Select Board authorizes town staff to proceed with reduced‑scope Furbish Road FLAP project

The Select Board on Jan. 20 authorized town staff to move forward with a reduced‑scope Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) project for Furbish Road and to sign updated Maine DOT agreements and design contracts.

Staff summarized the grant’s history: the town initially received FLAP funding for sidewalks linking Route 1 to a view platform, but rising costs and project sequencing led staff to complete Harbor Road first. Remaining FLAP funds are time‑limited and must be used this year or returned. Staff proposed scaling back the Furbish work to a paved sidewalk from the Furbish Road culvert to Ocean Avenue and reconstruction of the viewing platform to meet ADA standards.

The grant structure is an 80/20 reimbursement (federal funds administered by Maine DOT cover about 80% of eligible costs; the town provides 20%). Staff said the town’s local share is in a dedicated reserve account and no new tax dollars are required.

Board members asked about design completion (staff said roughly 60–70% complete), drainage, whether the sidewalk would be raised (answer: a 5‑foot grass esplanade and then a paved sidewalk, not a raised sidewalk), crosswalk placement and temporary plastic delineators over a narrow culvert for pedestrian safety. The board moved to authorize the town manager and town engineer to pursue the project and to sign the MDOT agreement and related documents; the motion passed unanimously.

A staff member emphasized urgency: "If we don't get it done this year, it's then we have to give the money back." The board authorized staff to continue design, permitting and bidding under the updated agreement.