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Blue Hill joins regional resilience grant application; board discusses Mines Road safety, student placement and road‑use requests
Summary
Select Board agreed to co-apply for a $175,000 Community Resilience Partnership grant with Brooksville at no cost to Blue Hill, reviewed Mines Road safety findings from MaineDOT, declined to host Hannaford students, and considered a MaineDOT request to run heavy trucks on posted roads.
The Town of Blue Hill Select Board voted on April 27 to join the Town of Brooksville as a co‑applicant on a $175,000 Community Resilience Partnership grant led by Blue Hill Peninsula Forward, with no cost or labor to Blue Hill.
A. Kratz, representing Blue Hill Peninsula Forward, introduced the opportunity and requested Blue Hill’s participation; the board voted 5–0 to join the application. The grant is intended to support resilience planning on the Blue Hill peninsula; the application will be led by Brooksville and Blue Hill’s participation was described as cost‑neutral to the town.
On local road safety, the board heard that MaineDOT has determined Mines Road currently has a dangerous driving surface but cannot complete repairs in 2026. The board was told the state is responsible for any speed‑limit changes while the county is responsible for increased enforcement. No formal action to change the speed limit or allocate local funds for repairs was recorded.
The board clarified town policy on removal of materials from road rights‑of‑way: Public Works will remove debris or materials that create navigational hazards on Town roads but will not remove roadkill located on private property.
In other business, E. Best circulated Hannaford’s responses regarding a proposed placement of four to six college students (no live‑in chaperone, weekly check‑ins). The board raised concerns and instructed E. Best to inform Hannaford that the Town is unable to host the students. The board also received a MaineDOT letter requesting permission to drive heavy trucks over posted Town roads and offering to post bond; the letter will be considered administratively.
Town Clerk D. Goettler was authorized to post Town Office notices on the Town website and update clerk webpages and agendas. Clerk Goettler also said a recent change in the Penobscot Bay Press billing cycle complicates collection of advertising costs for license hearings; a Press reporter offered to help get cost information earlier. Finally, a mobile home slated for removal was noted to have been installed without a Notice of Intent, leaving no tax account created; the clerk will consult the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) for guidance on permitting and tax certification for removal.
The board entered a brief executive session for personnel matters at 6:27 p.m. and reconvened at 6:37 p.m., then adjourned at 6:38 p.m.
Next steps noted by the board include formal participation in the resilience grant application and clerical follow‑up on the mobile home tax/account questions and MaineDOT road‑use requests.
