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Conservation commission reports 29-acre purchase off Perry Oliver Road; $350,000 state grant pending
Summary
Budget Review Committee members reviewed the Conservation Commission’s operations budget and discussed a recent 29‑acre land purchase off Perry Oliver Road tied to a $350,000 Land for Maine’s Future grant that the select board has not yet accepted. Committee approved the commission’s $12,700 operations budget.
The Budget Review Committee discussed the Conservation Commission’s recent 29‑acre purchase off Perry Oliver Road and a pending $350,000 grant from Land for Maine’s Future to cover the acquisition and related work.
Committee members approved the Conservation Commission’s operations budget at $12,700, and commissioners described a modest increase in trail‑maintenance spending to cover new trails, parking area work and additional materials.
The commission said the newly acquired parcel — identified in Commission documents as part of an "Eastern Trail / New England Cottontail" project — will be managed to create habitat corridors for New England cottontail and to link to the Eastern Trail. The commission said some on the select board have questioned restrictions that Land for Maine’s Future typically places on parcels funded by the agency; the select board asked for authority to negotiate the precise project agreement before the town accepts the grant. The committee was told the grant exists but the town had not formally accepted it.
Commission members described on‑the‑ground needs that prompted the small operations increase: more trails to maintain, work on parking areas, and new decking that staff expect will last longer than previous materials. Steve, the commission’s trail manager, said the new decking and locally sourced materials will extend life of trail features; he also described using a power wheelbarrow to move materials on longer runs.
Committee members said Mike Livingston and others will continue negotiating with Land for Maine’s Future on a near‑final draft of a project agreement that would spell out the conservation restrictions, public‑access conditions, parking plans and any excluded corners intended to hold a parking area. The committee discussed routine preacceptance steps that still must be completed: review for contaminants, final project agreement language and formal selection‑board acceptance of the grant.
The committee also noted the grant was written by the late Keith Fletcher, who had led similar successful grant efforts for the town. Members praised the Conservation Commission’s volunteer effort and recommended the town proceed with drafting an agreement to preserve the town’s ability to manage parking and recreational access while complying with Land for Maine’s Future restrictions.
The Budget Review Committee approved the commission’s $12,700 operations budget by voice vote during the meeting.
