PATTEN, Maine — The news that President Barack Obama officially declared an 87,563-acre parcel of land as a national monument near Baxter State Park came as a welcomed opportunity for Patten town officials.
Town Manager Raymond Foss said Friday that he was not surprised by the announcement and was now focusing his efforts on making the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument a positive for the community.
“Based on the information that was out there, and the amount of work that has already been done, the announcement did not come as a surprise to me,” he said. “Our job now is to make it work. We need to make this as positive as it can be.”
Foss said while he understands there are those who are still opposed to the park, based on conversations he has had with a few people in the community, a concerted effort needs to be made to find a common ground to move forward.
“My own opinion is that now that the President has acted we need to work together to make this a positive thing for the town and the area,” Foss said. “We need to work with the federal, state, and other local governments on the issues of access points and rights of the citizens.”
“I look forward to Patten acting as a gateway community for the thousands of people who will visit,” added Selectman Richard Schmidt. “Too few people know about the beauty our region has to offer, and we look forward to introducing them to this ravishing area.
“I recognize that change is strenuous and whether it’s based on fear or a perception of being burdensome, it is absolutely necessary,” he added. “A $100 million investment in our backyard is historic and finally, we can move forward with tangible progress.”
