OTISFIELD – The Board of Selectmen plans to propose changes in the recently adopted building ordinance, which calls for one telephone pole per private property.

Central Maine Power Co. representatives met with the board Wednesday night to discuss the building ordinance adopted by voters at the annual town meeting in March. Bob Fickett and Steve Morgan of CMP told the board they are concerned with the one-pole limit. They said there are several roads in town that have to run power lines down for miles to get to a home. Under the new ordinance, homeowners will need to run power lines underground.

“Is it a lot more to run power underground rather than overhead?” Selectman Lenny Adler asked.

Morgan said it is.

“Our Planning Board told us it would cost about the same,” Adler said.

Fickett estimated the average job will be three times more expensive for underground lines. He also noted the life of underground lines is 20 years and overhead it is 40 years, and the cost is more for construction on ledge.

“This sounds like something we need to look at,” Adler said. “My concern is that we were told the cost is about the same by a committee we trusted.”

Fickett explained the cost is approximately the same if you do not include excavation of the ditch for the lines.

“Most towns with this requirement have it for subdivisions because it is more affordable,” Fickett said.

Board members noted the ordinance also calls for drilled wells. They said they were told drilled wells are now required by banks financing new homes, and Selectman Gerald Robinson said this is not true.

The board plans to propose changes to the ordinance to correct the errors.

“If the Planning Board doesn’t like it, then they can explain why they gave the public the incorrect information,” Adler said.

In other business, the board reviewed the list of students who received scholarships from the community. A letter from the scholarship committee noted they received 10 requests for funds.

Scholarships were awarded to Jennie Lobb, Kyle Herrick, Thomas Toutant, Sarah Howard, Catherine Howard, Amy Howard, Amanda Ayotte, Richard Burkard and Jon Damon.

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