The Damariscotta Board of Selectmen voted Aug. 5 to back the Lincoln County Commissioners in their battle with Sagadahoc County.
At issue is which county agency could control federal and state economic development funding for community projects.
The board also voted to lend the cannon that once sat in a memorial at the intersection of Main Street and Bristol Road, to the American Legion Post 42, and awarded a contract to a planning group to lead the upcoming charrette for the Damariscotta Planning Advisory Committee scheduled for mid October.
Selectmen also voted to re-elect Dick McLean as chairman.
In the two-county battle of alphabet agencies seeking to control federal and state economic development funds, the Lincoln County Commissioners have hired a lawyer to determine their battle plan and asked Damariscotta for support.
Greg Zinser, the Damariscotta town manager, a board member of the Lincoln County Economic Development organization (LCEDO), urged the select board to support the local group, which represents the Lincoln County’s 19 rural towns.
For several years, Lincoln County has been affiliated with Sagadahoc County in an alliance called the Mid Coast Economic Development District (MCEDD).
Recently, Sagadahoc, including Brunswick, broke away from MCEDD to form the Midcoast Council of Governments (MCOG). On July 15, MCOG asked the federal government to recognize them, not MCEDD, as the economic development agency for the Midcoast region.
The Lincoln County Commissioners oppose this move and are trying to drum up local support for their cause.
Zinser said the new agency would be making decisions for Lincoln County, however, Lincoln County towns must pay to join.
“If I want to belong to the new organization and get aid, we must pay to join their group,” he said. Damariscotta belonged to the former agency and was not charged for these services, he said.
He said the town could face serious consequences if the Sagadahoc County group wins the battle.
“We could lose the ability to acquire federal economic development funding. We could also lose other funding including technical assistance contracts with the state,” he said.
Damariscotta has received significant help from LCEDO for local projects.
They include $318,000 federal/state grant for the pending reconstruction of Church Street. The project is to be scheduled in the future, $288,000 for side walk construction on Main Street between Bristol road and the Rising Tide/Yellowfront Grocery Store center. Also, $60,000 for construction of the Rising Tide Market, $70,000 for the Elder Care Network and $10,000 for River Arts.
Also at risk is the town’s ability to secure the services of the county planner Bob Faunce, Zinser said.
Selectman Josh Pinkham agreed with Zinser.
“We are not Podunkville. This is just a ploy to help (funnel more) funds to the redevelopment of Brunswick Naval Air Station. We want the towns to reject this move,” Pinkham said.
The select board agreed and voted 5-0 to support the Lincoln County Commissioners.
In other business, the American Legion asked the town to give them a cannon that once graced a memorial island on Main Street at the intersection with Bristol Rd. The island and the cannon were removed when Main Street was repaved and the intersection redesigned.
Zinser told the select board he is reluctant to give it away because he can not determine its proper ownership.
“We have it stored, and the Legion says they own it, but there is no paperwork on it. I think the best solution is to lend it to the Legion on a permanent basis,” said Zinser. The board agreed.
Lee Anna Hutchings, the Legion Post commander, said the veterans’ organization plans to incorporate the cannon into a veterans’ memorial they plan to construct at their building.
The board also voted to hire Bill Dennis Town & Building Design of Providence, R.I. to lead a series of public meetings to ask the town residents how they want the town to grow. The meetings, called a charrette, will take place in mid October.
The Dennis firm will be paid $65,000 to conduct the meetings. His fee will be paid by a grant from the Orton Family Foundation.