Whitefield residents will vote at a special town meeting on Thursday, May 30 whether to authorize the Board of Selectmen to negotiate an agreement to accept ownership of the Clary Lake dam.
Voters would have to give final approval for the selectmen to execute the agreement, however.
Paul Kelley, manager of Pleasant Pond Mill LLC which currently owns the dam, petitioned the Department of Environmental Protection last month to release the company from dam ownership and mater level maintenance. At the time, Kelly said the company wished to find someone to take over the dam.
The legislative bodies of towns where the dam or impoundment (Clary Lake) are located are required by state statute to hold a public meeting to “consider and act on the issue of dam ownership.”
The text of the article relating to ownership of the dam is as follows:
“To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen, on behalf of the Town, to negotiate an agreement to accept ownership of the Clary Lake dam, including all property rights owned by the dam owner and necessary to maintain and operate the dam, on such terms and conditions as the Selectmen deem advisable, subject, however, to final approval by the voters before the Selectmen execute the agreement.”
The warrant also includes an article to see if the town will vote to authorize the selectmen to carry forward the balance of the legal fees account on June 30, 2013 to fiscal year 2013-2014.
The special town meeting will be held at Whitefield Elementary School on Thursday, May 30 at 7 p.m.