Milo gives its support to Kiwanis’ Sebec River Canoe & Kayak Race

By Stuart Hedstrom 
Staff Writer

    MILO — On Saturday, June 15 boaters will put their crafts into the Sebec River for the journey from in-town Sebec to downtown Milo for the Three Rivers Kiwanis of Milo/Brownville’s annual Sebec River Canoe & Kayak Race. During a selectmen’s meeting on March 26 the board gave their support to the annual event, which benefits a number of the organization’s community programs.

    Town Manager David Maynard said he had received a request from the Three Rivers Kiwanis asking that Milo give its support to the race, as town officials have done for a number of years. “If we do they will be covered by town insurance, that’s the purpose of it,” he said, as the board authorized Maynard to write a letter signifying their support for the race.
    On June 28-29 the Three Rivers Kiwanis is planning to hold its annual auction, and the club had made a request to use the town’s barn for storage, in exchange for a donation and/or rental payment on Park Street at the edge of the Eastern Piscataquis Industrial Park where the organization is looking to conduct its auction. In years past the auction had been held in the parking lot of what is now TradeWinds, but this location currently is the site of the business’ gas pumps.
    A related matter was scheduled for an executive session at the end of the meeting, but the selectmen opted to move this session up toward the start. Town officials met behind closed doors for about 35 minutes and after coming out of the executive session Selectman Bob Ade said, “I make a motion we table a decision on the Kiwanis auction taking place up at the industrial park until our next meeting.”
    The motion was passed and the matter is scheduled to be on the agenda for the April 2 meeting. Maynard said there was no reason for concern in the item being tabled by a week.
    In other business, Maynard was asked about changes to Milo’s Land Use Ordinance and he said a joint meeting with the planning board would likely be scheduled for members of the public to participate in. “Anyone can bring in what they think they want to do,” he said, with changes to the ordinance needing to be OKed by the two boards.
    Maynard said final adjustments to the ordinance would be made via a special town meeting vote, which could take place during the months to come as he said another matter may also need to be brought to a special town meeting.
    The town manager provided a pair of updates on business to come later in the year, first by saying that Milo’s fire contract with the neighboring community of Medford would be coming up for renewal in December. “I am going to suggest we leave it on the table until the second meeting in April,” he said. “After we hear what they are suggesting and seeing if it makes sense or not.”
    Maynard said Bike Maine, a ride featuring several hundred cyclists traveling across the state, made a request to Milo officials. “The essence of it is they will be in town in September,” Maynard said, saying a town representative could be needed to help with the event but a decision would not be needed until a later time.