JAY – Residents overwhelmingly supported motions in opposition to the New England Clean Energy Connect transmission line project at Monday’s special town meeting, aligning the town with a number of neighboring communities.
Central Maine Power’s NECEC project would link Hydro-Québec hydropower with the New England grid in response to a bid submitted to Massachusetts to bring clean energy into that state. A total of 145 miles of combined new and upgraded corridor would link a substation in Lewiston to the Canadian border through a Direct Current transmission line. In Jay, the project would impact 7 miles of existing corridor, widening it on the western side to make space for the DC line.
Like many local boards, the Jay Board of Selectpersons previously voted to support the NECEC project. In May, residents presented a petition containing 217 signatures to the board, with the goal of triggering a special town meeting at which residents could determine the town’s stance toward NECEC. The board initially did not accept the petition, with a tied vote, but later reconsidered and signed warrants for Monday’s town meeting.
Roughly 250 people attended the meeting, which was held in the cafeteria of Spruce Mountain Middle School. An early attempt to proceed by secret ballot failed to achieve the required 10 percent support and moderator Ron Aseltine called for hand votes on two motions: the first to have the town take a position in opposition to the Central Maine Power project and the second to send letters indicating that stance to CMP and the various state agencies reviewing the line. Both articles passed overwhelmingly, with fewer than a dozen in support of the town’s current position.
Aside from some procedural questions, there was little discussion. A resident did ask if the Board of Selectpersons, authorized by an affirmative vote in Article 3, would in fact submit letters indicating the town’s opposition. Board members addressing the issue indicated that they would follow the will of the voters.
In Franklin County, Jay joins Farmington, Wilton and New Sharon in opposing the project.
At the conclusion of the special town meeting, selectpersons approved the purchase of a utility truck for the Jay Fire Department. At a previous meeting, the board decided against purchasing a new body for the existing truck, which has insufficient capacity. Chief Mike Booker researched different new truck options, landing on a Ford F350 from Casco Bay Ford in Yarmouth. The cost of the truck, after an $8,500 trade-in for the existing truck, would be roughly $30,000. Booker said that amount will likely be covered by the department’s current budget; he did ask for up to $10,000 out of his department’s equipment reserve to purchase lights and a body.
Selectpersons Gary McGrane, Tim DeMillo and Chair Terry Bergeron were in favor. Selectpersons Tom Goding and Judy Diaz were opposed.
The board did unanimously set the value of a town-owned 2006 Ford Explorer to be used by the new school resource officer at $4,000. That cost will be transferred from the school resource officer funding line back to the police department’s capital reserve account.
The board also noted that the French Falls’ concerts had been well received by the public. Both the Recreation Committee and sponsors of the events were commended by board members. The next scheduled concert is June 29, featuring Belmont Radio. A complete schedule can be found below.
Wonderful news!!!!
So much for secret ballot. WE had been told that would happen but it didn’t .
Is Jay prepared to find it’s own power source ?
@Clayton why would they need to find their own power source? I’m sure Verso would provide power because if this line goes through Verso will be loosing money.
@Clayton. As I understood the project, Maine wouldn’t be receiving any of the power as it was being sent to Massachusetts.
This picture tells a thousand stories. Virtually nothing is almost unanimous in politics these days, expect for grassroots OPPOSITION to NECEC. Wilton 162-1, New Sharon 82-4, slam dunks in Jay, Starks, Farmington….. the beat goes on.
Politicians heed our cry, we do not want this project in Maine and are prepared to fight to the bitter end. All these towns have rescinded support. It’s time for Gov. Mills to respect the will and knowledge of the people and come around on this critical issue. CMP has been exposed for the liars and cheats they are, do not hand them the keys to the car, drunk, with the baby in the back.
Gov Mills has the keys to the kingdom in her hands (pretty much).
Will she ignore her subjects or ……
Time will tell.
One thing for sure,, we wont forget.
All eyes are on you Gov.
Industry also rescinded support not to mention just about every town involved.
And now CMP is getting called out on their bad billing by the Governor herself.
Truthfully Governor, how can you trust a corporation with a project this big when they admit to bad billing practices that you call unacceptable?
Governor, the vote in Jay last night was a very telling vote. People were almost unanimous in their belief that the NECEC should not come through our western mountains. And that belief is held in other towns, not only in Jay. And morally speaking, putting all politics aside, if a large percentage of the people of Maine don’t want this Corridor do you think it should still happen?
