A one-lane bridge coming up for a decision at Woolwich’s annual town meeting April 28 was discussed again Monday night.

Matt and Amy Richard own and rent the home served by the bridge off George Wright Road. The two-part article asks voters to either discontinue the bridge and pay the Richards $75,000 in damages; or raise $30,000 for an engineering bridge assessment.

Selectman David King Sr. said  at Monday’s public hearing, if the town replaces the bridge, it would cost more than if it were privately owned, “A new one has to be built to the same standards as if it were on Route 1.” Three contractor estimates the select board received for building a privately owned bridge ranged from $99,000 to $150,000 added King.

Teresa Cloutier, an attorney representing the Richards, said the issue was over the $75,000 the board was offering if the bridge is discontinued. The bridge replacement estimates the Richards sought were higher then the ones the board received.

Several residents felt the article should include an option to buy the Richard property, privatize the bridge and resell it as is. Matt Richard said he’d offered to sell the town the property two years ago when the bridge became an issue.

When asked by Selectman Jason Shaw how much he’d take for the property, Richard said $201,500 plus what he’d spent in legal fees and surveying. Last year, the property was assessed at $175,000, said Shaw.

Curtis Fish felt a buyout was still the best solution for taxpayers when weighed against the cost of building and maintaining a new town-owned bridge. He said, because the bridge is near the dam and the alewives run, the board should be concerned about its condition.

Road Commissioner Jack Shaw said the bridge gets yearly maintenance and is inspected by the state every two years. “It’s been posted to 12-ton since 1980 but could eventually be posted down further,” he said.

Richard noted a fully laden home heating oil truck weighs 15 tons.

King repeated the final decision will be up to voters. “They may decide they don’t want to discontinue it, or could even vote to dismiss the entire article and have us look further into this. That’s the beauty of a town meeting form of government, the voters decide how they want to spend the town’s money.”

Richard said he just wants the issue resolved. If voters choose to discontinue the bridge,  he plans to pursue litigation, he said.

At their regular meeting, selectmen approved a liquor license for Montsweag Farm, formerly  Montsweag Roadhouse. Wayne Wescott of Tenants Harbor told the select board he’d recently purchased the Route 1 restaurant.

EMS/EMA Director Brian Carlton said the town completed all the paperwork for FEMA reimbursement for the Oct. 30, 2017 windstorm. The town is eligible for up to 90 percent of the costs emergency services incurred.

Following a recent brush fire off Old Stage Road, the fire department is issuing no  burn permits until further notice.

Town Administrator Katharine Johnston noted ReVision Energy has provided a web link residents can visit to monitor the amount of electricity being generated at the solar array at the former landfill: http://revisionenergy.solarlog-web.net/20467.html