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Select board authorizes attorneys to pursue 500-foot Green Mountain Club trail easement after divided vote
Summary
The board voted to proceed with Option A to grant Green Mountain Club a 500-foot-centered trail easement across the Gomo town forest, with the club contributing $10,000 toward a survey; attorneys will draft final language and the board will post a 30-day notice as required.
Molly Flanagan, representing the Green Mountain Club, presented three options for a trail right-of-way across the Gomo town forest and said the club would contribute toward survey and legal costs. "My name is Molly Flanagan. I represent the Green Mountain Club," she told the board and explained the organizations long-term effort to legally protect the long trail corridor.
Board members debated corridor width, a right-of-first-refusal clause, and the risk of giving away large acreage. Chair argued the current Option A is more favorable to the town than earlier drafts, noting it narrows the corridor to 500 feet from 1,000 and that "Green Mountain Club is offering to contribute $10,000 to the survey of the Goma property." After a motion and amendment addressing attorney review and notice procedures, the board voted: 3 ayes, 1 no, 1 abstention. The board directed town attorneys to work with the Green Mountain Clubs counsel on final easement wording and to proceed with the required posting and notice steps before concluding the agreement.
Board members also reminded the public that final legal language and any vote-required actions (for example, if the agreement triggers voter approval) will return for explicit board action after attorney review.