There are other projects out there ready to go. Vermont is willing and more efficient. Why let a company that you’ve called out on unacceptable practices continue to have your endorsement?
By the way Jay, congratulations. I know it was a long haul for you. A long and at times, nasty haul.
Folks, cool your jets. First off, only 250 people showed up to this meeting. There are nearly 5,000 residents of Jay, more than half of whom are voters. At most, 10% of the town voting population voted. Second, many folks showed up expecting a vote by private ballot. When that did not happen those whom may have been in favor simply didn’t raise their hand or voted with the nays in fear of retaliation. This is why we vote by private ballot for president, governor, selectmen, etc. Each citizen has the right to vote their conscience without fear of retaliation or judgment from family, friends, neighbors, whoever.
If we lived in a perfect world this project would not have to be considered. Since we do not live in a perfect world it is necessary to begin thinking about where our energy is going to come from 20, 50, 100 years in the future. Not to mention the whole “power should be produced locally” ideology is not entirely realistic. There are six power stations on the New England regional grid. Some residents of Vermont get power from NH, some in parts of NH from Maine. Aroostook County gets all of its power from New Brunswick, Canada. That is the reality of our infrastructure.
I am angry at CMP. They have nearly lost all of the public’s trust as a result of their fraudulent billing scandal. However, it is not sensical to completely sink a plan for investment in our future over a company name.
I believe those who came out against the project are acting out of good faith even though I disagree with their position. I would encourage further discussion and those against the project to think about implications for the future. I truly believe the short-term losses we may incur as a result of this project far outweigh any future benefit for the world our children and grandchildren will eventually have to live in.
Rob s
Retaliation from whom? I’ve made some pretty good friends on the pro NECEC side even though I’m against the Corridor.
As far as losing business because you support or do not support the Corridor, no secret ballad will stop that. Folks pretty much know where everyone stands. Your political seat? Politics are politics. You play, you pay.
I would also like to point out that this Corridor will not save your children or your grandchildren or anything else for that matter.
Even CMP won’t confirm that.
And way to go Anson….
One more town objecting to the Corridor.
Another pointless vote, Darryl, it’s fairly obvious how many small minds occupy Franklin County. Mills won a majority of her votes, in Cumberland county, Aroostook county and of course Franklin county. The weed thing, taxing the rich, stricter gun laws, higher wages also got more votes in those areas than they did in the other parts of the state. The NECEC will more than likely happen, and if Maine companies choose not to bid the job, there are out of state companies that will. The line is on private property, 90% of it is already done and has been for years, and people have voted for the sake of voting, because it was never up for public vote. CMP has to hold public “hearings” as a formality not because they have to give the public any actual say on the matter. Does Maine benefit from the line? Parts of it does anyway. I wouldn’t count on Verso either, people used to complain that Verso power was not competitive with CMP so IP then took their lines of the grid. And since CMP controls the grid and stations in Livermore Falls, I wouldn’t expect them to be very forgiving.
LOL,, Read the condescending desperate comment from hrtlssbstrd and tell me it’s a done deal.
It aint and they know it aint…
But I would like to thank those that write comments that cause a backlash against corrupt corporate bullies,,
Keep yipping your yap,,, it’s helping the no side.
Hrtless Bstrd,
I’m sure you won’t mind if I put your last name in there, right?
We’re so small minded here in Franklin County that we at the Say No to the NECEC organization would LOVE to extend an invitation to you. We’ll be having a fundraiser of epic proportions in a couple of months and you’re certainly welcome to attend. We’d love to meet you. And bring some dark money…
PS Mills will lose a majority of her vote statewide if she goes up for re-election if that Corridor goes through.
Hrtlss can’t help but lie in favor of this scam. I have talked to employees in Versos power plant and they DO send power into the grid and get called when to shut off because our taxpayer subsidized wind mills need to make power. So try again maybe you can come up with a better lie.
Awww., You talked to people at Verso Androscoggin power(VAP)? That’s funny, because Verso hasn’t owned that part for three years. It is owned by Eagle Creek, who rents pole space from CMP to ship their power to Lewiston, Livermore Falls/Jay gets their power from Rumford. Verso gets a little from Eagle Creek and CMP, when its own biomass isn’t enough. So no, Verso can’t help Jay with power even if it wanted to. IP removed themselves from that grid years ago(around the time of the strike) then Boise Cascade in Rumford offered to carry lines from, get ready for it, Hydro-Quebec. Who by the way provides New England with 53% of its power, yay thanks Canada.