Selectmen talk request, briefly touch on guidelines

GREENWOOD – Last week, Greenwood Selectmen discussed a funding request from the town of Bethel for the Bethel Regional Airport.

At a Bethel select board meeting earlier this month, selectmen reviewed a solicitation letter from the Airport asking for the other three towns in the SAD 44 district to begin contributing a portion of money for the airports annual operating costs.

In the letter it suggested that Bethel remain responsible for funding the local share of capital improvements, but take on only $85,000 of the annual operating costs, which are estimated at about $100,000 per year. The remaining $15,000 would then be divided between the three other towns ($5,000 each), as proposed in the letter.

“These operating costs at the Bethel Regional Airport total about $100,000 per year and deliver a benefit to the region well beyond Bethel’s boundaries. In a spirit of regional cooperation, we ask that our neighboring towns now agree to fund a portion of the annual operations moving forward,” the letter read.

Typical maintenance for the year-round operating airport can include lighting, mowing, snow removal, pavement striping, crack sealing, building repair, fence repair, tie-down repair and communications.

Selectman Arnie Jordan wondered how Greenwood residents are currently benefiting from the airport and said he would like some justification as to why annual contributions would need to be made from the other towns.

Town Manager Kim Sparks said she planned to hold onto the request so it could be discussed when next year’s budget comes around.

In other news, selectmen decided to continue requiring residents to wear masks before entering the town offices. The decision came after the CDC released new guidelines for mask wearing.

Selectmen also signed the towns Spirit of America Award, which this year is being awarded to longtime resident Norm Millet. The town report is also being dedicated to Millet.

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