Stetson voters reject block grant funding > Lakefront study not popular with townspeople

STETSON – At a well-attended, special town meeting earlier this week, Stetson voters refused to accept $10,000 in state Community Development Block Grant Funds to study accessibility to Pleasant Lake.

Although townspeople have set aside $20,000 in the last two years to buy lakefront property for recreational purposes, voters opted not to take advantage of the grant.

According to Town Administrator Carol Laplant, the grant required a $2,000 town match but selectmen had planned to volunteer time that would translate into the town’s portion of the matching funds.

“No actual tax dollars would have been contributed to receive the $10,000 grant,” said Laplant.

When a public hearing on the issue was held in early November, Don Carroll, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, said conducting the study was a controversial matter.

He said residents had concerns about upkeep and policing. He said that in the past, a private resident had let the town use a piece of property but took back the privilege when the land was abused with litter and late-night drinking.

In other business, voters approved spending $3,125 to match state funds to implement the town’s comprehensive plan.

Voters also approved the transfer of $8,450 in undesignated funds to cover expenses in several town accounts, including salaries, upper dam, updating the shoreland zoning ordinance and emergency preparedness.

Laplant also said a recent burglary of the town office remains unsolved. She said that Nov. 17, someone entered the town office and forced open the safe, taking a small amount of cash. She is urging anyone with information to contact the Maine State Police.