Commissioners back Big Moose Township development pending LUPC approval

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — While their support technically doesn’t carry any legal weight, the Piscataquis County Commissioners voted on Jan. 21 to back the proposed development of a 38-acre parcel in Big Moose Township into 13 premium house lots.

    Esther Wagenheim, real estate broker Rodney Folsom and several contractors attended the Dec. 31 Piscataquis County Commissioners’ meeting and expressed support for the plan. But a letter written by Commissioner Eric Ward questioned some parts of the application including whether it would be compatible with adjacent development.
    A resolution was on the Jan. 21 meeting agenda, but Commissioner Fred Trask made an alternate motion that the Piscataquis County Commissioners “will support developments that are permitted by the Maine Land Use Planning Commission, specifically on the application … submitted by C and E Real Estate Properties. Piscataquis County will provide the same services to this development project that are provided to all property owners in Big Moose Township.”
    Trask explained that his motion would clarify that “every applicant would be treated equally. We can make changes if we wish, but everyone in a UT (unorganized territory) would have to be treated the same.”
    Ward, who attended the meeting via conference call, seconded the motion and it passed 3-0 with Chairman Jim Annis also favoring the measure. No information was available from LUPC on the status of the application.
    Commissioners also extended the county’s agreement for administration of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) public services with Penquis through June 30. No local funds are involved, said County Manager Marilyn Tourtelotte.
    Michael Bonney of Penquis explained that the agency is “reaching out to folks who are out of LIHEAP (Low Income Heating Assistance Program). What this grant does is provide energy audits for them. If they get ‘dialed in” to the program, they’ll get all their Efficiency Maine benefits as well as tax credits.”
    Bonney said that once the audit is done, the client gets a list of “three or four weatherization contractors” to do the work. Bonney added that Penquis wants to make the service “more personalized and reach out to more civic organizations. When we kicked this program off, it was really warm. But when the temperatures fall, the interest peaks.”
    The county commissioners also approved the town of Monson’s solid waste contracts with Elliottsville and Blanchard townships; signed a contract for auditing services with RHR Smith and Company of Buxton; and set the interest rate on outstanding county taxes at 7 percent, starting on the 60th day after the date for payment set by the commissioners.