JAY — Two selectpersons plan to walk down to a town property to see if a right of way can be built from Parker Pond to the East Jay Road.
Town Manager Ruth Cushman told selectpersons Monday that resident Michael Adams owns property off the East Jay Road and if the town build’s a right of way to the pond, he will give the town a right of way over his property.
There are two other properties along the route, plus the one the town acquired for back taxes, which is anticipated to be a small, water-front parcel. The two other property owners had been willing to work with the town in the past to try and get public access to the pond. The pond is a secondary water source to the Livermore Falls Water District, which has customers in Jay and Livermore Falls.
Cushman asked if a couple of members of the board wanted to commit some time to walk the properties and scope out a way to get down to the water.
The right of way would be about 1 mile long.
Highway foreman John Johnson estimated that it would cost about $100,000 to $200,000 to build it.
Adams previously told Cushman that he has gravel on his property and he would let the town use it for the project, she said.
Johnson said there are wetlands and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection would need to be involved.
“I think it is a very costly project,” Johnson said.
The town has been trying for years to get a right of way to provide public access to the pond.
“We need to start at the lot we own,” Board of Selectpersons Chairman Steve McCourt said.
Johnson suggest a couple board members should go down and check it out.
The idea of getting public access to the pond has been kicking around for about 40 years, he said.
Vice Chairman Justin Merrill and McCourt will scope out the area and will report their findings at the next selectpersons meeting.
In other business, the board unanimously voted to go with Farmington Ford of Farmington to buy a 2014 Ford Explorer Interceptor cruiser for the Police Department. The cost is $18,821.25 with the trade-in of a 2011 Ford Expedition.
The other quote received back was from Bailey Brothers Inc. of Livermore Falls for $21,229.
Police Chief Larry White Sr. told the board last year that if the sport-utility Interceptors worked out for other police departments he would try one this year. He has heard no complaints, he said.
A quote was also solicited from Quirk but one was not submitted, he said.
dperry@sunjournal.com
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