January or sooner, two Alna selectmen told the third one Dec. 5 about when they expect to finish an updated action plan to replace Ben Brook Bridge. So Third Selectman Coreysha Stone was no longer going to propose making former selectman Ed Pentaleri a point person.

“Up until today my biggest concern was that it didn’t seem like people knew what the action plan was, or how that needed to be completed …," Stone told Second Selectman Steve Graham and First Selectman Nick Johnston. She said she would not make her motion, "If you seem much more confident … that you understand exactly what steps need to happen that’s going to make that updated action plan occur.” 

“I do," said Graham, who has opposed making Pentaleri a point person. Graham has said the work is selectmen's responsibility and he did not want Pentaleri contacting the agencies the town is working with on the project. “I continue to be comfortable that we can do the job.”

Said Johnston at another point, "I don't feel super strong as far as who's running it, who's talking to who, as long as it gets done."

Pentaleri continued voicing concern the town could lose much of the project's outside funding. “Things are very far behind I think where they should be … You still don’t have your arms around this project, despite the efforts that I’ve made to help you to get there.”

Resident Jeff Philbrick said via Zoom, whoever leads the town's efforts on the project, he hopes the person is committed to seeing it through to the end. Big dollars and multiple agencies are involved, he said. "There's a high degree of risk here, that trying to hand this off from one person to another is certainly not optimal. (The project is) complicated enough."

Ralph Hilton restated his opposition to replacing the bridge. That is more work than needed, he said. “This … is bonkers, going through all this, building the Golden Gate Bridge on the Egypt Road.” He suggested they visit the site and walk through the culvert.

The agencies who have looked have all said the culvert is obsolete and wrong-sized, Pentaleri said.

As talks continued, the town office lost its Internet. Johnston told Wiscasset Newspaper Dec. 6, when the Internet went out, the board paused the meeting. The board will pick up the discussion Dec. 19, Johnston said.

Also Dec. 5, Pentaleri, who serves on the climate action committee, reported the solar panels are being installed at the fire station. They will save the town about $4,000 a year in power costs, he said.

Selectmen noted their recent hiring of Code Enforcement Officer William Butler of Jefferson. They said Butler has worked for the state and multiple towns. “So, lots of knowledge, nice guy, laidback. And I think he’s going to be really good,” Johnston said. Greg Lumbert is alternate CEO.