OTISFIELD – The selectmen and Comprehensive Plan Update Committee met Wednesday night to discuss why the plan was taken off the special town meeting warrant last week.

Selectman Lenny Adler informed Committee Chairman Jim Bishop that statutory requirements for a comprehensive plan update call for Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments and the State Planning Office to review the plan before it is brought to voters. He noted that Maine Municipal Association recommends sending the plan to the State Planning Office.

During early meetings about the update, Bishop said the committee was prompted to tailor the plan to meet the requirements of residents of Otisfield, not state requirements. The selectmen noted a lack of state review could eliminate eligibility for state grants.

“If the state suggests something the people don’t want, we will go with what the people want but we are going to send it to the state,” Adler said.

Bishop said the committee opted to not forward the plan to the state because it did not want to have to wait six months or more for the state review.

Adler noted the town attorney customarily reviews legal documents for the town before they appear on a town meeting warrant.

“Are you willing to prolong this thing for a year?” Bishop asked.

“We are going to go through the process,” Adler responded.

“I’m concerned you are just stonewalling it,” Bishop said.

Adler noted the selectmen were elected by the residents of the community to run the town and they have determined the plan will be reviewed by the attorney, state and AVCOG.

“My only concern is that our lawyer says we cannot legally pass it,” Selectman Tom Nurmi said. “I think we can work out the issues.”

Committee member John Nicosia noted his committee gave the plan to the selectmen in late May and asked why it had not been sent to the attorney then.

“We should have done that,” Adler said. “We made a mistake.”

The selectmen agreed to forward a copy of comments from the town attorney as soon as they come in.

In other business, the board met with Planning Board Chairman Stan Brett to discuss an ordinance adopted by voters in March that requires underground power lines for home owners.

All agreed Central Maine Power representatives gave the community two different answers about the costs of underground power lines. Recently the town was told the cost is three times more expensive and Brett brought with him paperwork from another CMP rep that stated it is the same.

The selectmen plan to ask the CMP representatives to meet with them to determine the truth.

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