Donnie Carroll, Executive Director of Narrow Gauge Railroad said Education Campaign is Underway

By Carol McCracken  (Post # 2,529)

Last Tuesday evening  the Town Council of Gray voted 3-1 to put a question on the November 8th ballot for voters to decide:  Do voters want the Town to award the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum about $500,000 to assist it in its planned relocation to Gray by 2018?

Carroll, said last week he doesn’t know how that vote will go in this Town of 8,000 people.   “It’s hard to tell now,” he said.  But he is initiating an “educational campaign” to inform voters of the benefits of the relocation and answer questions that have arisen since the city meeting last week.

Even if the City does not invest the money in the mini-trains, in all likelihood it will not be returned to taxpayers said Carroll.  That’s because the earmarked funds would come from unassigned funds the city is required to put into a “rainy day” fund.  The fund currently contains $768,000.  The President of the Friends of the Gray Wildlife Park testified at the town council meeting last wee. Many people visit the Wildlife park every season.  Last season 110,000 visited.  Often visitors to the Park want to know:  Is there anything else to do in Gray?

Tomorrow, Tuesday, September 27th, Carroll will meet with a group to set up a schedule of public forums to inform and educate the public about the benefits of the Railroad.  The campaign which has already begun will continue through election day – November 8th.

Please see previous post # 2,720, dated September 16, 2016 for more background information.