JAY – The town manager will give selectmen an update on access to Parker Pond on Monday.

“We’re right back where we started,” Town Manager Ruth Marden said about the lack of public access to the pond.

And the Livermore Falls Water District wants an ordinance to prohibit planes from landing within 400 feet of the water intake and reduce the size of boat motors allowed on the pond, Marden said.

A resident who owns property around the pond has a sea plane that he uses on the pond. If the 400-foot restriction is adopted, he wouldn’t be able to get to his property by plane.

The pond, off the East Jay Road, is an alternate drinking water source to the district that serves customers in Jay and Livermore Falls. The primary source of water is Moose Hill Pond on Route 17 in Livermore Falls, which is governed by an ordinance. If that gets contaminated or water levels run low, Parker Pond becomes the primary source.

Selectmen had put off establishing an ordinance for Parker Pond five years ago. They wanted to get access to it.

Owners on the dirt road that leads to the pond posted it, restricting access unless written permission is granted. The district has an easement over the road.

Selectmen voted in December 2008 to revisit a request to establish an ordinance to protect Parker Pond next October. In the meantime, town officials were going to try to find a way to gain access to the pond.

In other business, Parker will also ask the board to hold the town and school budget referendum in June, rather than April, to give the School Department more time to work on a budget.

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 8, at the town office.

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