Lincolnville to finalize Ducktrap River land transfer to state, discuss DEP cleanup of Thurlow Road parcel
A portion of the Ducktrap River in Lincolnville, one of the few rivers left in Maine that are home to wild Atlantic salmon. (file photo by Corelyn Senn)
A portion of the Ducktrap River in Lincolnville, one of the few rivers left in Maine that are home to wild Atlantic salmon. (file photo by Corelyn Senn)
LINCOLNVILLE — Selectmen in Lincolnville will consider moving forward with the transfer of town-owned land on the Ducktrap River to the state of Maine for preservation purposes when they convene Monday evening, July 24, for a regularly scheduled meeting at 6 p.m. in the town office.
The agenda also includes establishing a junior firefighting program in town, and setting an early September workshop date with the Route 1 Advisory Committee. The selectmen had suspended the committee’s work earlier this summer to review the committee charge.
Ducktrap River land
In 2009, Lincolnville approved divesting two town-owned properties along the Ducktrap River to the state of Maine. The properties were the Gillmor/Town Forest and Sprague Hastings properties that abut the river. The state funding then was to derive from the Land for Maine's Future Program using money that has been set aside from a Sears Island settlement and targeted specifically for Ducktrap River land preservation.
The parcels were given to the town in 1973 and 1966, respectively. The Gilmore piece has 4,600 feet of frontage on the Ducktrap River and the Sprague property had 2,665 feet on the river.
The Gillmor lot was 112 acres, and the Sprague-Hastings land, 69 acres. Easements were created that included a 250-foot buffer along the Ducktrap River and Kendall Brook.
The rest of the properties were covered in forest and were together referred to as the town forest.
In 2009, the Coastal Mountains Land Trust said it had high interest in acquiring both parcels. Fast forward to 2014, and the state eventually purchased a portion of the Gillmor Lot from the town for $157,000.
The remaining portion of the Gillmor lot ( referred to as the “Coleman-Cilley” parcel) was not sold as the title to the property was not clear, according to the Town Administrator David Kinney, in his selectmen’s newsletter.
Last year, Coastal Mountains Land Trust told the town that the State of Maine was still interested in the property and the trust was willing to take on the role of clearing the title. By January 2017, a draft memorandum of understanding was created and now the state “once again appears ready to move forward and hence their request to be on the Board’s agenda to make sure we are still willing to move forward,” said Kinney.
IN OTHER TOWN BUSINESS
The Lincolnville Fire Department hopes to establish a Junior Firefighter Program and selectmen will consider a prepared Parental Consent Form.
The Lincolnville Business Group has offered to donate American Flag and associated hardware for installation on the sidewalk light post along Route 1 at Lincolnville Beach along with a request to install lighted evergreen wreaths for certain times of the year.
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection is asking the town to be involved in the cleanup of the Millington Enterprises site at 133 Thurlow Road. There, a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment identified five environmental conditions, including containers or petroleum and/or hazardous materials and solid waste (i.e. including lead-acid batteries) scattered throughout the site, and a potential asbestos covered steam boiler located in the basement of the residence.
Longtime Finance Director Jodi Hanson has moved on to a similar position with Town of Camden, and Lincolnville has begun to advertise for its open position, with a closing date of Aug. 3.
“Jodi has graciously offered to assist us during our transition to a new Finance Director by offering to work for us part-time at mutually convenient times at her currently hourly rate to conduct essential tasks as requested by us,” Kinney told the selectmen. “I strongly encourage the Board to accept this offer. I see the work that Jodi would do for us to include payroll functions (paying our employees), accounts payable (paying our vendors), and providing some training to whoever is ultimately hired for the position.”
The selectmen will also schedule a meeting with the Harbor Committee for sometime in August, and then meet with the Islesboro selectmen, a periodic tradition.
The full agenda follows:
- Citizens’ Forum
- Administrator’s Report
- Meetings & Announcements: Lakes & Ponds Committee
- MCSWC Board of Directors Planning Board Conservation Commission Board of Selectmen
- Upcoming Community Events
- Meeting Minutes – July 10, 2017
- Board, Committee and Commission Appointments
- Gilmor Lot – Kendall Marden, IF&W
- Consideration of Lincolnville Business Group Donation - Flag Holders and American Flags
- Application for Catered Function by Qualified Catering Organization, Mainely Bartenders,@ Cellardoor Winery – 7/29/17, 4 to 8pm
- Consideration of Establishing a Junior Firefighter Program
- MDEP Correspondence – Millington Enterprises Site, 133 Thurlow Road
- Resignation – Finance Director
- Review Proposed Workshop Schedule
- Electrical Permit Fees
- Waldo County Budget Committee
- Rescind Parking Ticket/Fee Policy
- Electronic Marriage Registration System (Wedding Licenses)
- Treasurer’s and Payroll Warrant(s)-Approve & Sign
- Adjourn
History will be kind to me for I intend to write it. - Sir Winston Churchill
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