Alna selectmen agreed Nov. 14 to send the planning board a copy of a draft of a blasting ordinance for the panel to review and make recommendations on by Dec. 15. Chris Cooper, who moderated a selectboard-appointed mining committee that produced the draft ordinance, said letting the planning board edit the document might lead committee members to "disavow" the proposal. 

The selectboard decided it will review recommendations the planning board gives it about the document, and consider incorporating them.

With Town Clerk Sarah Perkins and other participants, selectmen eyed benchmark dates toward getting a proposal to the annual town meeting in March. Perkins told selectmen, the proposal would be one item on a long warrant "that you guys are going to be working hard on," and which should be at the printers by Feb. 1.

The selectboard plans a legal review of the proposed ordinance; and plans a Jan. 9 public hearing. As for the legal review, Second Selectman Steve Graham's proposal to go with a different firm, for "fresh eyes," got support from neither of his fellow members.

Selectmen discussed possibly including the planning board in a meeting with legal counsel and, if the lawyer sees fit, having that be an open meeting instead of an executive, or closed door, session. There's nothing to hide, Graham said.

Graham also suggested having the committee, if willing, work on a mining ordinance for the March 2026 town meeting. Third Selectman Coreysha Stone called that "a whole 'nother can of worms right now. I don't know if we need to go there. We're doing this (blasting ordinance), trying to get this done in time for (the 2025) town meeting."

Graham recalled the plan was for the committee to propose a mining ordinance as well. "It turns out that in the process, that didn't happen," he said. "I think we should still be committed to a mining ordinance. We might as well agree to how we want to go forward."

Resident Honor Sage suggested waiting until after town meeting to decide next steps on a mining ordinance. Graham said he doesn't know if he will seek another term, and he feels responsible for getting a mechanism in place to work on a mining ordinance. Next meeting, selectmen will talk further. 

Last March, proposed mining rules the planning board worked on lost at town meeting. Selectmen later named the committee, made up of two planning board members; a selectman; two owners of small gravel pits; a representative of Crooker Construction, which has a pit in town; and three at-large members.

Also Nov. 14, Stone said she does not plan to run for re-election. Her and Graham's terms end in March. "I love the job, it's no secret. I will run again, but I think timing-wise in my life, I need to get my youngest through high school."

Selectmen are considering a parking ordinance after safety concerns were raised about some of the parking that occurs near The Alna Store. There have been times a fire truck would not have been able to get through, Fire Chief and Road Commissioner Mike Trask told the board. He and one of the store's owners, Brian Haskins, plan to look together at where the store could have customers avoid parking.

"We are looking at rearranging some of our own space," Haskins added. The board plans to continue its public hearing on the would-be parking ordinance. No date was set.

Unlike most ordinances, the parking one would not take a town vote for the board to put into effect, First Selectman Nick Johnston said. 

In the selectboard's post-meeting working meeting, where the board mulls what to put on its next agenda, Stone floated appointing past selectman Ed Pentaleri as a point person on the Ben Bridge Brook project he shepherded while on the board. This could help ensure the town meets grant deadlines, Stone maintained. 

"This is super important. (It's) a million dollars to get a bridge done, and I'm concerned that we're not meeting our deadlines, and  we're not getting everything done, and we're going to lose funding," Stone said.

It is the board's responsibility, Graham said. He and Johnston felt the board can handle the project and ask Pentaleri questions, if any. "We have to be vigilant and I have to really stay on top of it ... It's a massive project," Graham said. He puts reminders on his phone, he added.