POLAND — An article to purchase the property next to Town Hall will be on the April 7 town meeting warrant. But a woman’s request for an article asking the town to accept Whaleback Drive as a town road was refused.

Selectman Wendy Sanborn told proponents of the article asking that the town purchase the property that separates the Town Hall and Ricker Library that while the article was accepted for discussion at town meeting, there was no provision for raising money to pay for the acquisition.

“If it passes, we’ll have to hold a special town meeting to raise the money,” Sanborn said.

Resident Barbara Strout spoke in favor of the purchase, pointing to obvious benefits of acquiring the property that now splits a large parcel of town controlled land.

Resident Bud Jordan noted that the Poland Historical Society has a $15,000 grant earmarked for a “memorabilia barn,” plus other donations in the coffer, that could go toward securing an option on the property — action that could eliminate the need for a special town meeting, provided purchase money could be raised another year.

Selectmen signed the official warrant Tuesday calling townspeople to the annual meeting and, in so doing, told Michelle Arsenault, who is pushing for the acceptance of Whaleback Drive, that she hadn’t followed the required steps to put the matter to a town vote.

Arsenault thought she had all that was asked of her.

She had provided an updated engineer’s report saying the road met town specifications; had a signed statement from the owner of the land, Amos Dunn, agreeing to hand the town the deed to the land; and she submitted a petition signed by more than 100 voting residents.

What Arsenault hadn’t done, was to go before the town Planning Board, seeking its input.

Noting Arsenault’s failure to go to the Planning Board, selectman Steve Robinson insisted, that as much work as she had done, it was absolutely critical things — everything — be done right.

“At the end of the day, you have fallen short,” Robinson said.

Selectman Larry Moreau said the board had passed the matter by its attorney and had no choice but to reject Arsenault’s petition.

Moreau said the town attorney, Natalie Burns, had ruled that Arsenault’s petition, lacking an appearance before the Planning Board, was not legal.

Moreau also asked that Town Manager Rosemary Kulow contact Burns with a request for a letter spelling out all the steps needed for a citizen petition asking for town acceptance of a road.

In other business, Selectman Erland Torrey, after reading a letter from Poland Regional High School students that accompanied a $1,206.65 donation to the town’s heating assistance fund, praised the students for giving back to their community with their Holiday Spirit Week fundraiser.

“I applaud all the students, and everyone involved, this is very welcomed,” Torrey said.

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