Residents overwhelmingly voted Monday at the polls to approve the purchase of the town’s first waterfront access.
By a 211 to 81 vote, residents approved a town meeting warrant article to buy 1.56 acres for public water access.
The town would use $339,000 from the public waterfront access fund and $26,000 from the undesignated fund balance. The Lands for Maine’s Future program is estimating it will provide $365,000 with a final amount determined after an appraisal is completed and accepted by the LFMF Board. The estimated value of the property is $730,000.
The town would install a boat ramp at the property if acquired.
The property is two lots at 16 Barnacle Lane, near the end of Pleasant Point Road. The property is owned by the Dennis Young Sr. Living Trust.
Voters also approved another warrant article, an ordinance to regulate industrial-sized aquaculture operations. That was approved 186 to 99.
In November 2025, Cushing voters approved a 180-day moratorium on industrial-scale aquaculture projects by a 467 to 193 vote. The moratorium was to allow the Planning Board to come up with recommended regulations that would then have to go to voters.
The definition for large scale is anything one-half acre or larger.
Residents also approved March 16 amendments to the town’s shoreland zoning ordinance 186 to 95.
Residents also elected municipal officials at the March 16 polls.
Select Board member Craig Currie was unopposed and elected for another three-year term with 237 votes. Assessor William Aboud was also unopposed and elected for another three-year term with 232 votes. There were no candidates on the ballot for a three-year budget committee seat, but Charly Haverstat received four write-in votes for the position.
The municipal budget, proposed at about $1,070,000, an increase of about $70,000 from the approved 2025 budget of about $1 million, will be acted on Tuesday evening at 6 at the in-person town meeting.
This story appears through a media partnership with Midcoast Villager.
