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By L.H. KOPPENHAVER - GREENVILLE- In 1836 when the Town of Greenville was incorporated, the perambulators defined the boundary line between Moosehead Junction Township, originally named Little Squaw Township and Greenville. At the time, the boundary line cut through a strip of non-developed land. In the early 1900s when the Junction was the hub for train activity, buildings began to spring up and those building owners paid taxes to the state starting April 1, 1901 according to the Maine State Department of Taxation for unorganized territories. It appears unclear what year Greenville began assessing the property that was technically in Greenville and when property owners that owned on both sides of the boundary paid taxes to Greenville and to the state. Meanwhile, current property owners have wrangled with why they pay taxes to Greenville when they don't even know where the boundary line lies. Some property owners on the strip known today as Depot Street pay to both Greenville and the state and others pay solely to the state. There is little, if no difference in services provided by Greenville to Depot Street residents except that they have no curbside trash pickup. The fire department and ambulance service is there indeed. The school bus picks up the children, town water and sewer are an option. Police protection is shared by the county and Greenville. The state provides no services. After years of residents going to the selectmen and the town managers past and present to request tax abatements, the selectmen have come forward and requested in writing that the Piscataquis County Commissioners alter the municipal boundary line "in an attempt to benefit both entities". The proposal is to have the boundary line going up the center of Wiggins Stream. This would add at least six residences that currently pay taxes to both Greenville and the state to become sole residents of Moosehead Junction Township. The benefit to Greenville would be they would acquire approximately 50 acres of potentially developable land adjacent to the Greenville Industrial Park. That land is currently owned by the State of Maine Department of Conservation as public land. The state has expressed interest in working with the town to allow for the purchase and development of this property. When Ken Snowdon heard the news, he was pleased. "I've been a property owner here 12 years and I have yet been able to find the property that I pay $155 a year for, in 1991 I paid $13. How's that for an increase? Must be some pretty prime real estate. What I'm curious about is, the selectmen didn't do a damn thing until there was an option to pick up 50 acres, and all of a sudden there is an interest in the residents of Depot Street? Who's benefiting the most?" Floyd (Jock) McNinch who has resided at Depot Street for 43 years and pays $117 for approximately 10 feet of land said "I'm all in favor of it. One advantage is that it will fall all under the L.U.R.C. (Land Use Regulation Committee) Now if I wanted to do something with my land, I have to go to Greenville and the state. The permitting process will be easier and I will pay less taxes". Harold Blanchard, long time resident of Greenville and a resident of Depot Street since 1994, remarked "I pay nearly $100 for 600 square feet of cat-o-nine tails. I wouldn't mind paying, if the town would pick up the trash. I mean after all, they driving right by anyway." Note: Town Manager John Simko was unavailable for comment, since it was Thanksgiving weekend. |