Selectmen reiterate plans to keep industrial park building

Staff Report

    GREENVILLE — The Greenville Board of Selectmen have reemphasized their position not to sell the vacant building in the industrial park, formerly occupied by Pepin Associates.
    According to the minutes of the March 5 selectmen’s meeting, the board agreed by consensus to direct Town Manager John Simko to notify any parties interested in the business incubator that the building is not for sale.

    The reasons include the repayment requirements for initial capital funds, the depressed real estate market and the loss of control of the building for future business prospects.
    At a previous meeting, Simko noted that since a large portion of the construction funds came from grants with specific job-creation requirement, the town could be on the hook for about $175,000 “if it was put in private hands.”
    The 11,200 square-foot incubator building was built in 2004 and includes a loading dock, receiving area, three-phase power and warehouse space.
    The town will offer a very favorable lease arrangement to any business looking to move to Greenville and to create jobs, according to the meeting transcript, and to further consider other economic development incentives such as the Community Development Block Grant program to assist them.
    The Moosehead Lake Region Development Corporation also prefers that the town hang onto the property.
    In other business, the board voted 5-0 to solicit bids for waste hauling services as recommended by the town manager.
    The bid would be a three-year contract with option for second, three-year period with the contractor supplying four 40-yard containers and one 50-yard compactor container. Interested parties have the option to bid per-trip transportation costs and per-month container rentals or the combined annual cost for both with the town being billed for tipping fees directly from receiving facilities Bids will be accepted through April 2.
    The board also voted unanimously to accept a proposal from Penquis CAP for an application for a Community Development Block Grant for funds to implement a housing rehabilitation program, and to solicit volunteers for an advisory committee which will be appointed at the March 19 board of selectmen’s meeting.
    The board also appointed Mike Harris, Eugene Murray Sr., Richard Ross, Josh Brown and Candy Russell to the budget committee for the purpose of reviewing the proposed municipal and school budgets for the 2014-15 fiscal year.