POLAND — The Select Board learned Tuesday night that a watershed survey will be conducted on Lower, Middle and Upper Range ponds on May 11.
Kim Brandt and Shannon Dwyer from the Range Ponds Association said the survey is necessary to identify nonpoint sources of pollution, namely areas of stormwater runoff resulting from soil erosion.
The runoff carries sediment containing phosphorus and other nutrients that can lead to algae blooms in lakes, which depletes the oxygen level. Low oxygen impairs fish habitats, such as trout and salmon.
A high level of algae in Middle Range Pond was discovered in 2022, leading the association to initiate the watershed survey.
Brandt said a survey has not been done on the ponds for 20 years.
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection and Androscoggin Valley Soil and Water Conservation District will provide technical assistance.
A public meeting to provide more detailed information about the survey and answer questions will be held Saturday, April 6, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Poland Town Hall, 1231 Maine St.
The association is urging anyone who lives on or near the ponds or uses them for recreation to attend the meeting. The survey will help the association obtain federal money to remedy the erosion areas.
The Range Ponds Association is a nonprofit organization created to monitor and protect the water quality of the ponds.
In other board action, Regional School Unit 16 Superintendent Todd Sanders told board members the district faces a major revenue shortfall in the upcoming 2024-25 fiscal year budget. A decrease of $751,000 in the state subsidy and fewer leftover funds from the current budget will mean $1.3 million less in revenue.
Sanders pointed out that higher town valuations, fewer students, in part due to a high number of home-schoolers, and smaller classroom sizes work against the district in the state subsidy formula.
In another school district issue, Selectpersons Stephen Robinson and Nathan McNally noted their disappointment that the RSU 16 directors last week passed a master lease purchase agreement for up to $10.2 million that did not have a public vote.
The money is to pay for upgrades to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in the elementary schools in Mechanic Falls, Minot and Poland.
Board Chairwoman Mary Martin said last week that such agreements are through a bank and are only for energy projects.
Robinson added that though he agrees with the lease agreement, “I don’t like that there weren’t public hearings held by the school committee to say this is what is coming out” to get feedback before approving it.
Deputy Town Manager Nikki Pratt said residents asked her how the school board could sign a note or borrow money without public approval.
Sanders said the agreement is an exception and he had checked that with the district’s legal counsel.
The Select Board members did agree that the relationship and communication with the present school district administration is better than in previous years.
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