DOVER-FOXCROFT – Piscataquis County commissioners took no position Tuesday on a plan by Greenville officials to move a boundary line on Depot Street. They did, however, agree to pay Greenville $500 a year to have a short section of the road located in an unorganized territory maintained.

Moving the Depot Street boundary line as it extends between Route 15 and Gravel Pit Pond to the center of Wiggins Stream would give about six landowners property tax relief and would move some state-owned land into Greenville, Town Manager John Simko told commissioners Tuesday.

Simko said Greenville selectmen had discussed the proposal but needed the approval of county officials before they pursued it further. Such a boundary change would need legislative approval.

County officials, however, were not eager to join the effort. Commissioner Woodrouffe “Tony” Bartley said Tuesday that he had already received a call from an Abbot resident advising him that if this boundary change is allowed, other boundary line requests would follow, including waterfront properties in Abbot.

Agreeing with Bartley, Harold Blanchard, a Depot Street resident opposed to the boundary change, said it would set a “lousy” precedent by paving the way for anyone to switch boundary lines for their own benefit.

Blanchard also faulted the state for offering to negotiate with the town on its purchase. “How dare they offer to take public lands and swap it with land I own?” he said. The public purchased those lands for conservation efforts such as hunting and fishing, Blanchard said.

The boundary currently splits some properties on Depot Street between Greenville and Moosehead Junction Township. These property owners currently receive two property tax bills, one from the state and the other from Greenville. If the boundary were moved, Simko said these landowners would become sole residents of the township and would receive one property tax bill from the state.

At the same time, about 50 acres of state-owned land next to Greenville Industrial Park would become part of Greenville. He said the state has expressed interest in working with the town to allow for the purchase and the development of the property.