Alna selectmen said Dec. 17, they might give voters a second option to change shoreland rules. Ralph Hilton’s proposal via his petition this fall will be on the March town meeting warrant, and so might another article, Second Selectman Doug Baston said.

Selectmen voted to hold the petitioned article over to the annual town meeting, planned for March 26 for elections, and March 27 for the open meeting, if pandemic conditions allow one then. “We’ll have to cross that bridge when we get there,” Third Selectman Greg Shute said in the Zoom meeting.

Hilton reiterated Jeff Spinney, who has had losing and winning project proposals with the planning board this year, is not petitioning for the shoreland ordinance change. “Ralph Hilton is, just like he put in the one to change the funding formula for (Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit 12), just like he did the petition to alter the school choice plan. And this (ordinance) is one that needs to be straightened out.”

Hilton also reiterated, the petition’s point is to make two parts of the ordinance consistent with each other and make it clear the planning board can consider projects involving permanent structures “for functionally water-dependent uses.”

Baston said the open town meeting Hilton’s petition sought is “clearly” not possible now, so instead of a special town meeting, the annual one will decide it. Baston added, he wants to get some longtime planning board members’ take on the proposal. “This gives them time to review this and if it’s not an appropriate solution, make recommendations” for one that is. And he said no one is going to put anything in the river this time of year, so “there is no urgency.”

Shute agreed waiting for town meeting is “the right approach” and, he noted, Baston ran it by Maine Municipal Association.

Responding to a question from Hilton, Baston said Hilton’s question will be on the warrant. “But we could also, if it was felt it needed fine tuning ... the selectmen could propose an alternative warrant article ... I think what we all want is a good result.”

Also Dec. 17, Shute said due to a confidentiality agreement he signed on the town’s behalf, the only update he could give on the Dec. 16 mediation in Spinney’s appeal is that the session happened. “I will report more when I am able to.” The mediation stems from the town’s rejection of one of Spinney’s shoreland requests.

First Selectman Melissa Spinney said response to the town’s giving tree was wonderful, and people are asking what else they can do. She suggested they donate to the fuel assistance fund, food pantry, or general assistance.

As for the food pantry, due to its growth with donations and residents’ need, the board approved moving it from an upstairs closet to a bigger, unfinished space downstairs. Spinney said the space will be finished with no tax dollars, only donations, including a $2,085 state grant she sought. “Eight days later, we got a check for $2,085 ... so that was great.”

The space the pantry vacates will become storage for election and other town files that need to be under lock, officials said. Shute praised Spinney’s work on the pantry. He concurred “there is a definite community need” and the pantry has outgrown its space.

The town office is getting an automatic defibrillator (AED). Spinney said it will cost a couple hundred dollars. Town Clerk Sheila McCarty said if a customer has a heart attack, the device could help someone help the person until help arrives. AED’s are growing common in public buildings, she said.

The first major storm with the town’s new plowing contractor, Holbrook Excavating of Woolwich, had “a couple of wrinkles,” Baston said. He said the town told the firm to plow the town office again, add to the sand on Head Tide Hill and plow Colpit Road and a missed part of Dock Road. The firm’s owner, Evan Holbrook, was very responsive, Shute said. Baston said the firm had been unaware of Colpit Road.

Ed Pentaleri told the board he saw four vehicles trying to take Head Tide Hill roll back down it.