Boothbay selectmen approved a motion to let Town Manager Jim Chaousis develop a plan to accept public proposals for the Cross River Center. The land commonly called the former Smith property is north of where Route 27 intersects with River Road. The selectmen voted 4-1 on May 13. Selectman Chuck Cunningham dissented.

The town acquired the 19.81 acre property in 1998. Four years later, Boothbay residents voted to retain the land as public access to the Cross River. Efforts were put forth by the Boothbay Civic Association to create walking trails, an arts and craft center and even an ice skating rink, but nothing ever came to fruition except for a gravel parking lot built at the entrance of the property.

Now, 13 years later, many residents (including current and former selectmen) feel the property is underused and should be developed or sold.

When Henry Rowe of Boothbay returns home from vacationing in Florida every winter, he makes a point to stop by a selectmen's meeting in early spring to ask what is being done with the Smith property. For several years he said he hasn't heard a clear answer.

Rowe said he estimates the town has lost roughly $50,000 to $60,000 by holding on to the property.  “It would be nice to have something creative go into that spot,” Rowe said in a telephone interview.  

Rowe, a former Boothbay selectman, said he supported the effort to retain the Smith property in 2002. However, since nothing has been done, he feels the property should be put back out on the tax roll.

“Things need to continue to be progressing in some logical fashion,” Rowe said. “You just can't have status quo for 10 years and not have anything happen.”

At the May 13 meeting, selectman Steven Lewis said that no one is ever on the property. “I'm not even saying that we should get rid of it, but do something with it.

“Whether we put a park in there or something, it's just sitting there right now,” Lewis said.

Selectman Cunningham disagreed with Lewis. He said the area is used by hikers, hunters and clam diggers who seek access to the Cross River flats.

In an interview on May 21, former clam digger Jim Beam of Edgecomb said a lot of the clam diggers in that area keep boats tied up at other access points like Wildcat Creek, which empties into the Cross River from the northeast.

The Cross River clam flats have been known to be “hot” at times, Beam said, and it was popular with a bunch of clam diggers that used the property in the past. Beam said clam flats change over time. What was popular one year might not be popular until 10 years later.  

At the meeting, selectman Douglas Burnham argued that if the land could be sold, it would bring in money to the contingency fund and the town would be better off.

“I think you'll find the same folks that turned out when they voted in 2002 to retain that property via town meeting vote would turn out again,” Cunningham said.

In order for a change to happen on the Smith property, there must be at least one public hearing held before the issue can be put on a town warrant and voted on at a town meeting.

“I think we wouldn't be doing our job if we didn't at least look,” Lewis said. “Whether we do anything with it or not remains to be seen.”