Curtis Island foundation seeks MOU for stairs, warns restoration costs will rise if deferred

Michael Scaling, president of the Curtis Island Lighthouse Foundation, told the Select Board the island's light tower, keeper's house, barn and oil house are degrading and that restoration costs increase the longer work is delayed. He summarized a 2024 historic-structure assessment and local engineering work and said the foundation has raised funds and holds a $25,000 Maine Lighthouse Foundation award that has required extensions while the groups refine access designs. "If they're not cared for, they're going to continue to degrade, and the cost of restoration increases year after year," Scaling said.

Jeff Nathan, Camden's parks and recreation director, asked the board for a non-objection to proceed with a memorandum of understanding between the town and the foundation to develop a stair-based access plan on town property. Nathan said the town would manage the project and a future competitive procurement if it reaches construction, while the foundation would fund the work. He emphasized the request covered stairs only and excluded floats or docks: "No docks. No floats," he said, noting floats would require a different permitting and cost profile.

Residents and committee members asked about the town's financial exposure, visitor capacity, accessibility and sequencing with other harbor projects. Scaling and Nathan said they are not seeking large taxpayer contributions at this time and expect the foundation to raise most of the money; they estimated, informally, that carrying capacity for the island should be limited (Speakers suggested 30'50 people at one time as a planning range). Scaling said the foundation is applying for a Maine Historic Preservation Commission grant of up to $500,000 (the town portion would require a match estimated at roughly $175,000 from the foundation) and wants to complete access improvements first to enable contractor work on the tower and keeper's house in 2026'27.

Board members pressed for clear limits on the scale of access and for contingencies to keep large commercial vessels and heavy traffic away from the island. Several residents suggested low-cost, creative stewardship ideas (noting a prior Conover family arrangement where keepers lived on the island) and recommended designing rails or a track to move materials and equipment. The board gave staff direction to work with the foundation on an MOU and to return a draft for the Aug. 18 meeting.

The discussion highlighted two immediate next steps: (1) the foundation will continue engineering and fundraising and (2) the town will work with staff and the foundation to draft an MOU that clarifies scope, permits, funding responsibilities and visitor limits before any contract or construction work begins.