POLAND — Selectmen on Tuesday approved concept plans for the improvement of the town’s Waterhouse Park.

The park is between Poland Corner Road and the firehouse. It surrounds the dam that marks the farthest reach of Lower Range Pond and extends downstream on both sides of Waterhouse Brook to the point where the brook crosses the old railroad bed.

Don Stover told the board that the key feature in the Conservation Commission’s plan is to install a prefabricated footbridge across the dam spillway, as the final link in the 1.6-mile hiking trail. The trail runs south of the firehouse, passing in back of Poland Community School and on through the cemetery before crossing the brook and looping back along the old railroad bed to the north side of the dam.

“The road bridge is very narrow and not safe for pedestrians,” Stover said.

The area near the firehouse, surrounding the dam, Stover said, has long been appreciated as a roadside scenic area and is used for fishing and as a canoe launch.

Other improvements, mainly in the area just off Poland Corner Road, include planting trees and shrubs, trimming excess brush at the brook’s edge and improving the view from the bridge, addressing some erosion problems and sprucing up the small parking space on the north side of the pond just above the dam.

Stover estimated the total cost, which he hoped would be held down with volunteer help, to be in the $15,000 range with $10,000 to $12,000 of that for the footbridge.

He said there might be some state conservation funds available to help with expenses.

“Go for it,” Selectman Steve Robinson said.

Stover, thanking selectmen for their support and encouragement, said the next step would be to approach the Planning Board for its input.

In other business, selectmen awarded the contract for a new telephone system for the Town Office to Advanced Microsystems of Lewiston at a bid price of $5,860.

Town Manager Bradley Plante said Advanced Microsystems was the only firm to submit a bid despite Executive Assistant Nikki Pratt sending request-for-proposal packages to four local firms.

Plante said preliminary estimates to replace the town’s 20-year-old system ran as high as $9,000, the amount the town had set aside for the project. He judged the bid reasonable as well as responsive to the specifications.

Plante also told the board that he was re-advertising for a full-time Public Works Department operator/mechanic.

“We couldn’t find the right person,” Plante said. “This position requires more than just changing oil or tires.”

Selectmen also accepted John Sayles’ resignation from the Ricker Library board of trustees and appointed Ulla Hansen to serve through April 2015. Board members thanked Sayles, who is moving out of town, for his service.