WILTON — State Sen. Tom Saviello, R-Wilton, attended the Board of Selectpersons meeting Tuesday night to urge board members to be cautious when considering Central Maine Power’s proposed, 145-mile transmission line, which would allow hydroelectric power to be delivered from Quebec to Massachusetts.
The line would run through several Maine towns and CMP is offering tax incentives for those affected.
According to Saviello, the town of Wilton was offered $40,000, yet New Hampshire and Vermont were offered hundreds of millions.
“I would like us to write a letter to CMP and invite them to come and answer our questions — why are we being treated differently than the other states,” Saviello said. “It’s very disturbing to me to watch us get nothing.”
Saviello said county commissioners have already taken that step, and Town Manager Rhonda Irish informed Saviello during the meeting that CMP had contacted her earlier in the day, and will be attending the June 26 board meeting.
According to Chairwoman Tiffany Maiuri, the transmission line would affect less than a mile of Wilton, running through one road and two fields.
In other matters, the board voted to begin forming a committee to decide how to proceed regarding the town’s quick-attack fire truck.
During the annual town meeting last May, residents voted to buy a quick-attack fire truck, and the bid was awarded to Mays Service, based in Pennsylvania. The company failed to complete the truck on time so the town has begun legal proceedings against Mays Service.
The committee will be made up of two representatives from the board of selectmen, two from the fire department and three community members.
The board also agreed to one-year contracts with Washington Township and Perkins Township for transfer station and fire department services. The townships will pay a total of about $3,000 to use the transfer station and $2,000 for fire protection.
State primary elections are June 12, and residents will be voting to elect a selectman to a three-year term, a selectman to a one-year term to finish out Rush Cushman’s term and a school board seat.
Philip Hilton is running for the three-year seat, and Saviello the one-year seat. The seat on the school board will be filled by a write-in candidate.
emarquis@sunmediagroup.net
State Sen. Tom Saviello, R-Wilton, at the Wilton Board of Selectpersons meeting Tuesday night. (Liz Marquis/Sun Journal)
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