POLAND – The Planning Board approved the plan to renovate and expand the town office building Tuesday night.

Construction is expected to proceed this year. The $125,000 project received approval from voters at the annual town meeting in April 2002.

A 20-by-36-foot addition at the southwest corner of the building will house a new conference room for meetings by the Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board. The existing conference room where selectmen currently meet will become the assessor’s office. A small office currently occupied by the assessor will become office space for either the code enforcement officer or the Building and Planning Department secretary.

A wall that separates the two small offices currently used by Code Enforcement Officer Arthur Dunlap and the Building and Planning Department will be torn down to make one large office. The front service counter area and lobby will be made into a larger lobby. The wall that helps form the existing counter will be removed. A new service counter will be installed with modular office furniture for three workstations behind it. New furniture and modular workstations will be installed in other parts of the municipal building.

The town government first occupied the one-story building in November 1989. Since then, some municipal departments have outgrown their office space.

In other business, Herb Chickering representing Nu-Realty sought approval to expand the Poland Corner Mobile Home Park. The board found the sketch plan vague and questioned the number of new lots to be created. Chickering was asked to return at a later date with more detailed information, according to Dunlap.

In another matter, Joe Terenzi asked the board for clarification on approval he received in October 2002 to place a foundation under a camp in a shoreland zoning area. He was told he could put in a partial basement.

Also, Richard Spear presented a preliminary application for a major subdivision. The board asked for additional information to be provided at a future meeting.

In other business, Charles and Dorothy Hamlyn sought approval to expand a driveway parking area in a shoreland zoning area. The board tabled the matter to reconfigure numbers on the plan, Dunlap said.

The board elected Carl Duchette as its new chairman. He will replace Larry Moreau, who will remain on the board. Susan Ellis was elected vice chairman and Charles Finger will serve as secretary of the board.