9321-R4_ML&P_TownOfBuxton_2024-2025

D

E

L

1

T

7

T

4

N

W

E

O

8

O

F

S

T

I N

M

2

A

E

C

I

N

7

O

7

1

R

D

P

E

O

T

R

Selectmen’s Report 2024-2025

Like many municipalities, Buxton continues to navigate a range of challenges associated with economic pressures and community growth. The Town remains committed to managing this growth in a fiscally responsible manner, with a focus on maintaining affordability and preserving the quality of life for both long-standing and new residents. The following highlights reflect several of the key developments and accomplishments within the community over the past year. Heath Knight was elected to the Select Board in the June 2025 election, following a year of service on the Planning Board. The Town extends its sincere appreciation to Mark Blier for his many years of dedicated service and the depth of knowledge he contributed to the Board. His continued commitment to public service, both within the Buxton community and in his role as a State Representative for the State of Maine, is greatly valued. At the Annual Town Meeting on June 14, 2025, residents voted on a number of different articles, one of which was to become an ecomaine member community, joining more than 70 municipalities across the state. The Town subsequently partnered with Casella Waste Systems to provide roadside solid waste collection, with all collected materials delivered directly to ecomaine for processing. Recyclable materials are also transported to ecomaine’s state-of-the-art single-sort recycling facility, which accepts mixed recyclables from municipalities and businesses statewide. Through a combination of advanced automated systems and manual sorting processes, materials are separated into distinct commodity streams, baled, and marketed to manufacturers across North America. These materials are then further processed and repurposed into new products, including containers, packaging, textiles such as fleece, and composite building materials. Another article authorized the acquisition of a 3.32-acre parcel located in the Tory Hill area along Narragansett Trail, across Route 202 from Weymouth Park and adjacent to Nouria. The property has since been formally designated as Tory Hill Park. This multi-purpose recreational area provides substantial open space to accommodate a variety of athletic uses, including football, soccer, softball, and baseball. The Town is pleased to incorporate this new asset into its park system, further enhancing recreational opportunities for residents. Selectmen David Field and Heath Knight serve on the Bar Mills Dam Decommissioning Committee, in collaboration with representatives from the Town of Hollis. Brookfield White Pine Hydro is currently engaging with municipal stakeholders, members of the public, and state and federal regulatory agencies to evaluate the proposed decommissioning and scope of dam removal. The Bar Mills facility has experienced significant operational challenges that have prevented power generation for the past three years. In the absence of a feasible solution to restore the generating units to service, the project is considered a strong candidate for license surrender and subsequent decommissioning. As part of this process, Brookfield White Pine Hydro has identified several key resource areas for evaluation within the environmental assessment component of the surrender application. These include fisheries and fish passage,

6