JAY – Selectmen voted Monday to apply for a federal grant that would help a North Jay couple expand hiking trails and continue to preserve the history of the North Jay quarry.

Mary Howes asked selectmen if they would be the applicant for a grant of up to $25,000. Howes and her husband, Tim DeMillo, established a nonprofit organization in 2005 and developed North Jay White Granite Park. They created a one-mile walking trail that winds through their apple orchard off Woodman Hill Road. The site boasts extensive views of the mountains as well the trails passing by a small, white granite quarry. There is also a trail leading up to a bigger quarry, about 130 acres, located off their property, that once produced 1 million paving blocks a year.

Their long-term goal is to build a museum to preserve the granite quarry history and offer tours to local schoolchildren.

Howes presented to selectmen, a 2006 visitors book with 345 names from 20 Maine towns, 17 states, including California, and two countries, including Poland.

“I’m not asking for any money from the town,” Howes said Monday.

The couple said they want to apply for grants, and the one they are looking at requires a municipality to be the applicant.

“We actually want to purchase some more land,” Howes said.

They would like to buy 165 acres and expand the trails into the wooded area more and add informational signs along the way.

The signs would show native trees, animals and birds of the area, old farm equipment along the trail and a map of the mountains seen in the distance.

They have investors lined up to help buy the property, if they can negotiate a deal with the owner, she said.

A committee would need to be set up, she said.

Since the town would be the applicant, it would have an easement on the property, she said.

“There’s a lot of ifs to this,” Howes said. “I just need to know if you will be the applicant. I’ll do all the work and keep you informed.”

“I think it’s a great idea,” Chairman Bill Harlow said.

Selectmen voted unanimously to support the project and be the vehicle for the grant.

“I think we owe Mary and Tim a lot of gratitude for what they’re doing and what they intend to do, resident Hyla Friedman said.