Cushing Selectboard schedules May 26 special town meeting after $75,000 shortfall on water-access parcel

The Cushing Selectboard voted to schedule a Special Town Meeting for 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at the Cushing Community School to let voters decide how to proceed with acquiring a parcel on Barnacle Lane intended for public water access.

Town officials told the board that voters in March approved appropriating $365,000 toward acquiring the parcel, contingent on a matching contribution from the State’s Land for Maine’s Future program. The board reported the State will calculate its share using the land-only appraisal, not the parcel’s appraisal that included buildings. That land-only appraisal was cited at $580,000, which the board said reduces the State contribution to $290,000 and leaves a town funding gap of $75,000.

The board voted on two motions to place questions on the special-meeting warrant and to set the meeting date and location. Craig Currie moved to schedule the meeting; the motion was seconded and the scheduling motion carried. The board also voted to accept the warrant questions as read.

Town staff told the Selectboard they are applying for a $50,000 grant from The Maine Community Foundation and pursuing additional grants to cover the remaining $25,000 of the shortfall. A closing date for the parcel was stated as June 30, 2026.

No formal agreement from the State was recorded in the minutes beyond the State’s revised calculation approach; the board said it must determine how to cover the remaining $75,000 before the closing. The special town meeting will give voters the opportunity to approve additional funding or other direction.

The motions to schedule the special meeting and to place the questions on the warrant were recorded as carried by the Selectboard.