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Skowhegan board approves easement for Summit Natural Gas to run pipeline alongside walking bridge
Summary
The Select Board voted 5-0 to accept an easement allowing Summit Natural Gas of Maine to attach a pipeline to the town's walking bridge, with the company providing a one-time $10,000 payment and some landscape/fencing work as part of the agreement. Residents raised questions about safety and exposed piping during the public discussion.
The Skowhegan Select Board voted unanimously on Oct. 28 to accept an easement agreement with Summit Natural Gas of Maine permitting the company to affix a natural-gas pipeline alongside the town’s walking bridge.
Board members said the company will pay the town a one-time fee of $10,000 and perform site improvements, including fence work and granite restoration, near a South Side project area, as part of the negotiated terms. "If they're gonna put their infrastructure on our infrastructure, they should have some skin in the game," Jason said during the discussion. "$10,000 one time."
The action cleared the consent of the board after Jason described outreach and negotiations with Summit and identified Brian Folsom as the company contact. A resident, John Gross of 23 Sandy Lane, raised a public-safety concern about the work and asked whether the pipe would be exposed and what protections would be in place. "My question is how safe are every part of the safety protocol," Gross said. Jason replied that the pipe would not be reachable from the walkway and that it would hang down off the side, not be wrapped, and would be inaccessible to passersby.
Board members did not attach additional conditions beyond the signed easement and the one-time payment during the meeting. The easement vote passed 5-0.
The board did not provide a copy of the final easement text during the meeting; the motion accepted the terms as presented. The town said Summit had also offered additional future community project support as the company becomes more established in Skowhegan.
