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By Diana Bowley of the Bangor Daily News: GREENVILLE - Rumors that the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife plans to shut off public access to its lakefront property have been put to rest. ‘The good news is we can still use the facility," Greenville Town Manager John Simko said Thursday. Over the years, the DIF&W property has been used for the International Seaplane Fly-In and the 100-mile sled dog race. In addition, the publicly owned boat launch has been used on July 4 for boat access to Moosehead Lake when activities at Junction Wharf limit access there, and it has been used by the owners of boats that are too large for transport under the train trestle. Just days before the July 4 celebration this year, however, the state told the town the public could not use the boat launch unless a police officer was on-site, according to Simko. That created a hardship for the town because of vacancies in the department, but the town managed with the help of Warden Sgt. Adam Gormely, who came in on his day off to stay at the DIF&W headquarters until the officers finished parade duty, he said. That move, the installation of a fence around the state property and a plan to install a gate in the future, prompted alarm among town officials and Simko, who fired off a letter to DIF&W Commissioner Roland Martin. On Wednesday, selectmen learned the access changes being made are for the safety and security of the facility. Paul Jacques, DIF&W deputy commissioner, told selectmen in a letter that his department fully intends to work with the town to accommodate requests for use of the facility for certain events. The department, however, wants assurance that proper security will be available, he wrote. Martin also said the department has no plan to shut off boat access for large boats. The state simply wants notification of an intended launch so that it can help make the launch a speedy one to avoid tying up the area for extended periods. According to Mark Latti, DIF&W spokesman, the changes were needed because wardens have found children’s footprints on the department’s aircraft and because wardens have had to remove beer cans from the patrol boat. "We don’t have a problem with the public use but we just need to have it staffed [during public use] because it is a law enforcement facility," Latti said Thursday. In other years, a game warden lived on the property, which provided some security, but the warden since has moved, according to Latti. Making the property more secure will help reduce vandalism, Latti said. Selectmen were told the DIF&W would be drafting a memorandum of understanding that would clearly establish the expectations and
guidelines for use of the state facility. |