Toddy Pond Dam Developments

The four-town, two-lake association team (now called the Narramissic Watershed Coalition) working to preserve Toddy Pond continues to make progress, as described in the following update:

Narramissic Watershed Coalition Progress Report

In addition, for those with a strong interest in the condition, potential costs, and future of the dam (together with the Alamoosook Lake dam), the Coalition obtained an independent engineering report on the dams:

GEI Technical Memorandum: Alamoosook and Toddy Pond Dams

Special Town Meeting Results

At the Special Town Meeting held this evening, Blue Hill voters voted on four articles. Here are the unofficial results (to be confirmed by the moderator and Town Clerk):

Election of Moderator

Jeff Milliken

Article 2: Purchase of real estate for a relocated public safety building and land used by the Consolidated School

The article was approved by written ballot:
Yea: 227
Nay: 73
Blank Ballots: 13

Article 3: Confirming previous sale of real property

The article was approved by show of hands

Article 4: Amendments to Harbor Ordinance

The article was approved by show of hands

The Select Board thanks all of the approximately 300 voters who attended the meeting and who were gracious enough to help the Town work through the complications of having far greater turnout than the original, offical venue could accommodate.

Special Town Meeting TOMORROW, Sunday, at 5:00pm

Blue Hill voters are encouraged to attend the Special Town Meeting tomorrow to consider whether to approve a substantial investment of town resources toward the potential relocation of the town’s fire station and ambulance service headquarters.

Date/Time/Subject Matter

As previously announced, the Special Town Meeting will be held tomorrow, August 24 at 5:00pm to elect a moderator and consider three other articles, including the proposed purchase of the land and building at 30 Tenney Hill for a relocated fire station/ambulance building.

The full warrant is available here.

Possible Relocation of Meeting Venue

The warrant calls for the Town Meeting to be held in the Gordon Emerson Auditorium at the Town Hall.  Given the strong voter interest in the proposed relocation article and the high turnout for last Thursday’s informational meeting (which almost filled the Gordon Emerson Auditorium to capacity), the Select Board plans to make a motion to recess the meeting immediately after a moderator is elected and sworn in and to reconvene as soon as possible (such as 15-20 minutes later) at the George Stevens Academy gymnasium. Assuming that motion is adopted, we expect discussion of Article 2, the one regarding the property purchase and financing, to begin around 5:20-5:30pm at the GSA gym—but both the specific timing and the effort to relocate the meeting will be subject to the vote of registered voters in attendance at the Town Hall. After consideration and action on that matter, the remaining two articles will be considered.

Staff will be available at both locations (Town Hall and the GSA Gymnasium) at 4:30pm to check in registered Blue Hill voters and provide them with voting slips.

Special Town Meeting Warrant Posted

The Select Board approved and signed a warrant calling a Special Town Meeting for Sunday, August 24 at 5:00pm, to be held in the Gordon Emerson Auditorium at the Town Hall.

The meeting has been called for the Town to vote on 1) the purchase (and financing) of property for the potential relocation of the fire station, 2) approval of a prior sale of Town-owned land, and 3) amendments to the Harbor Ordinance that would be in effect for calendar 2026.

There will also be an informational meeting on Thursday, August 21 at 6:30pm, also in the Town Hall Auditorium.

The warrant is posted on the Town Hall bulletin board, at the Hannaford’s bulletin board, and here on the Town website.

Fire Station “Micro-site” Published / Information Meeting Set

Micro-site

With the proposed acquisition of the properties at 30 Tenney Hill (the GSA Hinckley Dorm property) and in the vicinity of the Blue Hill Consolidated School approaching a Town vote, the Town has published a website with

  • information about the proposed transaction,
  • the rationale for considering relocation of the fire station,
  • alternatives considered,
  • conceptual designs for a relocated Public Safety building,
  • project cost and financing considerations,
  • details about the BHCS land acquisition, and
  • some comments on the process envisioned for deciding what the Town should do with any excess property beyond its requirements.

The site is available at https://firestation.bluehillme.gov.

Informational Meeting

The Select Board and Fire Department plan to hold an informational meeting on Thursday, August 21 at 6:30pm in the Gordon Emerson Auditorium at the Blue Hill Town Hall.

This meeting will provide an opportunity for interested parties to ask questions about the proposed relocation and to probe further into the materials posted on the micro-site.

The Select Board expects to hold a Special Town Meeting to consider and vote on the proposal on Sunday, August 24 at 5:00pm, but the warrant calling that meeting has not yet been issued.