KINGFIELD – Nearly 60 community members and Poland Spring representatives plan to mark the water company’s expansion in town with a celebratory conference and luncheon today, First Selectman John Dill said Wednesday.

“We’re excited about it,” he said. “It’s nice to see (Poland Spring) starting. It’s been a long haul, a two-and-a-half-year project.”

The conference marks the start of work on Poland Spring Water Co.’s $60 million bottling plant. Groundbreaking began on the site last week. Kim Jeffery, the chief executive officer of Nestle Waters North America, of which Poland Spring is a subsidiary, will be attending the luncheon along with Poland Spring representatives, community members, and local bottling plant proponents, Greater Franklin Development Corp. Executive Director Alison Hagerstrom said.

“There’s people working up there – Cianbro, EL Vining, Cousineau – that weren’t working up there two weeks ago,” Poland Spring Natural Resources Manager Tom Brennan said. “That’s good news to me. That’s what it’s all about. And a little over a year from now there’s going to be the third Poland Spring bottling plant in Maine.”

“We wouldn’t be where we are if it wasn’t for the leadership in the town of Kingfield,” he added. “I can say categorically am very grateful for that.”