POLAND — The date for the groundbreaking of the Poland Historical Society’s Memorabilia Barn hasn’t been set, but the project is now a go.

Dissent that had broken out within historical society ranks, and had, with the weather, conspired to delay the project, was set aside Wednesday when the Board of Selectmen voted to accept financial management of the project.

Society member Barbara Strout told the board that the society voted 10-3 on June 20 on a final plan to construct a 20- by 26-foot addition to the old schoolhouse and to ask town officials to take over management of funds.

Society President Fred Huntress said he not only opposed the plan because he disagreed with the design but also because the society didn’t have anywhere near enough money to complete the project.

Huntress figured the $23,000 the society raised for the project — $15,000 from a grant and $8,000 in donations — left them not a third of the way to what they needed.

“That’s not near enough. There’s no fiscal responsibility,” Huntress said.

Huntress also questioned whether the grantor, the Davis Foundation, would go along with the idea of the town taking over management of its money that was given to the society.

Society member Mary Chipman told selectmen that Roxana Miller, program officer for the Davis Foundation, told her that she had no problem with the society turning over the money to the town to manage.

“It’s commonplace for towns to own the buildings the grants are going toward. She said she had no problems whatsoever with the historical society turning over the money to the town,” Chipman said.

Strout added that efforts were under way to raise the remainder of the money needed for the project.

“I’m working with the Grange to help us with suppers. It took us 20 years to move (the old schoolhouse) from White Oak Hill Road to here, we’ll get it done,” Strout said.

Joe Cimino, who has offered his equipment and said he was ready to begin taking down the few trees that need to be removed to get things started, added that he wouldn’t let the fact that they didn’t have the money to complete the project deter him.

“Slowly this is going to rise. It won’t be done with grants, it’s going to be a citizen thing,” Cimino said.

Selectman Larry Moreau, having made the initial motion to accept management of the money, made a second motion that made clear the town’s role was limited to paying the bills. In all other matters, the historical society was in complete control of the project.

“Our nation is great because people came forward to grab the opportunity to move forward. We have confidence in your group,” Moreau said.

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