It has come to my attention that the citizens of Madrid Township must act immediately in order to preserve our rural community.

Mark Beareguard of Rangeley has made an application to LUPC to receive a permit to establish a new gravel pit and rock crushing operation on the Reeds Mill Road. His permit states that he expects to extract 48 trucks of gravel each day from his property in Madrid, and those trucks will head down the Reeds Mill Road, changing our quiet road into an extension of Route 4 — six days a week.

I am significantly concerned about his permit application (DP4938). I live on the Reeds Mill Road and will be directly impacted by the proposed gravel pit.

When my husband and I purchased our home 10 years ago, we were welcomed to this small, rural community and have come to treasure our home, but this proposal will negatively impact the value of our home, the quality of our lives and our future in Madrid.

While I appreciate the need for jobs in our rural area, extracting the natural resources and trucking them out of Madrid is not in the best interest of the community. The proposal would have far-reaching negative impacts on the local environment, including Orbeton Stream, local businesses such as the Star Barn B&B, and our treasured Reeds Mill Church and Madrid Historical Society.

Caroline King, Madrid