FARMINGTON — A special town meeting will be held 6:30 p.m. Tuesday evening, Aug. 6, at the Community Center to consider several articles.

One article deals with funding for Dragon’s Nest Skateboard Park renovations through a $110,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund [LWCF] grant. Voter approval is needed because there is perpetual care that comes with properties awarded those grants, Matthew Foster, director of Parks and Recreation noted in June. Senator Angus King is seeking federal funding for the skateboard park, it was noted then.

A conceptual design shows what a rebuild of the Dragon’s Nest Skateboard Park in Farmington would look like. File photo

When the skateboard park was created in 1991 it was the first such park in Maine. It was resurrected in September 2020. In December 2021, a $4,000 donation was accepted from Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Seth Webber golf tournament for the park reserve account which had $4,700 in it from a similar donation approved previously.

Two years ago, $8,000 was approved to design plans for the park update. Last July the board voted to use $50,000 from the Judith Bjorn donation for the skateboard park and hire a company to design a “Comprehensive Parks Master Plan” for the Parks and Recreation Department.

The LWCF grant is a pretty big portion, half of the funding, Foster noted in June. Maine Skateboard Association plans some fundraising, probably in the $15,000-$30,000 range; $50,000 from the Bjorn donation is earmarked, he stated then. Estimates for the project are between $200,000 and $240,000; Foster said he was shooting for $240,000 based on last summer’s figures.

Another item requests approval of a change in retirement plan for Farmington Fire Rescue Department firefighters. The switch to Special Plan 1C would become effective Sept. 1 for future service only for firefighters who regularly work more than 20 hours per week and who are not seasonal or temporary for service rendered after Aug. 31, according to information provided. Service accrued by firefighters before Sept. 1 remains under Regular Plan AC, it states.

At the 2024 town meeting voters approved the Farmington Fire Rescue Department budget, which included the funds to cover the cost of switching to Special Plan 1C, the information notes. MainePERS requires specific warrant language to change the plan, it adds.

Voters will also be asked to approve a Tree Ordinance. A separate ordinance specifically for trees was proposed in January. An ordinance with all tree-related information in one document is needed in order to be named a Tree City USA, Conservation Commission Chair Bill Haslam told selectmen at their Jan. 9 meeting.

Farmington has been a Tree City USA for more than 40 years, Patty Cormier, a commission member and Maine Forest Service director, said then. She thought state laws would cover private interactions with trees so they wouldn’t need to be in the town ordinance.

A draft of the ordinance was reviewed by selectmen in February. Code enforcement wanted to make some changes, Town Manager Erica LaCroix said then. Some language may need to be tweaked, make sure everything is right, she noted. Selectmen approved the new tree ordinance at the May 28 meeting.

Changes to the Traffic Ordinance will also be acted on. The changes to this ordinance have been made for clarification purposes, to make it up to date with current practices, and to remove the identification of addresses by property owner, according to information provided.

Copies of both ordinances are available in advance at the Municipal Building and will be available at the Community Center during the meeting.