PHILLIPS — Voters will be asked Saturday to consider selling the former town office and associated land at 15 Russell St. and putting the proceeds into an account to be used for improvements to the Public Works Garage/Fire Station and site at 138 Park St.
Approval of the two warrant articles would also allow selectmen to spend the money from the account for improvements to the building and site as needed.
The special town meeting will begin at 9 a.m. at the Phillips Elementary School at 1401 Rangeley Road. It will be followed at 10 a.m. by a community listening session by The Nature Conservancy to discuss flooding in Phillips and solutions for reducing flooding risks.
The board is asking for authority to list for sale 15 Russell St. and two other properties the town owns on the street, Town Manager Maureen Haley wrote in an email Tuesday.
“Several years ago, a warrant article asked to have this property listed for sale, but it was put on pause as a possible fire station after some members of the Fire Department made that request that caused the article to be voted down. It is the opinion of the board that it is not considered viable for this purpose and the board would like to see it put on the tax rolls,” she wrote.
One of the properties has a basketball court and there is a small lot adjacent to the former town office, both of which are to be considered.
Voters will also be asked to consider granting an easement to David M. Brazil and Tammi Brazil on a section of town land next to Trecartin Park on Park Street.
“A bridge that has spanned the overflow from the Sandy River at the Trecartin Park was damaged and dislocated during the December 2023 flood,” Haley wrote. “The abutter to the park purchased the bridge from the ATV club. The abutter has requested an easement through the park over the same ground that has been used to cross this bridge. (The) ATV club erected the most recent bridge that was damaged and from many local accounts, there has been a bridge there for over a century prior to that bridge.” The easement deed is not yet drafted. This warrant article is to allow the board to move forward with one, she said.
After the town meeting, the listening session by The Nature Conservancy will be held to discuss the effect of flooding.
There are packets with copies of a survey available at the The Local Bull convenience store, Sandy River Shop ‘n Save, Sanders Auto Service, Phillips Public Library and the Town Office before the session.
Town officials are hoping for a good turnout to hear people’s experiences and thoughts on the flooding situation.
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