POLAND — Selectmen agreed Tuesday to collaborate with Auburn officials to develop and market 40-plus acres of industrial land along Lewiston Junction Road.
Owners of the Thompsonrolec property in Poland would like to see it developed and, because it abuts a much larger parcel in Auburn, collaborating made sense, officials said.
The area is served by gas, water and sewer lines, has three-phase power and lies along a railroad track.
Town Manager Bradley Plante said it’s primed and waiting for development.
A week ago, Plante and selectmen met with Auburn Mayor Jonathan LaBonte and other city officials to discuss whether and how they might proceed in a joint effort. It was agreed to form a six-member committee — three from each municipality — to come up with a development and marketing strategy.
Selectmen agreed to have a selectman and two members of the Community Economic Development Committee on the panel. They directed Plante to contact committee Chairman Joe Cimino to see who would agree to serve.
Selectmen hope to settle on committee membership at their April 21 meeting.
Administrative Assistant Nikki Pratt told selectmen that Code Enforcement Officer Nick Adams had declared the house at 555 Johnson Hill Road a dangerous building and has posted it as unfit for occupancy. Selectmen authorized Adams to take steps toward demolition, beginning with contacting the town attorney and initiating a title search.
Selectmen also agreed to set up interviews for April 22 with representatives from two firms interested in providing the town with assessing services. O’Donnell and Associates notified the the town it will not be doing so as of the end of June.
The town received applications from four firms.
In his report, Plante said there is dock perched on Waterhouse Dam that appears to have drifted down from Lower Range Pond and will have to be moved. He said anyone missing a dock should see if it’s theirs.
Plante also said he was disappointed with the amount of litter along town roads. He has spoken to law enforcement to keep an eye out for violators.
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