POLAND — Leaders of the Thompson Lake Environmental Association told selectpersons Tuesday night that 168 tons of the invasive plant milfoil have been cleared from 16 acres of the lake since 2005.

Kathy Cain and Marsha Matuska, co-presidents of the association, said the lake is one of the cleanest in Maine.

The lake is 8 miles long, nearly 2 miles wide and covers more than 4,400 acres from Oxford south through Otisfield, Poland and Casco.

Cain and Matuska said the results are due to twice-a-month water quality monitoring, courtesy inspections of hundreds of boats between Memorial Day and Labor Day for milfoil algae, aquatic plants and prohibited invasive species, and an intensive but costly eradication effort below the lake’s surface.

Milfoil eradication is continuing at a cost of $50,000 to $60,000 a year, with $350,000 spent so far, the women said.

Cain and Matuska said gifting campaigns account for most the money raised, as well as public and foundation grants.

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In other matters, selectpersons tabled a decision on a bid from Revision Energy of Liberty to install solar panels on the large sand/salt buidling off Route 26.

Nick Sampson of Revision Energy said if the town pays for the project all at once it would cost $232,000. Under a buyout plan, the town could pay $14,000 to $15,000 a year for six years and $138,000 at the end of that time.

Selectperson Joe Cimino said he wants to see if there would be additional insurance costs on the building for the solar panels, which would not be more than the electrical savings.

Selectperson Stephen Robinson said he wanted more information. “I want to see a reasonable investment for the town.”

If selectpersons accept Revision’s officer, voters will have the final say. Revision Energy is the only company to submit a bid.

The board also:

  • Approved the purchase and installation of eight 10-foot sections of a pedestrian trail bridge for Bragdon Hill Trail at $2,152 per section. The supplier is Great Northern Docks.
  • Authorized timber harvests on the Sadie Jackson lot on Estes Way off Summit Spring Road, part of the Bragdon Hill Conservation area and the Mingo lot off Tiger Hill Road. The select board is seeking bids on the work.
  • Authorized Town Manager Matthew Garside to sign off on the agreement with the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments to help update the town’s Comprehensive Plan when enough people are appointed to the Comprehensive Planning Committee. The cost is about $14,000, which is in a reserve account. The update will take over a year and must be approved by voters at the town meeting in 2021.

Selectpersons will meet Monday, Sept. 9, for a town charter workshop.


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