NGXchange

| Joanne Cole, NGX |

It reads like a riddle with a distinctly New England slant: What do you get when you put a dozen members of three town committees together in a meetinghouse?

The answer: close examination of the town’s new solar energy system ordinance. Developed by the Land Management Planning Committee with the guidance of town planner Scott Hastings and a strong assist from knowledgeable members of the community, the ordinance now goes to public hearing on Tuesday March 3 at 7 pm.

Introducing the ordinance at a special joint meeting of the Select Board, Planning Board, and LMPC on February 11, planner Hastings characterized the proposed ordinance as “very permissive.” He said it “allows solar in most cases and just provides some performance standards to make sure [the systems] are not going to have a detrimental impact on neighbors, or the environment, or the scenic-ness of our town.”

Veterans Monument recognition

Friday, Feb. 28, is this year’s deadline to add a veteran’s name to the New Gloucester Veterans Monument or to purchase an engraved brick for $50.

To have a name engraved on the monument, an individual must be a veteran or currently active in the military, reserves or National Guard and have resided in New Gloucester at some point in their lives. Proof of military status is required, such as a copy of discharge papers (DD-214).

Forms for engraving names on a monument or engraving on a 4-inch x 8-inch brick are available by clicking on the New Gloucester Veterans Monument menu at newgloucester.com, picking up print versions at Town Hall or by emailing a request to jelibby8@maine.rr.com.

For Patti Mikkelsen’s complete column in the Lakes Region Weekly, go to https://www.pressherald.com/2020/02/14/inside-new-gloucester-feb-14/

|From WMTW|

Fire heavily damaged a home in New Gloucester early Friday morning. The fire broke out at about 5 a.m. at a home on Rustic Way. Keep reading

|Ellie Fellers, Special to the Sun Journal|

Some positions, library hours on the chopping block

Selectmen are calling for across-the-board cuts as they develop a municipal budget for 2020-21, interim Town Manager Paul First said this week.

A final budget was not made available after Thursday night’s board meeting. The initial proposal presented in January was $3.82 million.

Some of the cuts being considered, First said, include a Parks and Recreation employee position reduced to 35 hours per week, the code enforcement account, the assistant librarian position and the New Gloucester Public Library’s hours of operation. Keep reading

It’s not too late for kids to join the four-week Fit to Win program at the Pineland YMCA. The free program, which begins Tuesday February 18, is open to young people in grades K through 6, and encourages physical activity and healthy habits.

Fit to Win meets on Tuesdays from 4:15 to 5:15 pm, February 18, February 25, March 3, and March 10. Teams will track their progress and might even win some sweet Boston Celtics swag at the end of the program.

The Fit to Win program is free, thanks to sponsors Sun Life Financial, the Boston Celtics, and the YMCA of Southern Maine, but registration is required. To sign up or for more information, contact Kara Phillips, Youth Development Coordinator, kphillips@ymcaofsouthernmaine.org OR call 207.688.2255 ext. 611