Greenville selectmen continue work on snowmobile trail access

Staff Report

    GREENVILLE — The Greenville Board of Selectmen continued to work on ways to provide more snowmobile access in and around the community after learning that one major route through private property would be cut off this year.

    At their Nov. 19 meeting, the board unanimously voted to have Town Manager John Simko draft a letter to the property owners along the non-town way section of Scammon Road, informing them that the town is willing to take over this section for summer and winter maintenance in exchange for the immediate use of the road as an ITS snowmobile trail. The provision would also include the long-term development of an adjacent permanent snowmobile trail to the road, if there is support from the property owners to do so.
    The board also passed a motion to have Simko work with Moosehead Riders Snowmobile Club President John Cobb and Game Warden Rick LaFlamme to see if a trail could be developed to connect downtown Greenville to the East Road from Powerhouse Corner to Plum Creek-owned land along the Katahdin Ironworks (KI) Road.
    The route would connect with the trail which runs north from KI approximately two miles east of Wilson Stream Bridge.
    Greenville selectmen also examined the proposed new solid waste contract with Moosehead Rubbish, Inc. and will review them with owner-operator Sean Bolen at the Dec. 3 board meeting.
    The board agreed by consensus to hold a workshop with Fire Chief Matt St. Laurent on Monday, Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. to discuss physical plant and operational needs for the department in advance of next year’s budget preparation.
    Additionally, Cobb presented the title to a snowmobile owned by the club to the Greenville Fire Department for use in emergency responses. Selectmen agreed to accept this gift and publicly thanked the Moosehead Riders Snowmobile Club for their generosity.
    The board and the Greenville School Committee met earlier this fall to discuss how the two public entities can work together and share information better. They agreed at the time to meet again in December, but an exact date wasn’t scheduled.
    So selectmen voted last week to set Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 6 p.m. for the next joint workshop at the municipal meeting hall.
    Selectmen also agreed to recognize the many hours of unpaid compensatory time contributed by town office staff this year; and due to Christmas falling on a Thursday, to close the Town Office and all departments on Friday, Dec. 26.
    The selectmen and town manager noted that all departments will be open all day on Wednesday, Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve).