Alna Fire Chief Mike Trask said Dec. 19, the department will seek the next truck at town meeting next March. "You guys need to look into financing for a loan," he told selectmen. 

A grant request toward the truck was awaiting signing, according to the discussion. And Trask and other town officials will explore potential lenders. Trask recommended against bonding. "I wouldn't waste my time ... That would cost us way too much money. That's ridiculous."

According to the town website at Alna.maine.gov, the fire truck reserve account stood at $157,372 as of Jan. 31, and voters in March agreed to put in another $50,000. 

The truck will replace a pumper-tanker that turns 30 in 2025, Trask has said. 

Also Dec. 19, nomination papers became available for second and third selectmen, both two-year terms; road commissioner, one year; and Regional School Unit 12 representative, three years. Town Clerk Sarah Perkins' announcement stated the filing deadline is Monday, Jan. 27. The town office will be open that day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to receive papers.

Perkins said the papers must be available 100 days before the elections. So elections will be March 28 and town meeting, March 29, she told the board.

Lincoln County Administrator Carrie Kipfer noted Consolidated Communications will start work in January on the Wiscasset part of its multi-town, multi-million dollar broadband project. "And Alna is part of that Wiscasset portion. So Alna will get the benefit of being early in the project," Kipfer told the board. Selectmen signed a document that night to send Consolidated. Voters at a special town meeting Nov. 1 nodded using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the town's $10,500 match.