Town seeks separate status in hearing Greenville will ask to serve as individual intervenor on Plum Creek plan

GREENVILLE – With Plum Creek Timber Co.’s proposed development and conservation plan in Greenville’s backyard, municipal officials and residents believe the town should not be lumped in with other intervenors during the Land Use Regulation Commission’s hearing on the proposal.

Because multiple parties are seeking intervenor status, LURC lumped them together according to affiliation such as environmental and conservation groups; municipalities, businesses, and sporting and outdoor recreation groups.

As such, Greenville was placed into a group consisting of the town of Jackman, Somerset County and Piscataquis County.

Based on public comment at Wednesday’s board meeting, selectmen agreed to ask LURC to allow them to serve as an intervenor separate from the others. If that is not possible, selectmen said they would rather be joined only by Piscataquis County.

“The Town of Greenville feels that its issues with the Plum Creek plan, both positive and negative aspects, are unique from other public sector entities, especially those from outside our county,” Greenville Town Manager John Simko wrote in a prepared statement for LURC that was signed Wednesday. “Greenville is truly at “ground zero” for the Plum Creek plan and will have the most significant impact.”

Greenville has taken a neutral stance on the proposed development and conservation plan.

Another subject addressed Wednesday centered on Gov. John Baldacci’s school redistricting plan. A local planning committee is being formed as required by law and those selected for the committee will meet with regional officials to discuss regionalization. School Committee member Pete Johnson will represent his board. Selectmen agreed Wednesday to wait until the Aug. 15 meeting to select a municipal official for the committee. The board also is soliciting names of people who would like to serve as the community representative. Anyone interested is asked to contract the town office.

Town and school officials are exploring ways to opt out of the state process to become a private or a school solely funded by the community. The schools received $350,000 in state subsidy last year out of the $3.4 million budget.

“The threat of taking that away is minimal; the real threat is trying to go it alone but be forced to pay into another district we’re not participating in,” Simko said Friday.

“I hope we can find a way to opt out if we find that’s in our best interests,” he said.