A lot could happen to Wiscasset's shot at public access on Gardiner Pond. The land could be lost to another buyer or the town might decide it doesn't want it, Wiscasset Parks and Recreation Department Director Todd Souza said.

But to even get that far, the town needs to see if it can snag grant money to help make the purchase. Selectmen on March 18 gave Wiscasset Parks and Recreation Department Director Todd Souza the go-ahead to apply for a grant from the Land For Maine's Future Board.

The selectmen's vote was unanimous. Residents' comments were mixed, however.

Anne Leslie described the pond area as beautiful, quiet and unlike anyplace else in town. “I always wished the town could have control of it,” she told selectmen.

But Wiscasset Budget Committee member Bill Barnes opposed spending money on the land buy when the town has pressing financial needs, including its breakaway from Regional School Unit 12.

“To get this town any more in debt ... is obscene,” Barnes said.

The state grant would require a dollar-for-dollar local match, Souza said. The Kennebec Estuary Land Trust is willing to be a partner in the project, pay half the match and take over ownership of the portion of the land that lies in Dresden, Souza said. Private donors and additional grants could be sought to help with Wiscasset’s end of the deal, he said after Tuesday’s  meeting.

The land could solely serve as public access to the pond or, if residents preferred, it could be the site of recreational programs that could make money for the town, Souza said.

The land for sale currently brings in about $3,600 a year in property taxes to Wiscasset, Souza said. The town’s values on the three local parcels total about $223,000, he said.

The Nesbitt family is asking for $999,999 for 360 acres, including 162 acres in Wiscasset and 198 in Dresden, according to Souza. He estimated the town might be able to get the land for $700,000, so he plans to ask the state for $350,000, he said.

“It's a real estate deal. They could sell tomorrow and this is for naught,” Souza told selectmen. But he, Interim Town Manager Don Gerrish and selectmen agreed it's an opportunity worth exploring.

Seeking the grant does not bind the town to take it, town officials said. The town should know in July if it has won funding. Other steps would follow, including a vote by residents and sale negotiations, officials said.