00 PM. There will be numerous activities for the kids as well as free food for everyone. This party is not just for kids; it will be an opportunity to see the fire station and equipment and learn about it for everyone and if you have ever considered being a part of the fire department and have questions this is a great event to attend and ask those questions. The most important frequently asked question I will address in this post. You can be part of the department even if you don’t want to learn how to put on all the gear and enter burning buildings, there are many support and other roles we need filled.

The planning board is working hard on a comprehensive plan to put before the voters in March. A comprehensive plan can be thought of as a vision statement for the community or a set of blueprints for future growth and development. Because this is your town and your comprehensive plan as much as it is ours, the planning board is holding a potluck dessert event Saturday November 7, 2026, at the Grace Bible Church Community Room at 40 Douty Hill Rd. at 6:00 PM. The purpose is to bring as many interested members of the community as possible together to discuss what you feel should or should not be in the plan. The planning board will have coffee available but asks you bring a dessert to share. This community input is vital to creating a successful plan.

Plans for the veterans day celebration are coming together, so please plan to join us around 10:30 Wednesday morning November 11, 2026, at the Veterans Memorial on Main St.

We were finally able to successfully repair the concrete culverts on the Silvers Mills Rd. These culverts were only five years old and designed to last 80-100 years. After a great deal of research and some help from Maine DOT we learned how we could repair them at a very reasonable cost. We were able to do these repairs without disturbing the asphalt pavement on the road. My hope now is that it will be 75 years or so before the next road commissioner has to deal with problems with these culverts. We also have done extensive ditching on the McNaughton Hill and added some gravel. Over the next few days, we will be doing some work on the West Rd. and repairing the sidewalk by the bridge on the Douty Hill.

Have a great week everyone.

Brian

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