POLAND — Selectmen decided Monday night to have the Planning Board review the two-phase plan for the municipal complex, which is estimated to cost more than $925,000.

Selectmen also asked Town Manager Matthew Garside to seek the town auditor’s opinion on how much the town should have in its undesignated fund balance in anticipation of costs associated with the project.

HEB Engineering of Bridgton had submitted the final site plan to the selectmen in October. The project will be broken into two phases: Phase One involves the Ricker Memorial Library and extending parking spaces at the rear of the library toward the town hall. Phase Two includes redeveloping the area containing the Town Office and the town hall buildings

Phase One is expected to cost $512,500 and Phase Two is estimated at $413,000.

It was recommended that the town move forward with only Phase One at this time,  because this part includes all of the additional parking and drainage, and putting down only the base coat of the asphalt. It was suggested that the top coat could be layered to a later time, depending on the condition of the surface.

Garside suggested Phase One could be financed from the town’s undesignated fund balance of $2.66 million. This method of payment would not affect the town’s tax rate, Garside said.

Board of Selectmen Chairman Walter Gallagher believed the town’s fund balance should have enough money to cover 90 days of operations in case of emergencies. Gallagher asked whether the fund balance meets the town auditor’s recommendation for such a case. If not, the town would need to seek other funding avenues for the municipal complex.

Selectmen also agreed with Gallagher that the Planning Board should review and make its recommendation before the plan is moved forward by the selectmen as a town meeting warrant question. Gallagher said the Planning Board will see whether the plan meets the town’s land-use code and if additional costs would be incurred.

In other business, selectmen approved a Conservation Committee request to expend up to $2,000 to conduct a survey of the Waterhouse Brook Dam. The survey’s three-fold purpose would be to see whether the dam “can structurally support a proposed pedestrian bridge” across its top, if the bridge “would not impede future maintenance of the dam,” and if any repairs would be required before the bridge is built.


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