by Craig Lyons
Berlin Daily Sun
GORHAM — The Gorham Forestry Committee has voted to approve a plan to open a stretch of land through the town forest to snowmobile use on the condition to Water and Sewer Commission doesn’t object to the proposal.
At its meeting Tuesday night, Steve Malespini and other representatives from the local snowmobile club presented a plan that would run a trail through the town forest, and create a loop connecting to existing trail systems in the area.
The board voted unanimously to conditionally support the project. Malespini, who also sits on the committee, abstained from voting on the proposal.
Based on the board’s vote, the proposal wouldn’t go any further should the Water and Sewer Commission raise any objection to the club’s proposal.
“Technically the vote of the committee is what counts,” said Committee Chair Glen Eastman. “But we’ve never gone against the Water and Sewer Commission.”
Committee member Ted Miller said he didn’t see any issue with the proposal, but would prefer to discuss it with the commission before anything is finalized.
Roger Guilmette, speaking in favor of the proposal, said he went to see Dave Patry, superintendent of the Gorham Water and Sewer Department, and he looked in the archives and found that winter travel would be allowed through the area.
Guilmette said Patry’s didn’t want any culverts put in or any of the streams being stirred up. In order to prevent any of the water from being disturbed, Malespini said bridges would be built from bank to bank, which would not require putting in any abutments.
He added, for example, if a 12-foot bridge is needed, a 24-foot bridge would be placed over the water. The trail would only be open once there’s snow cover on the ground, said Malespini.
Malespini said the trail would be strictly for snowmobile use, and there is no intention to open it for all terrain vehicle use. Miller asked what the solution would be to prevent illegal use of the trail.
Guilmette said it would be to up a steel gate at the entrances of the trail through the town forest. The proposal is tentatively set to be before the Water and Sewer Commission at its meeting Monday night.