Residents of Cary weigh future Replacing building, deorganizing eyed

CARY PLANTATION – Residents of this small town 10 miles south of Houlton decided on Monday that they needed to do more than just apply for a grant to build a new community building.

By a vote of 18-0, residents approved an amended article not only to explore that option, but also to look at renting a building, exploring the possible renovation of the old Smith School or even deorganizing the town.

An amended article to form a committee of three to five volunteers to study various options also was approved unanimously.

Three people signed up at the end of the meeting to be on that committee.

“I don’t know what’s out there and nobody else knows what’s out there” for alternatives, resident Mark Cassidy said.

The town has been using the old one-room Smith School on Route 1 as a place to hold meetings. Regular town business is handled at the home of First Assessor Tim McGary, whose wife, Marsha, also serves as the town clerk.

McGary pointed out at Monday’s meeting that the old school, which probably dates to the 1800s, no longer is safe. He said the town’s insurance company has indicated that it will not insure the building much longer.

The building does not meet handicapped-access standards, the furnace is unsafe and the floor is sagging. Some town records are kept in a closet in the building.

“We can’t meet here anymore,” McGary said. “This is probably the last meeting in the Smith School.”

A preliminary estimate to fix up the building was about $50,000, according to the first assessor.

“I don’t think it’s a wise thing to spend money on it,” he said.

The idea of having the school listed on the National Register of Historic Places has been unsuccessful because there are no records in existence to detail the school’s history.

At the meeting, assessors had asked residents to give them permission to apply for a state Community Development Block Grant to build a new community building. A town office could then be included within that building.

No money has been spent on any plans or project.

“This is just the first baby step before spending any money,” Assessor Kai Libby said.

Concern was expressed that the town of 217 people, which is only a half-township in size, couldn’t afford a building project, even with a grant. The town’s tax rate is 21 mills.

It was at that point that the idea of deorganizing the town was raised.

“Personally, I’d like to see the town turned back to the state,” said Ramon Putnam, who cited the town’s high tax rate and overall size.

Other people voiced similar feelings, which was why that option was included for the committee to study.