During a regular meeting March 14, the Edgecomb Board of Selectmen discussed the town’s options in light of Gov. Paul LePage’s decision to suspend funding for Gateway 1, a proposed interlocal agreement of Rt. 1 communities between Stockton Springs and Brunswick.
The meeting, held in an adjacent office at the town hall due to a budget meeting in the selectmen’s normal meeting room, featured a review by Chairman Jack Sarmanian of a March 10 meeting in Rockland with other communities in the Gateway 1 corridor. Sarmanian described the meeting as “emotional” but instructive. Referencing a 2008 incident in Warren that involved “people chaining themselves to trees”, Sarmanian expressed surprise at the level of passion attached to any disruption in the current Rt. 1 corridor.
“Individuals were highly sensitive, people wanted to know what happened and why,” he said. “At this point participation in Gateway 1 is totally voluntary as there is no funding source.”
Gateway 1 was shelved by the LePage administration on March 1 after officials determined that the project “does not correspond with the immediate priorities of this administration.”
“Given the significant and growing fiscal constraints under which we are operating,” said DOT Commissioner David Bernhardt in the letter announcing the decision. “Our top priority must be to focus our time and scarce resources on existing short-term critical infrastructure needs.”
The decision effectively halted progress of the six-year-old project but many towns, including Edgecomb, are seeking further explanation on the specific thought process that went into the Governor’s action.
“It was an inappropriate response,” said Sarmanian. “The amount of time that went into the project was not acknowledged.”
Sarmanian said an existing contract with Wiscasset-based land surveyors Karl Olsen Associates, who were hired by the town through a DOT grant to give counsel on the Gateway 1 process, was severed effective March 1. Edgecomb resident Jaryl Larsen said such a retroactive nullification was illegal.
“They say you can’t but you can,” said Sarmanian in response. “I know from my many years dealing with grants.”
Selectmen agreed to “stay onboard” with a possible informal coalition of Gateway 1 communities. According to state officials, the term Gateway 1 is not trademarked at this time.
In other business, selectmen debated the value of debit cards vs. pre-paid credit cards. The discussion was due to a faulty Hewlett Packard printer in the town office that “doesn’t print,” said Sarmanian.
“They are sending us a new one,” said Sarmanian. “However they need a credit card on file in case they don’t receive the old one.”
After a few minutes of discourse, a pre-paid option was agreed upon.
The Edgecomb Board of Selectmen will next meet on March 21.
