BETHEL — If the Mahoosuc Land Trust can secure grant money to build a trail segment over Alder Bridge and along Route 26 to Intervale Road, the town will maintain the short stretch, according to Town Manager James Doar.

That’s what selectmen decided at Monday night’s board meeting when trust Executive Director James Mitchell asked for a maintenance agreement to accompany their application for a Recreational Trails Program grant.

Doar said Wednesday afternoon that the trail segment would connect Bethel’s Davis Park to the planned Gateway section, creating a much safer passage than the current unimproved gravel footpath.

“They wanted a maintenance agreement, which is what we would have done anyways,” Doar said.

In other business, selectmen asked Doar and Bethel Water District trustees to draft a support letter for the district’s attempt to change the 84-year-old Bingham Trust deed to allow wood harvesting on the 2,384-acre Chapman Brook Watershed property in Newry.

The district wants to use money from the timber project to upgrade the West Bethel water system.

That’s why trustees asked selectmen to support their attempt to amend the trust, which forbids timber harvesting other than using proceeds from small cuttings to pay taxes on the land.

However, Doar said that rather than support the effort, selectmen instead want an actual letter from the district seeking the board’s support.

“There really isn’t a whole lot to support yet,” Doar said.

At least, not until the Office of the Maine Attorney General rules on proposed changes to the deed trust and the matter then goes to court.

Selectmen also approved the Regional School Unit 44 Nov. 3 referendum warrant. That will ask residents whether they want to approve construction of a second gymnasium and a theater at Telstar Middle/High School in Bethel

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