Alna selectmen may seek a grant to build an all-season recreational trail between the town office and the WW&F narrow gauge railroad line. Third Selectman Doug Baston told residents May 23, he had recently attended a Maine Department of Conservation meeting where he learned that grants of up to $50,000 were available for trail construction.

“There is money out there,” said Baston. He said he would help in the grantwriting if he could find assistance from residents in gathering the documentation for the application.

“It is not difficult, it is just complicated,” said Baston of the application due this fall. The town’s match for the grant is 22 percent, he said.

He estimated a woods trail to the Alna Station of the WW&F was approximately a half mile.

Baston has been working to secure a bridge loan that would cover the deposit for a prefabricated building and site work for the new town office.

Part of the needed paperwork is the audit from Bill Brewer, said Baston. "We don’t have the credit yet."

Resident Ed Pentaleri announced the fire department has received a Kubota off-road rescue vehicle thanks to a $20,000 grant from the Stephen King Foundation.

The vehicle will be used for rescues or brush fires, he said.

Fire Chief Mike Trask said following the meeting that the vehicle will be available for mutual aid calls in Lincoln County. Pentaleri said a similar vehicle on loan from LIncoln County EMA was used last year to rescue a hiker injured off the road near the Sheepscot River. The diesel vehicle runs on treads but can be coverted to wheels, he said.

In other business, selectmen said they are looking for a housekeeper to clean the town office every other week for two hours at $15 per hour.

Selectmen  agreed to renew the town's contract with Great Works Internet (GWI) for online service. 

First Selectman Melissa Spinney reported a big hole in the roof of the salt and sand shed. The board agreed to try to find someone to fix it. Deputy Town Clerk Lisa Arsenault told selectmen they need to find someone to fill the position of E-911 Addressing Officer. The officer locates homes along roadways to be assigned emergency calling numbers, she said.