KINGFIELD — The town is moving closer to a final Main Street reconstruction plan, but residents still have time to offer last-minute thoughts.

David Guernsey, chairman of the Road Reconstruction Committee, on Tuesday gave selectmen an update on the proposed design and planning details.

The Maine Department of Transportation has worked closely with Guernsey and the committee on the plan, but he said residents will have one more opportunity to ask questions and make suggestions before it’s finalized. He’s hoping for good attendance at an informal public meeting with the MDOT at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 28, at Webster Hall.

“This is an important meeting for people to attend,” Guernsey said. “After this, the MDOT is going to start on the design details.”

Townspeople may also review the current design at www.kingfieldme.org to see the changes in downtown parking, crosswalks and lighting.

“DOT, for whatever reason, doesn’t think we can get as much parking as we thought we could,” Guernsey said.

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The Mill Street “stub” section off Main Street is the town’s property, he said, and that access will become a section of sidewalk.

Selectmen don’t have to negotiate with the Mill Street private property owners along the Carrabassett River.

Selectman Brian Hatfield asked Guernsey to continue to update selectmen, even when the project construction has begun.

Selectmen also have negotiated a preliminary parking access agreement with Diane Keoskie, who owns the Grand Central Station property next to the Herbert Grand Hotel. She will provide several extra parking spaces in exchange for snowplowing. Since the town will be losing parking spaces along Main Street after the Route 27 reconstruction project, the situation is a win-win for everyone, selectmen agreed.

In other business:

* Selectmen agreed to allow septic and wastewater pumping within 5 miles of the Public Works site for out-of-towners. Customers will be charged $200 per visit.

* Ethan Austin and Jen Reese updated selectmen on the success of the recent Sugarloaf Marathon that brought thousands of people through the town. They made changes to the parking locations and eased traffic congestion, and although the weather was not cooperative, they had the largest turnout ever, Austin said.

* Selectmen reviewed the possibility of buying the Schoolhouse Gallery property, owned by John and Cynthia Orcutt, and the Knapp property on Depot Street.

Selectman Wade Browne suggested they gather more information about the possible uses for the buildings and land.


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