|
|
|
By SHELAGH TALBOT - GREENVILLE— The Greenville Board of Selectmen met last Wednesday (Oct.15) to review a concept plan proposed by the Airport Advisory Committee regarding expansion of the Airport. Greenville Town Manager John Simko spoke of the need for an arrivals building, visible from the tarmac, which would give pilot’s 24-hour access to restrooms, phones and general information. Simko said that proposals would be solicited for a 20-by-30-foot log home to be built adjacent to the apron area of the airport. Because no funds are available from the state for this kind of project, Simko said funding would come from donations and contributions. “If they can give us a good deal, it would be possible for the builder of the terminal to have a plaque mounted inside stating who they are; it would be a good form of advertising for them,” Simko said. Simko also spoke of plans to sell hangar lots around Runway 3-21. “We will need to consider paving the apron and taxi-way to those hangar lots,” Simko said. “A lot of work needs to be done. An estimate would be required and the total cost divided by the number of available lots. We would be shifting costs from the town to the leasees so the upfront cost to the town would be greatly reduced by doing it this way,” he added. Simko also presented the Airport Advisory Committee’s suggestions for long-term parking. “We’ve found a space for roughly 20 vehicles to safely park,” Simko said. The parking lot would be a gravel pad maintained by the town. Each vehicle owner would pay a yearly fee which would cover the maintainance costs and a master list would be made available to the Greenville Police Department. In other business, Selectmen were updated regarding the proposed visitors interpretive center that will be situated near the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) rest area just south of town on Route 15. This property had been deeded to the Natural Resources Education Center as a result of a land swap made by founding member Woodrouffe “Tony” Bartley. The town retains a small plot of land in that parcel in order to meet state funding requirements for the parking area at the site. Selectmen were receptive to a request to move the town parcel - approximately 3.08 acres- closer to the rest area so the parking lots would adjoin. Simko said that if these resulting deed changes required voter approval, it would be addressed at the November town meeting. NREC President Sharon Libby Jones presented a Memorandum of Understanding to the board that would delineate responsibility by the town and NREC for utilizing previously awarded Transportation Enhancement Funds for the parking area, well and septic for the center. The board agreed that the wording of the memorandum could leave the town of Greenville liable for many of these costs especially in regard to safety, security and maintainance. It was suggested that NREC representatives rework the wording of the memorandums so the town would not be held responsible. In addition, selectmen voted five to zero in favor of accepting the recommendation of snowmobile trail grooming director, Paul “Arno” Fichtner regarding the purchase of a demonstration model Pisten Bully 200S (Narrow Guage) Trail Groomer. The groomer would have a 278 HP Mercedes Benz OM 906LA engine and would come with a ten-foot all-way blade and trail grooming drags. The cost of the groomer is $139,280 and the drags would be around $10,000 each. Simko said he had faith that Fichtner could work out the best price possible with the Kassbohrer Company, who sells the Pisten Bully. “The town would only be responsible for about ten or fifteen percent of the cost of the groomer,” Simko said. “A federal program would come up with about 49 percent and another program would pick up about 30 percent. And, if anybody can get us a good price, Arno can,” added Simko. Residents will decide during a special town meeting in late November whether to pay the percentage required to purchase the groomer. |