Greenville ATV access issue will go to voters in November

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    GREENVILLE — More than 40 people packed Greenville’s municipal meeting room on Sept. 3 to voice their opinion on expanding ATV access in the community.
    But after listening to a wide variety of opinions for more than an hour, selectmen decided to send the issue directly to the voters in November.

    By a 4-0 vote with Selectman Craig Watt abstaining, the board directed Town Manager John Simko, Police Chief Jeff Pomerleau and the town office staff to “devise one or more referendum questions” for a straw vote at the Nov. 4 general election.
    Watt has routinely declined to participate in any discussion or vote on the ATV issue since one of the proposed new routes would allow access to his family business: Indian Hill Trading Post.
    All-terrain vehicle riders have been able to use Pritham Avenue since 2008, but they can’t use Route 15, also known as Main Street and Lily Bay Road, to go to Indian Hill Trading Post, the town’s major retail and grocery store.
    ATV’ers were also given permission last December to use part of Lily Bay Road to access Scammon, Varney, Drew and East roads to get to existing trails on a one-year trial basis.
    Those who spoke against the request cited noise, high speeds and alleged illegal operation by youngsters. Proponents cited the increasing popularity of ATV use in the Moosehead Lake Region and the positive economic impact on the community.
    Janet Chasse, a regular attendee at selectmen’s meetings, said that one problem is that existing laws aren’t being enforced. “There are kids driving them … they’re already going to Indian Hill and they drive after dark,” Chasse said. “If these things were being enforced, it would be helpful.”
    Varney Road resident Allan Morrison said that he’s allowed ATVs to use a snowmobile trail on his property for the past two years, but no more. “They’re noisy, they speed, they litter … We walk in the morning, and I fill up a plastic bag (with the litter),” Morrison said. “We have caravans coming through on the weekends.”
    Betty Ryder, who has a camp on Wilson Pond she rents out during the summer, said that “people come here because they want peace and quiet … but they have to put up with a constant buzz (of ATV engines).”
    Pomerleau, who said he was speaking first “as Jeff” and not as the town’s chief law enforcement officer, said that was “neither for nor against ATVs.” But he acknowledged that he had a tough time getting used to the ATV noise in his own neighborhood at first. “The sound of one Harley-Davidson (motorcycle) is 100 times louder than a four-wheeler,” he said.
    Pomerleau, speaking as chief, added that the “lesser of two evils” is to allow access to the intersection because of the danger of ATVs and snowmobiles exiting the downtown parking lot onto Pritham Avenue.
    He also said that since expanded access was allowed six years ago, he had “less than 10” ATV incidents requiring law enforcement action. But he said that his policy has always been to issue warnings before writing tickets. “We don’t want people to come here on vacation and leave on probation,” he said.
    Jessica Hargreaves, who operates Northeast Guide Service and Indian Hill Motel, said that she has to turn people away “almost every day that are looking for direct trail access and a place to stay.” She added that she wants her business to grow in Greenville and noted that a lot of money is spent on promoting the region as an all-season vacationland. “This isn’t just about my businesses, but about our entire community. People really want to come here, but I had to turn a whole group (of ATV’ers) away in June who wound up going to Rangeley … We don’t have a problem with too many people coming here. We want more of them.”
    After the hearing was concluded, Selectman Geno Murray suggested that since the issue had a significant impact on the community, a public referendum “is the fair way to do it. That way, all voters can weigh in on it.”
    Simko cautioned, however, that while a referendum could be held, it could only be considered a “straw vote” since, by law, the Board of Selectmen has to make the final decision.
    The proposed wording of the questions will be on the Sept. 17 selectmen’s meeting agenda.

‘We don’t want people
to come here on vacation
and leave on probation’

– Police Chief Jeff Pomerleau