A few years ago at a Poland annual town meeting, land and buildings were purchased that connected the land that the Town Office, Town Hall and Town Library are on into one contiguous parcel — lot 3A, map 40.

The house and garage on lot 3A have, during subsequent years, been put up for sale to be moved, and offered up for no money to be moved, but with no takers.

The selectmen now wish to demolish the house and garage, cut down numerous full-size sugar maples and bond out a municipal complex “park,” parking lot and gazebo for $600,000 over a 20-year period. There are engineering fees of potentially another $60,000 to $90,000.

Presently, Poland taxpayers are paying off a state-of-the-art fire station and are facing a substantial increase in the RSU 16 school budget, plus a potential loss of state revenue sharing.

There is an old New England adage, “Wear it out, use it up, make it do or do without.” It applies here.

Petitions are currently being circulated to request Poland selectmen put the municipal complex bond on permanent hold, and to use the existing buildings on map 40, lot 3A, for expanded town office space, recreational and municipal storage, in order that both floors of the Town Hall may be utilized again by local citizens.

Another old truism applies here: “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”

Barbara Strout, Poland