NEW GLOUCESTER – Selectmen on Monday elected Steve Libby as chairman and agreed to adjust plans for summer paving projects. Dale Maschino was chosen vice chairman.
Portions of the Cobb’s Bridge Road to the Auburn line and the North Pownal Road to the Pownal town line will be paved this summer at a cost of $155,000. Selectmen agreed to postpone paving the Snow Hill Road until next year. The rural roads require extensive ditching and culvert work also.
The board unanimously agreed to renew a lease with the New Gloucester News, a local free weekly newspaper, for space in the basement of the library. The lease has been in effect for more than a decade. The New Gloucester News pays for electricity and a portion of heating costs. The town receives $100 per month in rent.
Selectmen agreed to endorse a draft plan for long-range facilities planning.
The document maps out step-by-step plans to implement upgrades to municipal facilities for future budget and capital improvement planning. Department heads and committee chairmen reviewed the plan, which requires preliminary engineering studies for an estimated $15,000.
The board is expected to vote at its next meeting in two weeks to send out requests for bids.
The engineering studies include reviewing the plan and inspecting buildings and providing conceptual drawings and cost estimates for each project.
Work will include upgrading the second-floor layout of the Town Hall currently used to store recreation equipment. Parking at the Town Hall complex will be reviewed, and a conceptual plan will include conversion of the current lower village fire station to meeting rooms.
The plan does not include any modifications of the transfer station nor future library expansions.
Tax increment financing money paid by Pineland will defray the cost of the study. New Gloucester set up the TIF to segregate taxes paid by Pineland to pay for costly impacts to the town from Pineland’s development.
Don Keneagy was given an appreciation plaque by selectmen for his many years serving on the cable TV broadcast volunteer team. He began his duties covering town meetings and local board meetings in 1999.
He made a plea for others to volunteer and promised to train them.
A. Wayne Cobb was welcomed to the board after winning last week’s election.
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