Four days before Alna and the rest of the nation decide the next president, townspeople have some local questions to consider at a special town meeting. All involve American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The meeting is at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1 in the fire station's meeting room.

On the warrant selectmen nodded Oct. 17, residents will consider authorizing the selectboard to "take any and all actions necessary for the receipt and use of grant funds from the Maine Connectivity Authority related to a collaborative project with Consolidated Communications for the construction of a broadband fiber network to serve the Town's residents (and) enter any agreements necessary and appropriate between the Town, Maine Connectivity Authority and Consolidated Communications related to said grant and the construction of the fiber network (and) appropriate $10,500 from State Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (also known as American Rescue Plan Act or ARPA funds) received by the Town from the federal government for the following project: Broadband service/infrastructure and connectivity."

In August, Maine Connectivity Authority announced Lincoln County and Consolidated Communications' partnership received a $6 million award "matched by $24,309,864 in private and public investment including Lincoln County American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. This grant incorporates the highest percentage of financial commitment from any public-private partnership awarded through an MCA program to date," the press release stated. "In partnership with Consolidated Communications, this project will serve 14,436 homes and businesses in Woolwich (in Sagadahoc County), Wiscasset, Alna, Dresden, Boothbay, Edgecomb, Waldoboro, Whitefield and Nobleboro."

Also Nov. 1, another proposed tap of ARPA funds would be for up to $7,500 "for town office and town computer upgrades, including adding a second workstation at the front counter, replacing an existing computer at the town office, purchasing a credit/debit card module from TRIO, and/or lighting for the town flagpole."

Residents will consider a tap of up to $40,000 to improve Bailey Road; and a tap of up to $20,000 to buy surface gravel for town roads.

Also Oct. 17, Ralph Hilton thanked the selectboard for naming him to the Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit's board Oct. 10.