PERU — About 35 people attended a hearing Monday night on the proposed boat ramp on Worthley Pond.

to be located on the East Shore road about a mile from the pond outlet.

Pine Tree engineer Steve Dewick explained drawings of the dock, which showed how the site would be treated. Dewick said the road to the ramp and launch area on the east shore about a mile from the pond outlet would be paved. He said a Porta-Potti would be placed on a paved pad near the parking area. Dewick said they plan to plant balsam fir and hemlock trees to hide the facility from abutters.

 People wanted to know how far the ramp would intrude into the water.

Leon Bucher, federal aid coordinator for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, assisted in explaining the details. He said the site will be on seven-tenths of an acre with eight angled 40-foot-long parking spaces.

 The ramp slope will be 13.5 percent and Bucher hopes this will enable boaters to get in the water without power loading, which will save the pond bed.

 The ramp planks will begin 15 feet before the water line with 20 feet under water and 35 feet on the lake bed for pond protection.

Bucher said the Department of Environmental Protection has approved all the plans.

 Worthley Pond Association President Tim Placey said the association had unanimously approved a boat ramp in 2006.

 Abutter Thea Parker said the latest plan was a surprise. She said at a July 10 meeting with state wildlife and fisheries officials, the abutters were asked for input for the proposed ramp. On Monday night the group was informed that the DEP had already given its Permit by Rule approval July 8.

 Parker said the abutters had several concerns. Foremost was safety for their children and grandchildren. Swimming children will have to compete with motor boats.

 The state has said there is no money to put in buoys. The lake association said it would look into placing buoys, but Parker said they need something in writing. She said the depth is an issue because it is shallow.

Another concern is the introduction of milfoil into the lake. The group was told there would be no trash containers on the site and Parker wondered where people would dispose of any plants they found on their boats or trailers.

 Parker said the biggest concern after safety was maintenance. The state has no money to maintain it, and the Pond Association doesn’t want the responsibility.

 Parker said the abutters want answers before any work is started on the site, which could possibly be in wetland, according to a person the abutters hired to evaluate plants growing in the area.

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