POLAND – Decisions at Saturday’s town meeting on a series of seven articles pertaining to zoning and land use could be far reaching.

“Anyone interested in preserving the character of Poland ought to be there,” Town Manager Dana Lee said.

Voters will decide how they want development of the Route 26 corridor to proceed.

“Do we want design standards and the presentation of a village appearance or do we just leave free reign to developers and big box architects and look like Windham?” Lee asked.

Lee said he wants a good discussion on the course for development of the town and, as part of that, the town’s advice on the use of tax increment financing funds to pay engineering costs for water and sewer lines along routes 122 and 26.

This year’s town meeting is expected to be considerably shorter than past meetings now that action on the school budget will take place later in May and June in conjunction with the new consolidated school department with Mechanic Falls and Minot.

Lee noted that according to Poland’s recently adopted charter, 100 voters are required for a valid town meeting, and he hopes that, absent the draw of the school budget, there will be a quorum.

“The town meeting form of government is something to be cherished. You’d hope there would be enough people willing to give three or three and a half hours a year to their town,” Lee said.

Town meeting will convene Saturday, April 4, at 9 a.m. in the Poland Regional High School auditorium.