The Lubec town meeting room was so full there were people clustered outside the windows trying to listen to the public hearing about possibly opening up the town to ATV traffic. And the meeting was so chaotic that Carol Dennison, chair of the select board, frequently pounded the gavel so that speakers could be heard.
      Selectman Dan Daley stated that he was a member of a local ATV group prior to being elected to the board. He explained that the meeting was intended to be "exploratory" about allowing ATV access into the town and that he understood it is a controversial matter.
      Daley said that the group does not have a plan at this point, beyond locating a potential path for a route from Whiting across private property, eventually joining Maple Tree Drive, thus giving access to McFadden's Variety, a convenience store on Route 189 that sells gas. "We have no intention of bringing this traffic into the village," he said on several occasions. Dallas Hood, also a member of the group, stated that "in the future we might revisit coming closer to town. But that is in the future." The route, as described by Daley, would terminate at McFadden's, thus eliminating the noise and pollution fears expressed by many meeting participants. It would also deny easy access to most of the town's businesses, despite the claim of enhanced business opportunity.
      Hood also questioned the need for preparing a plan for public review, which would require approval by all private property owners whose land the trail would traverse. "Why should we go to all that work if the people might just vote it down?"
      It was noted that current state law limits travel on public roads to a maximum of 500 feet, a rule termed "long standing" by Daley. Other limitations were mentioned, including hours of operation from 30 minutes prior to sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset, and the use of town roads to be restricted to "egress to and from connecting trail heads."
      Several participants asked whether the matter would be presented for a vote at the August town business meeting, leading Daley to state, "The board could elect to move on this without a vote, but as it is so contentious it should be presented to the town for a vote." Several participants repeated the word "should," leading Selectman Nancy Harrison to say, "I do not support the board putting it on the ballot. I'm asking for a petition." One participant asked Daley, "You've already said the board could act on this without town support. Is that your plan?" He replied, "It should go to a vote." Another person asked, "Which members of the board are amenable to taking this to a town vote?" That question was not answered.
      According to Lubec's town charter, a petition to place an item on the ballot must be signed by a number of registered voters equaling at least 10% of the total number voting in the most recent gubernatorial election.
      The hearing concluded at 7 p.m., when the regularly scheduled select board meeting opened. Michael Scrivani asked the board's permission to spend $620 of the shellfish committee's funds for gravel to improve the private parking area at Pirate's Creek. The board approved this expenditure 5-0 but asked for a letter of permission from the landowner. Separately, the board opened the single bid for annual paving and approved the $93,000 proposal from County Concrete.